Amanda's Year in Israel

May 2

2009-05-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Witnessing the observance of the Jewish holidays here in Israel has probably been one of the greatest highlights of the last ten months. I walked down the middle of normally very busy roads on Yom Kippur, and I saw giant chanukiot being lit on the sidewalks on Chanukah. I saw people of all ages wearing costumes on Purim, and I celebrated Passover, the Exodus from Egypt, in Jerusalem. Most recently, I have sensed the unity that is made so distinct by Israelis during the days of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day), Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day for Soldiers), and Yom Ha’atzma’ut (Independence Day).

Just a couple of weeks ago, I attended a program at Yad VaShem (the Israeli Holocaust Museum) to honor Yom HaShoah. It was a very emotional program with a remarkably large attendance. The Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu spoke in addition to many others who are important to Israeli government and society. This year, they highlighted the plight of children during the Holocaust. They chose 6 people who were child survivors of the Holocaust to tell their stories and light 6 torches in memory of the 6 million. It was an incredibly moving event.

Twin-sister Holocaust survivors Lia Huber and Iudit Barnea light a torch for the opening remembrance ceremony Monday at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem. (AP)photo from the Huffington Post online
IDF soldier stands at attention at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem. (AP)photo from the Huffington Post onlinePrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu giving a speech at Monday's opening ceremony at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. (AP)photo from the Huffington Post online

Also, on the day of Yom HaShoah, at 10 a.m., there is a siren that goes off all over Israel for 2 minutes. People all over the country take these two minutes to completely stop what they were doing and pause to reflect in silence over the Holocaust. The picture below is taken of cars stopped in the middle of a busy Tel Aviv road.Israelis in Tel Aviv stop, mid-commute, to stand in ceremonial solidarity while a siren blares. (AP)photo from the Huffington Post online

More recently, I attended another Israeli program honoring Israel’s soldiers as well as Israel’s 61^st birthday! It was an event that combined Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzma’ut. Israeli soldiers in many different uniforms paraded around with Israeli flags in unique formations. They also took the opportunity to celebrate the city of Tel Aviv’s 100^th birthday this year. On the eve of Yom Ha’atzma’ut, it seemed like everyone in the city of Jerusalem was out in the streets celebrating. There were bands playing while kids and adults with silly hats and glow sticks ran up and down the streets spraying shaving cream all over the place. There were also hot dogs (kosher ones, of course!), drinks, and souvenirs for sale. When it got very late, a few friends and I found our way to a street party where a DJ blasted techno music and Israelis in their 20s and 30s danced and drank the night away while waving around (and some even wearing) Israeli flags. I don’t think that’s something I’ve ever experienced in the U.S. on the 4^th of July!

People here tend to call these “Yom’s” the secular Israeli High Holy Days. And they truly are holy days to Israelis and are taken extremely seriously. To be a soldier is a great honor and is given incredible respect on each of these days, especially Yom HaZikaron. It’s not too difficult to get used to constantly seeing soldiers carrying guns half their size on their backs walking down the streets every day. But their presence and their contribution to Israeli life is always felt and a source of great pride here. For more information and a different perspective, check out the following: http://makom.haaretz.com/blog.asp?bId=142

Well, now I only have 2 more weeks of classes, followed by 1 week of final exams. Then I must pack and make my way back home. The cantorial students have one more concert to deliver this Thursday as a showcase of some of the Israeli art music we have learned about this semester. I have a lot of work to do, and I hope I can get it all done in a timely fashion without too much stress! I look forward to seeing you all soon as I return home in less than a month, but I think I will miss Israel!

March Update

2009-03-06T07:53:00.000-08:00

Hi Friends!!! I have lots to tell you!

