Ever seen a young boy stand up to lead, and then a second child stand with him, starting a small movement? At today’s service for this year’s last day of Berkman Mercaz Limud, when Rabbi Freedman was about to announce the year’s total in collected tzedakah (righteous giving), one boy stood up, held a dollar high in his hand, and brought it to the front of the sanctuary.  A second child then stood with him and brought tzedakah to the front of the room.  Child by child, then adults too, brought more money to add to the collection to go to people in need.  Our year’s tzedakah total was increased by over $100 in just one morning, because one kid stood up, and then another.

“Teach them to your children,” Rabbi Kuhn reminded us this morning, the Torah teaches us to teach the words of Torah to the next generation.  And yet, Rabbi Kuhn said, so often it’s the children who teach us!  When was the last time a child taught something to you?

Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam asher kidishanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al s’firat ha’omer. Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with sacred actions and enjoins us to count the omer.

Hayom arba-ah ushiloshim yom, shehem arbah-ah shavuot v’shishah yamim la-omer.

Today is 34 days which are 4 weeks and 6 days of the Omer.