Whiz Kids

Whiz Kid: 15-Year-Old Provides A Congregation's Wake-Up Call

Parkway North sophomore Ben Packman has been playing the Shofar since he was 10.

For a teenager, being responsible for your own alarm clock can be a tough enough challenge. But how would you handle the task if you were responsible for an entire congregation? If you have questions, you should ask Parkway North High School sophomore Ben Packman. Now at the ripe old age of 15, Packman has been blowing the shofar at Temple Israel for five years. "The shofar is an instrument that comes from the Torah," Temple Israel Rabbi Amy Feder said. "During Rosh Hashana, it serves as a wake-up call to change your life for the better. It's literally supposed to be an alarm." Ben's father, Michael Packman, had the idea that Ben could do this from an early age. "When he was little, he and his older brother challenged each other to see who…

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