It is a mitzvah to listen to the shofar on Rosh Hashanah (hence the alternative name Yom Teruah, Day of the [Shofar] Blowing). We were helped to fulfill that mitzvah this year by preschool parent, Elana Slobodien.
For two decades, Shomrei has been lucky to have Yechiel Felder perform this beautiful mitzvah for the community. This year he’s stepped-down from this task. We are all very grateful to Yechiel for his many years of Shofar blowing. Yasher Koach Yechiel!
Elana & husband Joshua moved to Montclair about 2 years ago. Their younger son, Lev, is 3 and goes to the Shomrei preschool. Their older son, Natan, is in 1st grade at Golda Och.
Blowing the shofar comes naturally to Elana. She has played trumpet and French horn since 4th grade. She did a dual program in college – majoring in economics at Barnard College and continuing with the French horn at Manhattan School of Music. She used to blow shofar at her synagogue growing up in Cherry Hill, NJ. She bought the shofar that she used at Shomrei on Ben Yehuda street in Jerusalem on an 8th grade class trip to Israel.
Elana’s day job is a Banker. She is the Head of Corporate Banking Coverage for Multinationals in Latin America at JPMorgan. Her team is focused on global companies that have assets in Latin America or are looking to invest in Latin America. She travels 4-5 days a week, mostly to Brazil, Mexico, China, and London, although this week she is closer to home in Tampa. Over the past year she has been to over 18 countries. When not traveling, her office is in midtown in NYC.
Joshua is from Santiago, Chile. They met there during Elana’s study abroad semester in college. To quote Elena “Thank god he is a wonderful full-time dad.” Joshua is also very creative and spends a lot of time on interior design. He also does metal-smithing and makes beautiful jewelry.
Elana also said , “I spend every spare second I can find with my beautiful children – which means shabbat, weekends, and the Jewish holidays. On the days I work from NYC, I try to get home in time for bedtime and reading books to the kids.”
After living in so many cities and countries over the past 10 years (Chile, NYC, Brazil, Chicago, Atlanta), Elana and Joshua are hoping that Montclair will be their home for the foreseeable future and are excited to be part of the Shomrei community.
We hope so too.
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Shomrei is so lucky to have Elana and family as part of our Shomrei family. Yasher Koach on the exquisite shofar blowing.
Outstanding. Elena seemed to be enjoying herself. It was a pleasure to listen and watch.
Thank you,Yechiel, for the 20 years of wonderful Shofar blowing!!
Elana, you are a noteworthy successor, very enjoyable.