Abstract
Footage from the 1997 documentary “A Life Apart: Hasidism in America” (directed by Menachem Daum and Oren Rudavsky), the first in-depth documentary about Hasidic Jews, members of a distinctive group within Judaism that has roots in pre-World War II Eastern Europe.
Ceremony at the Ger Yagdil Hatorah yeshiva celebrating a rite of passage for boys: being considered old enough to begin studying the Khumesh (the Torah: the Five Books of Moses). (Part 1) 5/1/1994
00:00:26 - Rabbi Moshe Yehudah Berkowitz's class in the Ger Yagdil Hatorah yeshiva, in classroom . Arriving in small sanctuary where ceremony will take place, each holding his Vayikra (book with the first Torah portion of Leviticus). Several classes take their place on bleachers.
00:05:30 - They rehearse for the ceremony that marks their being officially old enough to study Torah. They are taught a traditional chant used in prewar Europe by boys who have mastered the alphabet and are ready to start studying khumesh. They will begin their study with Leviticus, the third of the five books, rather than with Genesis. The song explains this by saying since Leviticus deals with the purity of the sacrifices brought to the Temple, it is fitting that children who are pure (sinless) should begin with the part of the Torah that focuses on purity.. (Yiddish)
00:08:48 - Rabbi Berkowitz coaches the boys in chanting the opening passages of Vayikra. (Hebrew).
00:11:18 - The boys sing songs (Hebrew and Yiddish) with coaching (in Yiddish) by Rabbi Berkowitz: Purify our hearts so we may serve You with truth…. Instill in us a good inclination to serve You with truth, fear and love…. The Torah of you mouth is more valuable to me than all gold and silver…. The World to Come is a good thing but studying Torah is even better. Throw away all your burdens and study Torah more and more.
00:17:56 - The boys return to their classrooms.
00:19:20 - (No audio) Parents gather for the ceremony. Mothers with camcorders behind a mekhitsa (divider that marks off a women's section in a synagogue).
00:20:09 - Rabbi Berkowitz's class line up to go to the ceremony. A few older boys, maybe brothers, present.
Ceremony at the Ger Yagdil Hatorah yeshiva celebrating a rite of passage for boys: being considered old enough to begin studying the Khumesh (the Torah: the Five Books of Moses). (Part 1) 5/1/1994
00:00:26 - Rabbi Moshe Yehudah Berkowitz's class in the Ger Yagdil Hatorah yeshiva, in classroom . Arriving in small sanctuary where ceremony will take place, each holding his Vayikra (book with the first Torah portion of Leviticus). Several classes take their place on bleachers.
00:05:30 - They rehearse for the ceremony that marks their being officially old enough to study Torah. They are taught a traditional chant used in prewar Europe by boys who have mastered the alphabet and are ready to start studying khumesh. They will begin their study with Leviticus, the third of the five books, rather than with Genesis. The song explains this by saying since Leviticus deals with the purity of the sacrifices brought to the Temple, it is fitting that children who are pure (sinless) should begin with the part of the Torah that focuses on purity.. (Yiddish)
00:08:48 - Rabbi Berkowitz coaches the boys in chanting the opening passages of Vayikra. (Hebrew).
00:11:18 - The boys sing songs (Hebrew and Yiddish) with coaching (in Yiddish) by Rabbi Berkowitz: Purify our hearts so we may serve You with truth…. Instill in us a good inclination to serve You with truth, fear and love…. The Torah of you mouth is more valuable to me than all gold and silver…. The World to Come is a good thing but studying Torah is even better. Throw away all your burdens and study Torah more and more.
00:17:56 - The boys return to their classrooms.
00:19:20 - (No audio) Parents gather for the ceremony. Mothers with camcorders behind a mekhitsa (divider that marks off a women's section in a synagogue).
00:20:09 - Rabbi Berkowitz's class line up to go to the ceremony. A few older boys, maybe brothers, present.
Collection
Subject
Duration
00:22:26 (HH:MM:SS)
Language:
English
Copyright Date
1997
Rights Declaration:
This recording is protected by copyright. You are free to view it but not download it. Please contact the Brooklyn College Archives for further information about how you may use this recording.
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PID
njcore:194848
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