Author Archives: Merrill Silver

Wednesday Evening Minyan Returns After Summer Break

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The Wednesday Evening Minyan has been a Shomrei tradition since 2008. It began after my father, Mike Leventer, passed away and I wanted to say Kaddish in the comfort of my home and community. Shomrei came through for me nine years ago and we have sustained the minyan ever since.

How does the service work? We daven the short evening service in Hebrew and English. If you are observing a Yahrtzeit or saying Kaddish during a year of mourning, we support you. We sing a “Mishabayrach” for family and friends who are ill. We gather together for 20 minutes of tranquility and gratitude in an otherwise hectic week. Continue reading →

It Takes a Village

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1W1L 1For the past sixty-four days, I have felt hopeless, helpless and frustrated by many of the actions of the new administration. Rather than yelling at the TV screen and flailing my arms in despair, especially regarding the Moslem travel ban, I was grateful when Nick Levitin and Andy Silver organized the Shomrei Refugee Committee. Finally, a call to action! Thanks to their research and research by other committee members, we now have information about several agencies that occasionally need a helping hand. Or two or three. And make them strong, loving hands, as well. Continue reading →

Purim Simcha Band Plays Its Heart Out

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For the sixth year in a row, the multi-generational Simcha Band played our hearts out at our annual Purim celebration. Setting the lively tone for the Costume Parade and then playing in between chapters of the Megillah, the band added a new dimension to its name “Simcha” Band! When the Megillah readers chanted Haman’s name, the band successfully drowned out his name. Continue reading →

Pure Joy! – The Hanukkah Simcha Band!

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Today’s WELL column in The New York Times (12/20/16) talks about how running makes the brain work in surprising ways. Similarly, it says that “Playing a musical instrument, for instance, requires refining a variety of fine motor skills, while also engaging memory, attention, forward planning and many other executive functions of the brain. So it’s not surprising that past brain-scanning studies have found that expert musicians tend to have greater coordination between areas of the brain associated with different kinds of thinking, as well as sensory processing and motor control, than do people who have never picked up a bassoon or other instrument.”

The Times article forgot one important thing. Playing a musical instrument is pure joy (and some practice, too). The multi-generational Hanukkah Simcha Band proved this with its glorious sound at our community Hanukkah party on Sunday, Dec. 18. Whether you were playing, singing, dancing or listening to the gorgeous music, it was exhilarating. Continue reading →

Mrs. Patmore Comes to Shomrei’s Kitchen!

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Sunday night for me means tennis followed by “Downton Abbey.” I fantasize about having Lady Mary’s perfect and dramatic bob and her glamorous wardrobe and jewels. What would it be like to have Lady Edith’s big heart and feminist spirit? Unfortunately, I will never know.

Merrill Silver cookingWhat I do know is that after helping John Lasiter in the Shomrei kitchen, Mrs. Patmore and Daisy are more my kindred spirits. Mrs. Patmore creates a warm and nurturing environment in Downton’s kitchen. She and Daisy chat, give and take advice while they cut, chop, slice, sautee and simmer, dice, poke, peel, put pans in and take things out of the oven, prepare each dish so it is both delicious and tantalizing. There is an ebb and flow to the kitchen as the servants and occasionally the lord and ladies stream in and out. Continue reading →

Simcha Band Performing in March

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MUSICIANS  AGES 10-110 WANTED

Our multi-generational Shomrei Simcha Band will be performing at Shabbat Services on Friday, March 4 and on Purim, Wednesday, March 23.

If you read music, play your instrument regularly or wish you played your instrument regularly, then the Simcha band is for you. If you have played with us before or want to join the band for the first time, then the Simcha band is for you. Conductor Mark Weinstein will encourage you to be the best musician you can be, while having fun and making new friends both young and old.

Continue reading →