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Rachel White Greenfield and Ben Greenfield to receive Young Leadership Award On October 26

Rachel White Greenfield and Ben Greenfield will receive a special present for their first anniversary on Saturday, October 26 at 9:30 am. Mishkan Torah present Rachel and Ben with the Third Annual Young Leadership Award. The Award honors younger members of the Congregation who make outstanding efforts and unique and special contributions to the life of the Synagogue. Darelynn Fung and Bret Goldstein were the inaugural winners, while Yoni Charry and Yael Fischman received the second Young Leadership Award. The award will be presented at a special Shabbat service. A delicious luncheon catered by the Sisterhood will follow the gala affair.

 Rachel and Ben are worthy nominees, who continue the high tradition of the award. Rachel and Ben met at Mishkan Torah and were married last October 24, 2012. Rachel, who is an elementary school music educator in Prince Georges County, came to Mishkan Torah as the Director of the Mishkan orah Choir. Under her tutelage, the Choir is thriving. She is adored by Mishkan Torah’s Younger Generation as a youth group co-advisor and sometime teacher. She is currently the Chairman of the Youth Programs Committee. The daughter of a Rabbi, Rachel displays her Jewish knowledge as an active and involved member of the Religious Committee. 

Rachel enjoys playing the flute and piccolo, and played a Suite for Flute by baroque composer G.P. Telemann in the original Generations United Concert. She also starred in the Purim Spiel in March 2012 where she thwarted the evil doings of Haman as Queen Esther, and brought down the house with her Lady Gaga number. She showed her talent as a vocalist in last June’s Generations United Two Concert by singing “On My Own” from “Les Miserables.”  

Ben literally grew up at Mishkan Torah as the son of Cantor Phil Greenfield and Carolyn Sonnen. Ben attended various classes at Mishkan Torah during his high school days. After graduating as a voice performance major from Baldwin College in Berea, Ohio, Ben returned to the area where he  assumed a leadership role in services at Mishkan Torah. He has led shiva minyans, and has excelled week after week doing such portions of the service as Musaf and the Torah Service, not to mention his many musical takes on “Adon Olam.” 

Ben has been an integral part of Mishkan Torah performances. In December 2010 Ben gave a challenging solo recital to inaugurate the highly successful Young Performers Series. He has performed at numerous other occasions including the Hail to the Chiefs Dinner; Generations United in May 2012 where he sang the duet from “The Pearl Fishers” with his father Cantor Phil; and at the Gala in November 2012 honoring Frank Pearlman’s and Greenbelt’s birthdays . Along with Rachel, Ben co-starred in the Purim Spiel in March 2012 as a befuddled, but stentorian, King Ahasuerus. Ben was last heard at Mishkan Torah in Generations United Two where he did a trifecta by performing the “Benedictus” from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B Minor with his mother Carolyn Sonnen playing the flute; “Bring Him Home” from “Les Miserables” in French to Carlos Castillo’s guitar accompaniment ; and the special reprise of “Bring Him Home” with his father Cantor Phil, Jeffrey Rosen, and Carlos Castillo. 

Ben is currently the tenor soloist at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Baltimore, Maryland and the High Holiday Cantor for Temple B’Nai Abraham in Elyria, Ohio. He has just commenced his classes for a Masters of Jewish Studies at Towson State University, the beginning of a road which Ben hopes will lead him to the rabbinate.

Be there to congratulate Ben and Rachel on this well deserved honor and to share their special day with them. The cost of the luncheon per person is $18. You may make reservations for the luncheon at the Synagogue or by using the special Flyer appearing elsewhere in this issue of the “The Trumpet.”  If you prefer, you may make reservations and donations online. The day will be a special one for our two honorees and their
proud families. Be there to share it with them.

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