First of all, at 7 a.m. one morning a couple of weeks ago, I went to a Rosh Chodesh service at the Western Wall with a group of progressive Jewish women who call themselves the “Women of the Wall.” I believe I told you a little bit about them in my previous blog entry. Because there was a Reform Rabbis’ Convention in town, there were many people attending. There were probably 50 women, including the regular Women of the Wall, some female reform Rabbis, and other HUC students like me. There were also about 15-20 men that came to support us. We stood, huddled together, just inside the entrance to the women’s section of the Western Wall and held our short service. Most of the service was sung by one leader, but there were a few songs that we sang together, out loud. Because men are not allowed to hear female voices singing in prayer, we raised more than just an eyebrow or two! There were men from the men’s side of the mechitzah yelling at us to stop singing. Eventually, a female guard began to yell at us—louder than we were singing—to stop. When we didn’t stop, she brought over multiple male guards with guns as well as others who appeared to be her superiors. (See pictures below) We were able to finish the first part of our service and continue with the Torah reading elsewhere (women reading Torah at the wall is highly illegal). It was an intense morning, to say the least! I felt my body fill with adrenaline. I was terrified and excited all at the same time! I am so glad that I went. I have recently been contemplating my personal/religious relationship to the Wall, and after this experience, I feel I have more of a connection to hold onto.

photo by Mirah Curzer

“Women of the Wall”

photo by Mirah Curzer

A brave reform rabbi (blue shirt) speaking with the orthodox men who were yelling at us from the men’s side of the Wall

photo by Mirah Curzer

just a few of the men who came to support us

photo by Mirah Curzer

the angry female guard who yelled at us to stop singing

photo by Mirah Curzer

multiple guards get involved and speak directly with Anat Hoffman, a leader of the Women of the Wall

In other news, I led my first HUC morning (Shacharit) service with two rabbinical students on Monday, February 9^th. It was Tu B’shevat, so we had fun incorporating Israeli nature-type songs into our service. We all felt really good about what we put together, and we got positive feedback from our peers and from our evaluators.

Maybe you all remember Benny Maiser who came and worked with the cantorial students in a master class last December? A fellow student, Nancy Bach (who has a great HUC blog on www.huc.edu) posted a picture of him working with me in the class:

Also, last night, I went to a MASA sponsored Idan Raichel Project concert. MASA is an organization that helps fund students who want to study in Israel. The Idan Raichel Project is a fantastic Israeli musical group with many talented musicians that attempts to incorporate musical sounds from all over the world. Their website is: http://www.idanraichelproject.com/en/. I highly recommend checking out their message and their music.

Purim is coming up! The cantorial students and a few brave rabbinical students who volunteered will be chanting the whole megilah! The trope system for the megilah (which is different from Torah and Haftarah trope) is very dramatic and interesting to listen to. A few people are also doing some short Purim shpiels. My roommate, Aviva, for example, is performing/writing/directing/starring in “Shacharit, the Musical.” We’re also all dressing up. It should be a fun night!

All of the students are currently working on applying and interviewing for next year’s student pulpit jobs. I am applying to about 7 or 8. Congregations (especially the smaller ones) apply to the school for a student to come for High Holy Day services, and various times throughout the year, either multiple times per week, twice a month, or once a month. As much as I will miss Temple Emanuel, I am excited for next year. I should find out by the end of March my congregation placement. My job could be in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Alabama, Florida, or who knows?! . I am truly looking forward to spending the summer with my Temple Emanuel family, though!

Well, I guess that’s enough for one blog! I hope everyone is doing well! I hope to hear from you soon!

L’Shalom,

Amanda

2009-01-29T03:51:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Firstly, I want to apologize for my lack of blog entries! I promise to try to be better about that in the next 4 months or so.

Well, the first week of classes for our 2nd semester has come to an end. I haven't found out my grades/results from last semester yet, but I feel pretty good about it. For the first 3 days of this week, we had a colloquium. Professors from the 3 North American campuses came to lead us in discussion about many interesting issues currently facing the Reform Movement. Mark Kligman, from the New York campus, is a Professor of Jewish Musicology. Sara Lee, from the Los Angeles campus, is a Professor of Jewish Education. Richard Sarason, from the Cincinnati campus is a Professor of Rabbinic Literature and Thought. Dean Rabbi Michael Marmur, from the Jerusalem campus was also involved in much of the colloquium. We focused on three themes: America and the American Jewish Context, Reform Judaism and Reform Jews, and Jewish Peoplehood. We discussed the growing diversity of Jews and the implications for our institutions of Jewish life, embracing inclusivity and pluralism in our communities while coming together around core values, as well as the perspectives on Judaism as a religion and as an ethnicity that shape the self-understanding of Jews. Although I was jet-lagged, the this we learned and the discussions were definitely worthwhile.

