Sara Shonfeld owner/founder of Musical Minds entertained families at The Community Synagogue of Port Washington with her unique drumming, percussion and movement program.
The evening began with the lighting of the menorah candles followed by pizza dinner and making an edible dreidel from marshmallows and pretzels.
Shonfeld led children and adults through this drumming and percussion event. She brought dozens of drums, tambourines and other musical instruments. Every child and adult had something to bang, hit, or shake. The beat of the drums was very dramatic and everyone was engaged. Sometimes she counted as she drummed, other times she sang a Hanukkah song.
Shonfeld moved continuously among the children and adults, leading them through responsive or imitative drumming. At one point, she led them in a circle and they had to pass under a rope. The musical experience was exciting, as well as a lesson in rhythm and teamwork.
In addition to the musical experience, the children had an opportunity to do arts and crafts projects. They decorated a small shopping bag with Hebrew letters or Hanukkah symbols. For another project, they decorated a dreidel made of a CD, a nut and a bolt.
The Sisterhood’s Jill Eisenberg organized the event. Helen Berkun, Marsha Phillips, Wendy DeAngelis, Yvette Bergman, Nancy Kaplan and Bari Ziegel helped out. And Cantor Claire Franco led the members of the synagogue in prayer as they lit the candles on the menorah.
