A Little Levity
Editor's Note: Sometimes a little humor is just what the doctor ordered. Every once in a while I'm going to post a few little stories like this, in order to break up the entries that get us all teary-eyed.

I give you three moments from the Bnai Israel Blooper Real...

Friday night, Kabbalas Shabbos services are in full swing at Bnai Israel Congregation. We've just accepted Shabbos when a delivery person arrives with flowers. Since we can't accept the delivery on Shabbos, the Rabbi runs over to intercept the delivery person and explain it to them. One of our congregants, in a moment of inspiration, jokes, "It's from the Chabad Rabbi!" (Disclaimer: It wasn't from our Chabad Rabbi. He's a good guy. We love him.)

The Rabbi teaches the congregation a short Mishna in between Mincha and Maariv every day in order to make a separation. One particular day, as he was stepping up to the front of the Minyon room, he tripped and almost fell. As he turned around, he looked up - only to see Sam Minsberg and Marcus Aronoff (z"l), two very senior members of our congregation offering their canes. They both had a talent for making us laugh.

One Shabbos morning, at the end of Mussaf, Phil Schwartz stepped up to the Bima to give the Shull announcements. Phil, a quintessential straight man, was about to announce a Mazel Tov for a member of our congregation named Brian. Instead, he paused. We looked closer and realized he was laughing too hard to keep reading the announcements and was trying his best not to show it. Finally, he composed himself enough to look at the Rabbi, point to Brian's name on the announcement sheet and let us all know that Brian's named was mispelled, "Sorry. It says 'Brain' here."