On Wednesday, we continued in our series of classes called "Israel Seminar." Every week, we discuss different topics that relate to Israeli society and culture. This week, we learned about women in Israeli society. A fantastic speaker, named Anat Hoffman, explained one specific issue relating to women and religion in this country. She is the Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center and a former Jerusalem councilor. She is also a part of "Women at the Wall," a group of religious women (from all different observances of Judaism) who like to hold Rosh Chodesh services at the Western Wall 11 months out of the year. Their group has been in existence for about the last 20 years. She explained all of the MAJOR difficulties her group faced against the super-religious facet of the government. They were opposed to women holding the services they were holding, and it's been an ongoing battle for many years between these women and the government. I found it very interesting to hear how much more difficult it is here in Israel for women simply because of the religious influence on the government even though the Orthodox/Haredi population only makes up less than 15 % of the whole Israeli population.

And today, Thursday, we're back to a regular class schedule. I've added two new classes this semester: Bible and Israeli Art Songs. Both of which, I'm very excited about! It's good to be back and in a routine again. It was also really great to be home for a little while. It was so nice to see so many of you, even if it was only for a short amount of time! I can't believe I only have four months left before I come back home again! My goal is to make the most of my remaining time here. I hope to report back to you on how that's going soon!

Thanks for reading!

Amanda

2008-12-06T01:08:00.000-08:00

Me and my roommates Aviva and Jon at our HUC big Thanksgiving Dinner

We've hit the 5-month mark! It's so hard to believe that I've been living here for 5 months already! Time seems to move more quickly here...

Just this past Wednesday, our cantorial class held a master class with Cantor Benjamin Maissner. He is a prominent Cantor in both the Reform and Conservative movements, and he is also a teacher. He gave us a lecture on his uncle, Cantor Israel Alter. Cantor Alter composed many Jewish pieces in a very traditional, Jewish, eastern European way. A few of us each prepared an Alter piece to sing for Cantor Maissner. He then helped each of us through specific parts of the piece, giving us suggestions on interpretation and vocal styles. I sang "Atah Chonantanu." I found it to be an incredibly difficult but beautiful piece. The other cantorial students were great! We have an 11th cantorial student who is not part of our class, but attends many of our classes. He (yes, I said "he") is from the Abraham Geiger College in Germany and is in his 4th and final year of cantorial studies. It's really nice to hear such a great tenor voice! The class was very exciting, and I think we all got a lot out of it.

Now that we're in the last month of this semester, all of those final papers and tests are beginning to hang over my head. We have finals during the week of January 5th. There is a lot of work to be done! Next Shabbat, I'll be chanting Haftarah. The Shabbat after that, I'll be co-leading the music in services with another cantorial student. And I believe it's the following Monday that I'll be chanting a short Torah portion.

There's so much to do and surprisingly little time left in the semester! I'm really looking forward to the Temple Emanuel trip here to visit! I'm also looking forward to coming home in January for a few days! It will be a needed break! Talk to you soon!

Amanda

November Update

2008-11-07T00:21:00.000-08:00

Hello again, everyone! I hope you're all doing well! I'm doing very well, keeping extremely busy, and learning a lot!

High Holy Day services were interesting. They were different from the services at home because here, they read no English in the prayerbook. Cantor Shleifer did just about all of each service except for the sermons and the parts that the cantorial students sang. He is an amazing cantor! When he wasn't singing with the piano, to get his pitch, he used a tuning fork, which he kept in his front shirt pocket underneath his white robe. He also wrote many many pieces that we cantorial students sang. I sang his B'Rosh HaShanah. He's proving himself to be quite the cantorial genius! I use cantorial and not musical, not that he isn't a musical genius either, but because he is able to so easily fuse the Judaism and music together in his services, his compositions, and in his classes. Unfortunately, as I may have already told you, he is retiring this year. His retirement ceremony, at which the cantorial students will be singing, is November 11th. It is sad, but I am so happy that I am able to study under him this year.

Classes are moving right along! Yesterday morning, I had a test on singing the nusach (traditional way of chanting) for the beginning of a weekday morning service. We had to chant it, not from our books with the musical notations, but out of an orthodox prayerbook, called "Rinat Yisrael." We chanted everything the Cantor is supposed to chant before the Bar'chu, which is apparently a lot! I'm glad they're having us learn the traditional chanting of the service. We're also studying trope (Torah, Haftarah, etc.), and currently we're working on the portion where the Ten Commandments are read. I think we'll probably move on to Haftarah trope next week.

