Sountrack of Our Spirit
Cantor Temple Beth Sholom Lake Havasu City, Arizona Age: 67 Nominated by: Himself Song: “Hashkiveynu,” Elliot Rosenbaum Jewish music — in a synagogue context — should be accessible even to the “Hebraically challenged” to encourage and inspire the congregation to participate in community prayer. — Elliot Rosenbaum INFLUENCES: Classical and popular music, The Beatles.
Cantor Temple B’nai Or Morristown, New Jersey Age: 42 Nominated by: Herself Song: “Prayer for Peace,” Cantor Jonathan Comisar “If only our mouths were as full of song as the sea, and our tongues joyful as its waves.” Like much of our ancient Scriptures, this verse may be as ancient as the eighth century, most…
Composer, New York City Age: 31 Nominated by: Cantor Joshua Breitzer Song: “Adonai S’fatai,” Noah Aronson I used to think I knew what Jewish music was. It held a very specific place in my heart — mostly in the form of nostalgia and collective memory. But since it has become my life’s work, I now…
Cantorial soloist and music director Congregation Kol Ami Elkins Park, Pennsylvania Age: 58 Nominated by: Herself Song: “Yotzeir,” Rebecca Schwartz/Liturgy Jewish music has been my life since 2001. My synagogue was in need of a song leader, and I stepped up. As I started to lead those around me in Jewish prayer and song, I…
Cantor Temple Ohabai Shalom Brookline, Massachusetts Age: 46 Nominated by: Himself Song: “Elohai N’tsor,” Randall Schloss As a cantor, my life is dedicated to Jewish music. I have always been enthralled by music (and always been Jewish!), but over the past 14 years, the two have come together. Judaism is much more than a religion,…
Teacher The Nysmith School Herndon, Virginia Age: 61 Nominated by: Herself Song: “La Orasion de la Mujer” (“The Woman’s Prayer”), Flory Jagoda I sing Sephardic music and inspire listeners to remember — through a musical journey — the deep roots of our collective past. The music is traditional, so I carefully follow the nuances: Sephardim…
Cantor Temple Emanu-El Livingston, New Jersey Age: 32 Nominated by: Himself Song: “Jerusalem,” Joshua Finkel Music is the breath of creation. It is the deepest and clearest wellspring in our souls that connects us to each other and to the Divine. Music is the best possible way to communicate a state of mind, or an…
Cantor Temple Israel Natick, Massachusetts Age: 42 Nominated by: Himself Song: “Ana B’choach,” Ken Richmond As a cantor, I’ve been surprised at what a small percentage of my time is taken up with Jewish music. But my experiences and teachers of Jewish music are what drew me to be a cantor — moments like my…
Volunteer music leader Havurah Shalom Portland, Oregon Age:52 Nominated by: Herself Song: “Sparks,” Beth Hamon Jewish music is, put simply, any music that reflects some aspect of a Jew’s life — sometimes soulful, sometimes just plain fun. Music expresses ideas and feelings in ways that words alone cannot. It reaches into your insides and draws…
Cantor Congregation Mishkan Tefila Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts Age: 28 Nominated by: Rabbi Jonah Rank Song: “Ruah HaOlam Malkati,” Sarah Myerson Cantor Sarah Myerson is a world traveler and a multi-instrumentalist capable of playing accordion, piano, flute, drums and more. She composes pensive music for the lesser-known parts of tefillah, to help her community become more…
Cantor Temple Beth Abraham Oakland, California Age: 66 Nominated by: Rabbi Marc Bloom Song: “Birkat Kohanim,” Liturgy As a seeker of wisdom and a musician whose main spiritual practice has been Judaism for the past 30 years, Jewish sacred music has been utterly central to my life. This music’s power to create an expanded soulfulness,…
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