The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

Gavriel Weltsch is, in many ways, your typical third-grader. He can be found playing hockey in the lobby with other boys his age and sharing with his sisters the pecklach they collected on Simchas Torah.

Gavi and his sisters, Racheili and Shana, and his little brother Binyamin are constant companions of the Shalosh Shiddush Chevra. Gavi can often involve me in deep and insightful conversations about the Parsha as we indulge in potato salad and herring.

Indeed, he is the only eight-year-old who has pinch-hit for me at Shalosh Shiddish when I am away. He confidently delivers spellbinding Divrei Torah.

In the past, Gavriel would arrive at Shul every Shabbos morning with his father. He would be present for some of the davening; however, often, he would drift to the lobby and immerse himself in a book. I would notice him sitting quietly reading in the middle of the lobby. Once, after two weeks of not noticing Gavi around the Shul, I asked him where he was during the davening. He answered that he was davening in the Sefardic minyan in the downstairs Beis Medrash. When I asked him why he quickly replied, “They have a raffle for the kids who daven nicely, and the prizes are really good.” After inquiring about the “really-good” prizes, I confirmed with Gavriel’s father that the raffle appealed to Gavi and the other children.

David Weltsch, Gavriel’s father, suggested, “Why not we do a raffle here in the main minyan? I would be happy to sponsor the program.” David’s suggestion was comparable to the Shabbos lamp we all use. It was brilliantly simple, yet I scratched my head in disbelief as to why it took so long to think of!” David and I decided right then and there to initiate the raffle system in the main minyan.

The prize would be a twenty-five dollar gift certificate to Z. Berman Books.

The first week we had the raffle, we decided to limit it to boys ages six to Bar Mitzvah. The requirements were simple. The boy must arrive in Shul before Krias HaTorah. He must remain for the davening, including the Drosha, with an allowance for two short breaks.

The first week was successful, with many boys who spent time in the lobby, were now sitting and davening in Shul. Yet, we heard cries from behind the Mechitza, “Why are only boys who daven nicely rewarded? What about the girls?” We quickly rectified the situation as one steady woman attendee graciously offered to distribute the raffle tickets in the women’s section. When a girl would win the raffle, a faceless voice would be heard from behind the Mechitza announcing, “A girl has won!”

The program was so successful that I realized, “Why limit the program to only pre-Bar and Bas Mitzvah children? Could not the Bachurim and high school-age girls also use a push to daven better?” The next week we instituted a second raffle with another gift certificate to Z. Berman. This second raffle was for post-Bar and Bas Mitzvah young men and women up to age twenty. Some initially laughed at the idea of a raffle for Bachurim and high-school students. Yet, this raffle also proved successful as more late-comers became on-time attendees, and the lobby was empty during davening.

Suddenly parents were reporting to me that their boys and girls were encouraging them to get to Shul on time so they could be in the raffle. One parent told me they must get up fifteen minutes earlier every Shabbos to have their coffee and get to Shul on time so their daughter can receive a raffle ticket.

Chaim Gluck from the local Bagel store heard about the program. A third generic raffle was introduced as he happily donated gift certificates for breakfast at Bagel Munch.

Young boys and girls and Bachurim and high-school girls were suddenly a large presence enhancing the davening. When a girl from the Ezras Nashim was the winner, I was thrilled that the program reached across both sides of the Mechitza. When a young man who lost his father to Covid won the raffle, his smile lit up the entire room.

At present, we have three raffles going on simultaneously every Shabbos.

Many adults have asked me if we can also include a raffle for the over-thirty crowd. It was particularly exciting when after three weeks, Gavriel himself won the raffle.

Yet, nothing could compare to the comment by Yaakov, an eleven-year-old.

At the kiddush, he came over to me and said, “Rabbi, Thank you.”

I didn’t recall his ever winning, so I asked him, “For what?”

“You made coming to Shul the best part of Shabbos.”

Thank you, Gavriel.