Our class just took a trip to Masada earlier this week. It's too bad I forgot my camera! This trip was for my Second Temple History class. It's great to see places like Masada with real historians/archaeologists as your guides! I'm also learning a lot about current Israeli culture and its recent history in our Israel Seminar class, which is a full day class on Wednesdays. We've talked about things like the 6-Day War, the different waves of immigration, the establishment of a state, and many other things. We've also watched movies and traveled around Israel. In a couple of weeks, we'll go to Haifa and Tz'fat for the day.

And... there's always Hebrew class! I have 1 class each week dedicated to Biblical Hebrew and 5 classes each week dedicated to modern, conversational Hebrew. It's a lot, but well worth it! I can actually speak a little bit of it! My teacher is great! She's an Israeli woman who seems to wear the exact same dress every day, but she's very good at what she does!

Also, I have a great vocal coach! Her name is Judy Axelrod. I feel I'm learning a lot from her, and will have a much greater handle on good vocal technique by the end of this school year.

The weather has finally started to change here and it's getting a little cooler, right around 70 degrees during the day, and in the 50's at night.

My friends here are wonderful! It's really a neat thing to have close friends who are peers that share so many of the same interests as I do. As much as I miss you all and as much as I miss being home, it is truly a blessing to be here!

Amanda

2008-09-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Shanah Tovah Um'tukah!!!

Wishing everyone a good, sweet new year!

2008-09-12T03:05:00.000-07:00

Hello all! So, real classes have finally begun! The school week here goes from Sunday until Thursday, and our weekend is Friday and Saturday. I’m taking some really interesting classes! I have one class of Biblical Hebrew and about 5 classes of Modern Hebrew per week. I also have a history class and a T’filah/liturgy class. My cantorial courses include History of Jewish music, Cantillation of the Bible, Sight-Singing/Music Theory, Israeli Folk and Popular Music, and a Cantorial Workshop. Although he is not the head of the Cantorial program this year, Eliyahu Schleifer, a highly renowned cantor, is one of our professors.

The first week of classes is over and we already have lots of work to do! I have solos to prepare for High Holy Days and a cold that’s preventing me from practicing! Nonetheless, I’m very excited that things here are moving along. I still have to keep convincing myself that I’m living in Israel and in Cantorial School at HUC!

Also, during our break between summer ulpan and classes, I went with a group of students on a vacation to Greece. We had a lot of fun visiting an Acropolis and playing on the beach. Here are some pictures:

2008-08-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

I've finally moved into my new apartment!!! I hope to post pictures soon! It's beautiful and so much nicer than most of the other apartments that I've seen here. AND... we have air conditioning! My roommates and I are doing quite well here. It's actually kind of strange that I feel like I've been here for much longer than a month! I guess having an everyday routine helps...

So, I thought I should give you all a little idea of what I do here in Jerusalem every day. Right now, I'm about half-way through my summer ulpan (intensive Hebrew language study). Sunday through Wednesday, we study Hebrew from 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. On Monday afternoons, the High Holy Day choir practices, and on Tuesday afternoons, the cantorial students have ear training and music theory classes. Wednesday evenings, the whole class meets for a Biblical history lecture. Then, on Thursdays, we go on a "tiyul," a trip, through various areas in and around Jerusalem as part of the Biblical history class. We have Fridays and Saturdays off and we are usually free to attend services either at HUC or at any other synagogue in the area.

Just this past Friday night, I went with a small group of HUC students to a growing Reform Jewish community in a suburb just outside of Tel Aviv called Ramat HaSharon. We attended services and then split into groups for home hospitality. Along with two Rabbinical students, I had dinner with a very nice family. The parents had lived in Boston for some time and spoke very good English. The youngest girl (who was 5 yrs old) was upset that she couldn't speak English! They were so nice and interesting!

I miss you all! And I'm especially sad that I missed Kayitz this summer. I heard a little bit about it from some of my Junior Youth groupers who email me! I love hearing from all of you, so please, please, please feel free to comment or email me anytime!!! amandalwinter@yahoo.com

I'm ok!!!

