Nusach sefard debuts in Young Israel of Woodmere

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New minyan offered on Shabbat morning

By Malka Eisenberg

Issue of Oct. 31, 2008 / 2 Cheshvan 5769

The Young Israel of Woodmere marked Shabbat Parshat Breishit by inaugurating a new, Nusach Sefard minyan, which attracted a standing-room-only crowd in its first week. The minyan — open to men and women — began at 8:30 a.m. and was followed by a parsha shiur by Rabbi Dovid Fohrman.

Stephen Wagner, chairman of the shul ritual committee who served as gabbai, likened it to a “shteibel...camaraderie type of minyan” with a heimish feel, due to its venue in a room with tables and its relatively small size.

“The turnout in the first week was “fantastic,” Wagner said, “more than we thought we’d get,” he said. “The first week people were curious...If they continue to come that’s fantastic.”

“It’s a nice, quiet minyan,” added Wagner, pointing out that there was some singing at Shacharit, led by ba’al tefilah Dr. Jay Bindiger, but “not too much” at Mussaf. Attendees also enjoyed listening to the shiur by Rabbi Fohrman, who Wagner described as “a nice draw.”

Attendees included a “nice cross section of the community,” Wagner observed. There was “a fair mix of people trying it out from other minyanim in the Young Israel, some from other shuls, older and younger people,” he said.

Sefard siddurim were donated by Mark and Hindi Mazel in memory of Mark Davidman, a”h.

Rabbi Hershel Billet, the shul’s rav, noted that although the current push for this minyan began before the summer, people had been requesting a nusach sefard minyan at his shul for years. Shlomo Zuller, the shul president, was a driving force behind its creation, as was Dr. Shaul Schwalb, Rabbi Billet said.

“We need different styles and atmospheres and as many opportunities as possible to make Tefila conducive,” explained Rabbi Billet. “It’s another opportunity to learn Torah and daven in a nice minyan.”

“One nice thing about the Young Israel is if you want something different they try to accommodate,” said Wagner. “They have an 8 a.m., a vasikin and a young couples minyan. It’s a nice accommodation that the Young Israel made for people who wanted to daven in this type of minyan.”

For now, the sefard minyan at the Young Israel of Woodmere will meet only on Shabbat mornings. There are other nusach sefard minyanim in the area, including at Congregation Bais Ephraim Yitzchok (Island Avenue shul) and Congregation Aish Kodesh.

“I hope people continue to daven there [at the other shuls],” said Rabbi Billet. “There are two chashuva rabbanim and people daven there for the chaverim and the ambiance. This minyan is purely intended as an alternative for members of the Young Israel.”

“I davened sefard growing up,” he continued. “It’s a personal thing. To the degree possible, we want to enable people to serve G-d in the best way for them with as many minyanim as possible.”