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,…
Cantor Temple Beth Torah Sha’aray Tzedek Tamarac, Florida Age: 27 Nominated by: Himself Song: “Chad Gadya,” Moishe Oysher When I was 6 years old I began playing the violin because I saw the musical “Fiddler on the Roof.” My experience with the violin eventually led to me singing in my synagogue’s choir, which eventually led…
Song leader URJ Camp Newman, UCLA student San Rafael, California Age: 21 Nominated by: Rachel Mercer Song: “Lech Lecha,” Jackson Mercer Perhaps it is the ultimate act of a Jewish mother to nominate her own son, but he was song-leading up at Camp Newman with limited Internet access [during this nomination process,] so here goes….
Music coordinator Congregation Havurah Shalom Portland, Oregon Age: 62 Nominated by: Herself Song: “P’tach Lanu Sha’ar,” from Yom Kippur Liturgy, music by Ilene Safyan Jewish music — whether the origins are Eastern European, Israeli, Sephardic or American — has always resonated deeply within me. These melodies express yearning, hope, laugher and life. When I moved…
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