2008-07-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I'm sure you've heard about the copy-cat terrorist attack/attempt today in Jerusalem. I'm fine and all others from my program are ok. It was someone trying to recreate the bulldozer incident that happened just a few weeks ago. From what I heard, the only person killed was the crazy one driving the bulldozer. It is scary though, to think that the intersection this happened on is one that is not only close to campus, but I walk right through it every day, usually twice a day. They've been doing construction on that road and tearing up the sidewalk for the past couple of weeks.

So, I am fine and I have a very close group of friends in the HUC community who are all very supportive of each other. I hope you are all doing well!!!

L'Shalom,

Amanda

2008-07-18T05:18:00.000-07:00

HUC friends!

Aviva and Jon: my fabulous roommates!

Jerusalem: part of the Old City, behind my school!

Chen and Avi Greenberg's daughter's wedding reception in Haifa

Me and Daniel Crane at the wedding!

2008-07-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

Just walking through Jerusalem...

First Week in Jerusalem

2008-07-10T05:10:00.000-07:00

Shalom, y'all! I hope you all are doing well! I am officially in Israel now. This week has been a sort of get to know the other students in my class kind of week, and classes won't start until next week. There are a total of 10 cantorial students in my class, all of whom are female, and we're all sopranos except for one who is a mezzo-soprano. There are about 30 rabbinical students and 3 educational students in my class as well. My roommates, Aviva and Jon, are very cool. Right now we're living in an apartment that isn't so great and is at least a 45 minute walk to campus... but August 1st, we'll be moving to an apartment that is only about a 20 minute walk to campus and apparently has an incredible view of the city! I can't wait to take some pictures and post them for you!

It is so incredibly hot here, and you have to walk everywhere! I'm using more and more Hebrew and I know my address in Hebrew now. yay! Jerusalem is a beautiful, beautiful city. I know I will love it here, even though I'll be missing you. If you have not ever visited Israel, you must make it a point to at some time in your life. It's amazing!

I wish you all the best. Keep an eye out for pictures!

L'shalom,

Amanda

HUC Application Essays

2008-06-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! Thank you for checking out my new blog! Since I haven't left for Israel yet, I figured I would start this out by posting my application essays for those who are interested in reading them. Feel free to let me know what you think or just say hello! Thanks for reading! FYI my date of departure is Monday, July 7th!

Why have you chosen to apply to become a cantor? Discuss your intellectual, religious and spiritual development as well as the life experiences that have led you to make this decision. In addition, in this personal statement, please include reflection on the evolution of your current Jewish practice.

By providing music for worshippers, the cantor is providing a spiritual pathway to God. The cantor must grant congregants an environment in which they can learn and grow, where he or she can impart spiritual and religious wisdom as guidance for others. Finally, the cantor is obligated to instill the same pride he or she has in Judaism in as many Jews as possible. I agree with these statements wholeheartedly, and I sincerely believe that the cantorate is the right profession for me.

There are three main elements that would make my career complete: education, music, and Judaism. Each of these factors is equally important to me. I enjoy giving youth the opportunity to engage their minds in both secular and Jewish education. Singing with a higher knowledge of music has allowed me to articulate the music of others for listeners and to explore my own creativity. I love Judaism because it is comprised of ancient and modern ideas and rituals that support an ever-evolving people and heritage, always with great faith in God. In my mind, combining those three elements equals a career in the cantorate, expanding my dedication to God, God’s people, and to Judaism.

My desire to become a cantor transpired from many years of exposure to and involvement with Judaism and music. My parents made sure that Judaism was a part of my life from a very young age, and the Temple always seemed to be a second home for me. Although at a younger age Judaism may not have been my primary focus, it has always been an ingredient in my life. As I grew older, Judaism became more interesting and fulfilling, and is now an integral part of my life.

Becoming a Bat Mitzvah was a meaningful experience. I knew I had worked diligently to get to that point, and I knew I had to state to the world that I was Jewish and that making Judaism a part of the rest of my life was important. Rabbi Kathy Cohen, who has been an incredible mentor, asked me to help teach Hebrew School after I became a Bat Mitzvah, and I happily accepted the invitation. I felt a great sense of pride in knowing that I was helping other children learn what they needed to know to become a Jewish adult and to have the same incredible experience that I had.

