After successfully completing the chanting of the Gantze (entire) Megillah on Purim day for fellow middle school students, faculty, families and friends, 18 Ashkenazic and Sephardic North Shore Hebrew Academy (NSHA) students received certificates attesting to their individual accomplishments of chanting their portion of the Megillah.
The certificates were presented by NSHA Head of School Rabbi Jeffrey Kobrin, Middle School Principal Rabbi Adam Acobas and Megillah instructor Dr. Paul Brody.
A Great Neck Estates resident and dermatologist, Dr. Brody has instructed 275 NSHA students over the past 16 years. During the recitation of their portion, many of the students wore the tallit (prayer shawl) of Dr. Brody’s maternal zayde (grandfather) Rabbi Jacob Brown, of blessed memory, who convinced Dr. Brody more than four decades ago that learning to read the Gantze Megillah was not insurmountable.
Simeon Dicker, who chanted the portion that included the names of the 10 evil sons of Haman in one breath, hung a composite of modern-day Hamans who have unsuccessfully tried to destroy the Jewish people. Jack Henry Applebaum expertly utilized different voice pitches to express the emotions of Queen Esther and King Achasverosh.
