Sunday, September 17, 2006

AishDas Shabbaton Elul 2006 I

First reactions: boy am I tired. 18 hours yesterday, almost all ON, from Shacharit, through first panel, and lunch, and lunch discussion with Micha and Steg, and Mark L., and afternoon panel, and mincha shaleshudis maariv, and melave malka, and selichos, and finally home at 1:30 AM.

Attendees raved about it: "better than last time, amazing job, terrific discussions". Others thought we packed too much program into the day.

Much of it was the R' Micha Berger Show, with considerable contributions from Rabbi & Dr. Bechhofer, and from R' Gil Student, as well as Yavneh's own Rabbi Moshe Sokol and Sharon Kantrowitz - anyone know good speakers on pragmatic mussar (rather than abstract shmuessen)?. As usual, the shul's social-workers contributed a lot to the discussion.

Somewhat lower attendance than last two times, we had 38 at the dinner, 8 of whom were invited guests. Also, less than 50 at the Melave Malka, where we had 70+ last time. I think the timing, so close to Yamim Noraim, despite the great idea of "getting ready for the teshuvah season", put some people off - more shul time, more to pay for at the same time as shul dues and seats, etc.

It would be nice if more people who participate verbally on the Aishdas email lists took the idea of a bricks-and-mortar organization for personal work seriously. Or at least, it would be nice to meet more fellow listmembers. Blogger Ari Kinsberg showed up for Kabbalat Shabbat, and appreciated Micha's davening in the Aishdas singing mode; as he's in the neighborhood, I hope we'll see him at shul in future.

It's someone else's turn now to make AishDas real. Washington Heights, anyone?

2 comments:

Steg (dos iz nit der šteg) said...

What do you mean by making it real in WaHi? Any ideas how to find that rumored group of YU students who are into mussar?

thanbo said...

The "rumored group" are in Israel, at or near the Gruss Kollel. Maybe RYGB has some contacts? Or maybe Rafi B. knows some guys from the vaad who have gone back to the States?

By "making it real in WaHi", well, you're one of three people who came to the Shabbaton who is already on the lists (actually, Farkas too, and Berlowitz). Maybe with two of you, there's more possibility in Boro Park?