Religious school had always been enjoyable for me, but after my 13^th birthday it became more important because it was one major way that I could maintain my decision to commit to Judaism as an adult. Taking a variety of classes in the high school Academy was easy because there was so much about Judaism I wanted to know. I felt privileged to discuss moral issues in a Jewish light, learn about Judaism’s great thinkers, and learn to speak Hebrew, in addition to studying Kaballah, Israel, and the Holocaust.

Another way in which I made the effort to uphold my commitment to Judaism was to take part in the Temple youth group as well as NFTY. I was one of a small group of teenagers that founded Temple Emanuel’s NFTY-MAR-affiliated youth group. We began attending Kallot, which allowed me to experience Reform Judaism outside of my Temple. Seeing my love of involvement in Judaism, Rabbi Cohen recommended that I attend a Kutz Camp summer leadership session. In the summer of 2000, the faculty and staff at Kutz showed me different kinds of services and new meaningful ways to pray. This experience, without doubt, gave me a foundation off of which to base my Jewish practice. Attending Kutz Camp not only encouraged me to be more involved on a leadership level, it also gave me insight as to how I wanted to observe and worship. The very musical Kabbalat Shabbat was my favorite part. Even now, in my attempt to recapture the joy of a Kutz Kabbalat Shabbat, I listen to a Shabbat playlist I created on my ipod on the way to Friday night services.

Kutz Camp was the first experience that allowed me to grasp the fact that there was an actual profession that combined my two passions: Judaism and music. Prior to attending camp, I had only a slight notion of what a cantor was; I never had a cantor as a youth. I met a few wonderful cantors at Kutz, including Ellen Dreskin. Seeing her and so many others who loved what they were doing was uniquely inspiring.

I also attended one of Hebrew Union College’s weekend High School Leadership Conferences. Visiting Cincinnati’s campus presented me with the idea of going to a school that would allow me to become a Jewish professional. While on campus, I bought a Torah Trope book. Being able to chant Torah became an important part in becoming the Jewish adult I wanted to be. At the same time, my musical ambitions were becoming greater, and as a youth, I was always involved in some sort of music program or lessons. I joined the Temple Emanuel volunteer choir the day I turned 15, which is the minimum age for members.

In college, I was very involved in activities related to both music and Judaism. I took music-related courses, voice lessons, and sang in one of the University of Tennessee’s choirs. Among my academic courses at UT were a few related to Judaism. I took a basic religious studies class because I felt it was important to have a basic understanding of other major practices, not only to be a tolerant person, but also to be an intelligent human being. I registered for an introduction to Judaic studies course because I wanted to have a more detailed understanding of Jewish ideas and history. The professor, Dr. Gilya Schmidt, was a wonderful woman who challenged and encouraged me in her class and throughout the rest of my time at UT. Moreover, Modern Hebrew classes were part of my schedule for three semesters.

In addition to Judaism-related courses, I was involved in Hillel. As a member of the board, I helped to plan and coordinate events, as well as lead Seders. A close friend of mine, whom I met in Hillel, recommended the Birthright Israel program to me. I experienced Israel for the first time at the end 2003, and it was one of the most spiritual ten days of my life. Hearing David Ben Gurion’s Declaration of Independence and seeing Yitzchak Rabin’s memorial, in addition to the graves of Theodore Herzl, Golda Meir, and many others who have been important to the foundation of Israel made me feel stronger about my support for our Jewish nation and for peace to exist for everyone who lives there. I felt as though I was embracing a completely different, yet extremely comfortable culture. That feeling gave me a wonderful sense of pride and security in Israel. As a result of this trip, I feel that my spiritual aptitude has grown tremendously.

From the beginning of my attendance at the University of Tennessee, I became involved in Knoxville’s Temple Beth-El. I loved my time with the youth and learned a lot about being a leader in a congregation. The Temple board invited me to attend the Biennial in 2005 along with Rabbi Beth Schwartz and a few other board members. The Biennial allowed me to explore many things, including the introduction of the Mishkan T’filah, which fits wonderfully into my personal practices.

Earlier that year, in the summer, I happily agreed to be a member of the day-camp staff at Kutz Camp. My first Kutz experience was an incredible introduction to the kind of Judaism I wanted to embrace. My second Kutz experience was invaluable to my religious development. I learned a great deal about planning detailed Jewish programs for young children. Attending services on a regular basis in a completely Jewish environment let me connect with God and other Jews on a much deeper, spiritual level.

