Learn to chant Torah with Cantor Ellen Schwab
Learn the history, functions and melodies for the chant marks, or T'amim.
Synagogues all over the world treasure the tradition of members learning and changing the Torah for services. BIJ is no exception.
It give us the great pleasure when our young people chant for the High Holidays. We all rejoice and take particular joy when adult members of our community do the same.
We would like to create a standing group of members who would chant from the Torah scroll at our Shabbat morning service. To that end, it gives me great joy to announce a new Torah Trope class that will begin on Monday, January 7, 2008.
Class schedule
January 7, 14, 28
February 4, 11, 25
March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Students must be able to read Hebrew. We will begin with a bit of review if participants would like. Then we will learn the history, functions and melodies of the chant marks called T'amim. This word comes from the same Hebrew root for the word "taste." The creators of the system, the Mazorites, thought that the melody gave the text its taste.
Once we've mastered the T'amim, we will begin to use the Tikkun. This is the text we use to learn a portion, first with the vowels and then without the vowels. Our corning achievement will be for the class to share a complete Torah reading at a service.
Once we have accomplished that, it will be my pleasure to assist individuals to chant for us on a more frequent basis.