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Well-Deserved Gift
Song And Spirit Institute honors Chazzan Steve Klaper
with a unique prayer shawl.
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Michelle and Steve Passon, Wendy Robins, Judy Lewis, Bev Deitch and Sara
Steve and his wife, Mary Gilhuly, show off the new prayer shawl.
Katzman work on painting the fabric of the prayer shawl.
I
Judy Greenwald
Special to the Jewish News
W
inter's chill did nothing to
deter the congregants of
Berkley's Song and Spirit
Institute for Peace, who gathered on
Saturday, Feb. 21, to honor Steve Klaper
for his ordination as a chazzan (cantor)
through the training program offered by
ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal.
In recognition of his completion of
intensive study in December 2014, a
group of congregants surprised Klaper,
who serves as maggid (storyteller) at Song
and Spirit, with a handmade tallis (prayer
shawl) during the evening's Havdalah/
Lord's Day service.
"This is overwhelming" Klaper of Oak
Park said, as he thanked the congregation
and proudly displayed the colorful tallis,
illustrated by local artist Michael Phillips.
"It took six years of study, involving
online learning and traveling once a year
to Denver and to other places in the U.S.
to complete the course. I studied texts,
music forms, the lifecycle — all with an
eye toward modern interpretation of hal-
achah. The Renewal movement, of which
Song and Spirit is a part, honors Jewish
tradition while bringing it into the 21st
century:'
Klaper's wife, Mary Gilhuly, recalled
with a smile how she encouraged him.
"I told Steve, 'Don't give up,"' she said. "I
kept telling him, 'think how happy you'll
feel that you kept going: I'm proud and
excited about all his hard work!"
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March 19 • 2015
Song and Spirit lay
leader Judy Lewis, who
along with Klaper's wife
acted as organizer of
the celebration, said
the work that went into
creating the 5-foot-by-7-
foot tallis represented a
labor of love by the more
than 30 people involved
in its creation. The
unique design includes
the Song and Spirit logo,
and a musical staff with
the notes of the Shema.
"Steve is such a
mentsh, and Song and
Spirit is so important
to us," Lewis said. "He's
Steve thanks lay leader Judy Lewis.
been working for years
to achieve his goal of
becoming a chazzan, and
the making of this ritual garment
I'm delighted the energy that went into
meant to them.
making this tallis has been so strong and
"I wanted to support Steve said
Sara Katzman of Southfield, "and this
that he'll get well-deserved recognition"
Southfield resident Lewis noted that
is a great way to acknowledge the
Chazzan Steve Klaper tries on the new tallis.
time, talent and funds were generously
years of hard work he put into receiv-
ing ordination:'
contributed. Money collected beyond the
purchase of materials was donated to Song
"Steve gives a lot of himself," agreed Bev ration of Klaper's accomplishment. "I'm so
and Spirit, honoring Klaper's ordination.
Deitch, also of Southfield. "This is our way proud of Steve," he said. "His ordination
of giving back"
She expressed special thanks to Michael
enriches our ministry together, and now
Daitch of Farmington for helping knot the
it's time to implement our training to work
Gail Katz of West Bloomfield also par-
tzitzit (fringes), and to Southfield resident ticipated to show support. "My husband
toward a common good:'
"This gift is really incredible," Klaper
Faith Robinson-Renner, who assembled
and I attend Song and Spirit, and it's been
the tallis.
a pleasure knowing Steve. His becoming a
kvelled. "I'll bet it's the only tallis in the
At one of the three fabric painting ses-
cantor means a lot to me:'
world with a Jewish star, a San Damian()
sions held in January at Phillips' Southfield
The interreligious institute's Brother Al
cross and a crescent moon on it!"
home, several attendees expressed what
Mascia, a Franciscan friar, noted his admi-
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