While there, I met with Rabbi Dantowitz to discuss the possibility of attending cantorial school at HUC. At that point in my life, I was sure that I wanted to become a cantor, and as I was approaching my final year in undergraduate school, I knew I had to make a plan for post-graduation. I felt, as a 20-year-old, that I would not be ready to begin cantorial school in just one year. Zoe Jacobs, already a student at HUC who was working at Kutz that summer, recommended that I take some time off from school after graduation. She stressed that, as a member of the clergy, I would be expected to help people work through the problems that would arise in their lives. Then she asked how I could offer the kind of advice that would be helpful without many prior adult life experiences of my own. I took her advice to heart, and soon, I was looking for job opportunities in which I could gain some real life experiences.

Over the past year and seven months, I have had the most fortunate opportunity to hold a position at my home congregation as an intern. Rabbi Cohen has made sure that I come into contact with many of the different aspects of Jewish life that a congregational leader would encounter. Being the cantorial soloist for the High Holy Days has made an incredible and awesome impression on me. There is such a variety of words and music recited during the services: joyous and celebratory emotions move to more somber and mellow ones, and they hit every point in between. It is my responsibility to assist in transporting congregants to that higher level of worship that only comes on the High Holy Days. Bearing this responsibility has been an especially spiritual and fulfilling task.

One of my favorite things about working in a congregational setting is the youth. I have worked with every age group, from young preschoolers (18 months old) to seniors in high school. For me, part of being religious is educating the youth, and in order to support that idea, I have made Hebrew school and religious school a part of my weekly schedule. Both the senior and junior youth groups have given me the opportunity to offer my encouragement and ideas with young people. In that spirit, I decided to dedicate some of my time to the Jewish Community Preschool. It has been a highly rewarding, learning experience that has helped me to increase my patience and resourcefulness.

Currently, in striving to improve my connection to Judaism outside of the Temple, I have been reading Jewish-related novels and maintaining a Reform Jewish lifestyle. Among my favorite novels is “The World to Come” by Dara Horn. Additionally, as a Reform Jew, I have made a conscious effort to observe Shabbat. Early on Saturday mornings, I participate in a Pilates class, which offers me a good deal of relaxation and helpful recuperation from the previous week.

My commitment to Judaism and to Jewish music is evident. I am a good candidate for the cantorate because I have a positive disposition, an energetic demeanor, and ample confidence. People respond well to me, which demonstrates that I have the skills necessary to engage congregants in worship and in conversation and to create lasting connections between us. As a cantor, I would like to bring a musical worship experience to my future congregants that is not only spiritual and full of meaning, but also a source of energy, enthusiasm, and joy.

Reflect on a Torah portion or piece of sacred music that you have found meaningful or challenging. You may include classical or contemporary commentary that has been helpful to you in understanding the text or musical selection.

Max Janowski’s Eil Malei Rachamim has proved to be a special, yet demanding piece for me over the last year and a half. The first time I sang it was in the Yom Kippur Memorial service in 2006. Feeling overwhelmed by the total amount of music I would be required to learn for the High Holy Days, I was unable to focus much attention on the meaning of the text and the importance of the piece. Musically, the piece is incredibly challenging, requiring a confident vocalist with a tuned ear. I performed it, but I lacked all of the confidence that the piece demanded.

As fate would have it, there were a few funerals in the earlier part of 2007 for some well-known and respected individuals in my congregation. Rabbi Kathy Cohen asked me to prepare Eil Malei Rachamim for the service. Remembering how challenging it was to sing with the organ, I knew it would be twice as difficult to sing without accompaniment at this memorial service.

I embraced the music and the text separately this time in an attempt to really grasp the piece. Learning to sing the music without the assistance of the accompaniment required a lot of diligence on my part. I had to focus on maintaining the tonic note in my ear while singing difficult lines, keeping in rhythm, and using dynamics to their greatest potential. I read the translation of the text multiple times, because I knew I needed to have an idea of the overall nuance of the piece. I also did my best to find out which Hebrew words from the piece corresponded to each of the different words and phrases from the translation.

