Rich's Kids!

We were worried. MRT's master of the shofar, Rich Sachs, was out of town for Rosh Hashanah and most of the days afterward. Rich and his wife, Sheila, are proud new grandparents (Mazel Tov!) and had gone to be with their family. So, yes, we worried that our shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah would not meet the usually high levels we get when Rich coaches the shofar squad. But that wasn't our biggest concern. RoosBlog followers were surely more focused on Rich's absence from the 2nd Annual Shofar Blowing Competition at Red Bank's Beth Shalom Congregation. Rich had represented us well and took top honors at last year's meet. Who could fill such shoes this year?

Like Vader showing how the student has become the master, Zak Desaro and Evan Leifman dominated the competition this year. The ten-year old veterans of the MRT youth shofar corps have attracted the attention of tekiah connoisseurs since they first appeared on the scene just over a year ago. Desaro took top honors for the much-coveted prize of blowing the longest tekiah gedolah. He also won for original melody by blowing "Taps" on the shofar. The ever-creative Leifman blew the theme song to "Jeopardy!"

While Sachs lamented his own absence from the field this year, he expressed "great pride" that "his boys" are following in his footsteps. Well played men, well played.

See coverage and photos from the competition here on RedBankGreen.

Not to be sidelined by any circumstances, Sachs appeared on the historic bimah of Boston's Temple Israel as baal tekiah on Rosh Hashanah. Our sources at the Jewish Advocate report that trade talks are now swirling in the Boston area congregations. Sachs has ignored the chatter and gives no indication he plans to take his shofar on the road.