Art of Storytelling by Malky Lowinger

Master Storyteller Rabbi Yitzy E rps on the Art of Storytelling

By Malky Lowinger

If you grew up on the classic children’s CD called “Yanky at the Pesach Seder With Zeyde,” then chances are you are already a huge fan of the multi-talented master storyteller Rabbi Yitzy Erps.

Rabbi Erps has enchanted and entertained three generations of Jewish children with his incredible voices, his simple yet clever stories, his meaningful lessons, and his humorous characters. Brilliant yet unpretentious, educational yet entertaining, his work is in a class of its own.

Unfortunately, lots of kids will not have the opportunity to join Zeyde at the Pesach Seder this year, which makes this production more relevant than ever. So it may be a good idea to dust off an old copy and play it for your children just for fun. I ntrigued by the Yanky story and by Rabbi Erps’ unique talents, we spoke to him about his career and garnered some good advice about how to be a spellbinding storyteller. Even during a routine interview, Rabbi Erps answers questions by utilizing his wide range of voiceovers, from silly to scary to sophisticated. It’s like interviewing the entire cast of a feature Disney production.

But Rabbi Erps is just one person who has the ability to transform his voice into countless characterizations, leaving his listeners riveted. When did he discover that he had this totally random and unusual talent?

“I started discovering this,” he says, “when I was nine years old.” Nine?? “Believe it or not,” he says, “I was extremely shy when I was young. Like really shy. But I broke through my shyness with my characters. I use a special technique called method acting, and I literally become the character when I do its voice. So if the character isn’t shy, then I’m not shy.”

Eventually, Rabbi Erps realized that changing his voice is a talent that is uniquely his own. “When you’re young, you think everyone can do it,” he says. “Later, you realize that it’s something unique to you.” Rabbi Erps insists that he

never trained for this, it just came naturally to him.

And his talents as a storyteller were put to good use early on. In the early 1960s, Rabbi Erps was appointed as a Pirchei leader in Boro Park. In those days, Rabbi Shmuel Kunda, z”l, and Rocky Zweig, z”l, were both master storytellers on the Pirchei circuit. And while they were each super talented in their own way, young Yitzy Erps learned from them both as he also developed his own personal style.

“I tried to incorporate the exciting movements of Rocky and the shtick of R’ Shmuel, while using my own voices,” he says. “I eventually developed my own shtick and added in some acrobatics. Kids loved it.”

Eventually, Yitzy Erps was asked to tell stories at mass Pirchei rallies. Former Pirchei director, the legendary Rabbi Josh Silbermintz, z”l, was so impressed that he asked Yitzy to utilize his talents to entertain patients at local hospitals. Later, he joined the team at 613 Torah Avenue and did the artwork and narrations for 613 Torah Avenue Volume 3, Vayikra.

If Rabbi Erps learned from the great storytellers of a previous generation, he is also considered a mentor for the next generation of popular storytellers including Rabbi Fishel Schachter, Rabbi Yoel Ferber, and his own son, Rabbi Mayer Erps. In fact, Rabbis Erps and Schechter successfully collaborated together on the WonderWorks telephone hotline for kids sponsored by the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation.

So how does he do it? “Basically,” says Rabbi Erps, “I’m blessed with a lot of voices, I don’t even know how many. Hashem just sends me different voices and different accents. Not only that, but I can also take a voice and change the level of the pitch to create a whole different character. So, the possibilities are endless.”

How To Tell a Story Many families will be home for Pesach this year and making their own Seder for the first time. The mitzvah of V’higadetah L’bincha is an integral part of the Pesach Seder. But how to tell the story when your

kids are either bickering or bored? We asked Rabbi Erps for a few pointers. And while most of us clearly aren’t blessed with his singular talents, there are some basic guidelines that he suggests.

“When you tell a story in third person, the kids are bored. You need to become the character,” he asserts. “You need to act out the stories and change the pitch or tone of your voice to reflect different characters. Yes, it’s a performance. And you’re the star of the show.”