In putting the music and text together, I had to exercise a musically creative interpretation while employing a great deal of sensitivity. I approached it by imagining that I was pleading with God to grant rest to the deceased individual on behalf of his or her family. In an important piece such as this one, a singer must be perceptive to the venue in which it is sung. I was charged with the task of providing families and friends with some modicum of comfort or peace of mind—a responsibility I took very seriously.

When I went on to sing Eil Malei Rachamim for the Yom Kippur Yizkor service in 2007, I had a much better understanding of and connection with the piece. I realized the importance of it, in that I was pleading with God again to grant rest to the deceased. However, this time, I was singing it for all of the deceased. Also, I was able to perform it with the accompaniment, which emphasized the text and made the experience of it even more powerful.

As a result of working with this piece, I feel that my personal spirituality has grown, and I have achieved a greater devotion to the Jewish people. A multitude of other Jews have recited the Eil Malei Rachamim prayer for years upon years, each asking God to grant rest to the souls of the deceased. I have truly been blessed to experience this growth in spirituality and to have strengthened my relationship with God and God’s people.

Refining my ability to perform this work was an extensive process. It took a lot of dedication to learning and understanding to reach the point at which I felt confident that I was giving the piece all it demanded. In doing so, I had to be sensitive to my listeners, and I had to exercise an intense musical concentration. In this way, although it was difficult, I found Janowski’s Eil Malei Rachamim a deeply moving and spiritual work of art that I have been honored to sing.

What do you find most compelling and what do you find most challenging or problematic about Reform Judaism? In your opinion, what are the most significant issues facing the Movement today, and what is the role of the cantor and the Movement in addressing these?

Most faith-seeking individuals need an establishment with a solid foundation. Reform Judaism fulfills that need for me and for many others. Like every organized religion, it has its good and bad qualities. It is flexible, encourages education, and supports the participation of congregants in Temple life. However, the Movement and the cantor must extend a helping hand to individuals and congregations to make progress with a few issues.

One of Reform Judaism’s best qualities is its flexibility. In addition to organized worship services, individuals can embrace prayer in any healthy way that brings them closest to God. Reform Jews know that they can be deeply religious, have a special bond with other Jews, and still function as an assimilated member of everyday society outside of the synagogue. Reform Judaism also emphasizes the importance of family gathering and group learning. Judaism is not just a religion, but also a heritage that one is either born into or elects to adopt. The Movement dedicates a lot of its teachings to the Holocaust, historical events from the Bible, as well as Israel, of which it is wonderfully supportive. Education is at the forefront of the Movement because we know that good education is what will sustain our people for years to come.

There is a constant need for adaptation to practices for the ever-changing group of people involved with Reform Judaism. For example, with the recent ideas of using more Hebrew and less English in services, the new Mishkan T’filah has been able to give non-Hebrew readers the ability to worship with everyone else in a service, as well as flexibility for service leaders. People with alternative lifestyles are welcomed in Reform Judaism, where they would be senselessly rejected elsewhere. Finally, the fundamentally lengthy process implemented in Reform congregations for conversion encourages one to take the time to discover whether or not Judaism is his or her correct path.

One issue with which the Reform Movement has been having difficulty is helping every Jew maintain a connection to a Jewish establishment. The leaders of the Movement must push congregations to push their youth and their parents into being involved with all that is offered so that they will want to stay involved as a young adult. A congregational cantor can really connect with his or her youth to become an influential advocate for NFTY, URJ camps, and programs in Israel. Holding a meeting in the early spring for parents and children of each age group to discuss camp options for the upcoming summer, as well as NFTY involvement for the following school year can be a cantor’s responsibility.

Often times, I believe that smaller congregations, especially those without cantors, have difficulty in moving ahead musically at the same pace as the rest of the Movement’s congregations. Although the Biennial and musical leadership events are fantastic ways to grow and learn, the Reform Movement must do something on a more individual level. I have come to the conclusion that the Movement should require each cantor out in the field to “adopt” a musical lay-leader in a small congregation to give them ideas, answer questions, and keep them well informed of changes in the Movement.

In conclusion, Reform Judaism offers its followers a tremendous amount of support and education. For me, the Movement is full of positive qualities. We, as participants and leaders, have the ability to build upon and improve our ideas and achievements thus far. As a dynamic religion, Reform Judaism implores us to embrace adaptation and evolution, and as a dynamic people, we must answer the call.