Lenny Solomon on Good Shabbos Nebraska!

This Shabbos on Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's favorite shabbos morning talk show - we have the one and only Lenny Solomon!!!

Lenny Solomon rivals Shlomo Carlebach as the most influential Jewish musician in American Jewish history.  Lenny has performed in more communities in the United States than anyone other than perhaps Shlomo Carlebach and Yosselle Rosenblatt.

Lenny brought Torah, Jewish pride, and Jewish values to countless kids throughout American by rockin it out to songs that they already knew.  Lenny went to places where Jewish kids didn't know anything at all about Judaism and he inspired them to go and learn about their Jewish heritage.

Lenny's only agenda was inspiring young Jews.  He didn't push any particular brand of Judaism.  He got kids excited and inspired them to go learn.

Lenny was an inspiration to me when I was a kid.   For me, his most powerful song was the song Minayn Man.  To this day, I get choked up when I hear the song.

Minyan Man was very influential in my decision to dedicate my life to helping small Jewish communities like Omaha.

Here are the lyrics.  I expect everyone in Omaha to know them by 10 am tomorrow when we sing it with Lenny on Good Shabbos Nerbraska!

Minyan Man

I stepped off the bus in Mobile, Alabama
The sun was slowly setting by the bay
It was six o' clock on a summer Friday's afternoon
Shabbos was an hour away

I walked around the town
Wondering what to do
'Cause Shabbos is no time to be Feeling blue
And then I saw a man
Who looked the same way, too
I was quite relieved to find a fellow Jew

I asked the man I saw how many Jews in this town
He said to me
"There used to be a minyan around
But one of us passed away
And we've been feeling down
Yet now it seems as though another Jew has been found
Won't you stay with us for Shabbos, Minyan Man?"

We walked down Winston Avenue
A block then two more
And went into a shop that read "Closed" on the door
There was a Minyan in the back of the hardware store
Nine men, waiting for one more

We ushered in the Shabbos
With a beautiful song
The Chazzan had a voice that was clear and strong
We sang out as one
All Shabbos long
Then Maariv came again
I had to be moving on

I asked the man I saw…

Now, that was twenty years ago
But the vision is clear
And I think about it now and then
'Cause the place is still dear
And when I make that trip to Mobile
Once every year
I remember the man who prayed here

Now, the Minyan is gone
A few died
Some moved on
But the back of the store still remembers this song
The nine men who waited
Then one came along
And Shabbos was carried on a song

I asked the man I saw…