As I am preparing to co-lead a 2023 summer service, I am remembering that summer 30 years ago when I had my first summer camp experience at the URJ’s Kutz Camp in Warrick, NY. This was a 2-week program designed primarily for small town Jewish communities lacking a rabbi or other qualified individual to lead worship services and other life cycle events and led to being certified as a rabbinic aide. There were some 20 of us who attended from all over the country and about half of them, like myself, did not lack for a rabbi, but wished to be more actively involved in worship, ritual and assisting their clergy.

It was a life-changing 2 weeks for me learning from great teachers from HUC. We learned about liturgy from Lawrence Hoffman, midrash from Norman Cohen, and the choreography of worship from Rick Jacobs (now President of URJ). We learned how to conduct a funeral service and how to conduct a shiva minyan from Les Bronstein and we had song sessions (just like the kids at Kutz who were learning to be our next generation of leaders) led by Benji Schiller.

It was there in the dining hall that the birkat hamazon became etched in my brain. Composing a d’var Torah “with a hook” and writing a eulogy were lessons that took root. Can you imagine sitting in a room tearing up as you listened to recordings of eulogies for people you did not know? All this training has served me well. I was able to conduct funeral services and eulogize my parents and other close relatives who had never connected with a rabbi after moving from MA to FL years before.

I led many a shiva minyan for TBE in years past. And when a call goes out for a summer service leader, I am ready and prepared.