Which brings us to Rabbi Erps’ number one rule: “Don’t be afraid to be a storyteller.” Parents and mechanchim may think it’s below their dignity to do funny voices and shtick to engage the children. It’s not. “Get over it,” says Rabbi Erps. “Lower your ego for a few minutes. Become a kid at heart. They’ll love you for it!”

Rabbi Erps also recommends walking around while speaking, moving your hands, and using gestures. Actions will keep your audience interested. Maintain eye contact at all times, and don’t pause or hesitate. “Don’t speak to fast or too slow, but talk at a pace that will make it easy for them to listen.”

When telling stories to young children, Rabbi Erps recommends choosing a protagonist that kids will identify with who’s not necessarily a super tzaddik.

“Make the character human,” he says. He himself often uses a character named Yossi when telling stories, and the kids really respond to him. “Yossi is mischievous. He interrupts me sometimes. He can be annoying sometimes. But through Yossi kids learn derech eretz and self-control. I use a character who’s not perfect to teach kids important lessons.”

Rabbi Erps also recommends building up a story.

“Capture their interest by embellishing,” he suggests. “Find elements that they can identify with. Yankele walked down the street and saw a bicycle in the store window. He really wanted that bike. That’s how you capture their interest.”

It’s also okay for a character to suffer sometimes or to be overwhelmed, says Rabbi Erps. “That’s real life,” he explains. “But every

story has to have a happy ending.”

Finally, he adds, have no fear. You can do it. You really can.

An Offer He Couldn’t Refuse … But He Did Rabbi Erps clearly enjoys his chosen career and nothing makes him happier than entertaining and educating young children. But things could have turned out differently for him. He tells a personal story about a nisayon that could have dramatically changed the trajectory of his life.

Many years ago, Rabbi Erps was hired to tell a story at a kiruv program in North Carolina. He did his usual voiceovers, and the crowd was spellbound. “When the show was over,” says Rabbi Erps, “a man came on stage and told me he was amazed at my performance. He said I must’ve practiced for hours. I told him I didn’t. He asked how it’s possible that I don’t confuse my voices. I explained that this is G-d’s gift to me.”

As it turned out, that man was director of Animation at a large production company in Charlotte. “He introduced himself and then offered me a job on the spot. Just like that, he offered me a six-figure income.”

Rabbi Erps was flattered, but he explained that his family lived in Brooklyn, not exactly North Carolina. The man refused to back down. “He offered to move my family south and to buy me a house. He told me he has seasoned professionals working for him who cannot do what I do, and he wants me on board. But I told him that I prefer to use my talents for Jewish audiences.”

So the man handed his business card to Rabbi Erps and urged him to reconsider and give him a call. “When he was out of sight,” says Rabbi Erps, “I ripped it up. I didn’t even look at his name. I just didn’t want to have the nisayon.”

It’s been years since that encounter, and Rabbi Erps has never regretted his decision.

“Look,” he says. “I may not be a millionaire, but I make children happy and I help them learn Jewish values at the same time. So, in a sense, I suppose you can say that I am a millionaire.”

Koach Foon Dem Moach

Storytelling is just one of Rabbi Erps’ talents. He is also a master of martial arts. “I’ve been practicing this for forty-nine years,” he says.

Aside for its many mental and physical benefits, Rabbi Erps’ expertise in karate turned into an opportunity. He was called by the director of Camp Romimu some years ago to break out color war by doing a karate demonstration. One thing led to another, and about a year later, he was approached by chassidishe camp directors to perform some of his incredible feats for their campers without wearing the karate gear and without demonstrating actual karate moves except for feats of strength. “Martial arts requires internal power and mind control,” he explains. “We put together a show where I do feats of strength that these kids never saw before. Thus my show, Koach Foon Dem Moach, was born.” “Koach foon dem moach” literally means “power from the brain.” During his performance, Rabbi Erps breaks wood and bricks, has wood broken over him, and more. The show is interactive. One of the best parts is when Rabbi Erps stands a certain way; ten or sixteen kids can’t push him over despite their best attempts. Then he stands on one foot and asks one or two adults to push him.

Invariably, they usually can’t.

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