The Music Search Committee will be bringing in various service leaders this year to sample the variety of excellent Jewish music and prayer. Following is the schedule:

THIS Friday night’s Shabbat service
features the music of

Kim Gubner & Chris Winn

Adam Blotner has produced a Shabbat experience...that everyone is talking about. It is a Kabbalat Shabbat that is almost entirely music, sing-along, and rockin’. Along with 5 other musicians...Adam leads us through the service with a spirit of old and new. Adam teaches us new melodies and always encourages us to participate with the familiar and unfamiliar. It is a warm, spiritual, and fun way to celebrate Shabbat. People of all ages are raving about it and they fill our sanctuary whenever it’s there.”

Josh Friedman

A little about Josh: Josh Friedman is a full-time music professional and accomplished Jewish musician who officiates at many Shabbat services in Southern California. Josh frequently serves as the substitute when cantors go on vacation.

Jeremy Gimbel assumed the position of Congregation Beth Israel's Youth Director in July 2008. Previously, he has served as head song leader at URJ Camp Newman in Santa Rosa, CA and a song leader for various synagogue functions and NFTY events throughout California. His band, "Shira Tirdof," released their debut album in 2005 ("A Blessing in Disguise…") showcasing their Jewish rock style with distinct Jewish camp influences, and their most recent album, "Let it Happen" has received great reviews, and one of the songs, "Salaam Achshav" will be featured on the URJ's Ruach 5771 album. His most recent album is a collaboration with Rachael North (formerly of Joshua Nelson) called "Neshama Yetera - Additional Soul." Jeremy is most proud of his work as editor of the Reform Movement's first Bencher, "Birkon Mikdash M'at: NFTY's Bencher," and his accomplishments while serving as NFTY's Religious and Cultural Vice President. He grew up at Beth Israel as a madrich and an active member on the BITY board. He graduated from the University of California, Davis with a degree in political science and a minor in religious studies. Jeremy formed his Jewish identity as a camper at URJ Camp Newman/Swig and Kutz, through his involvement in NFTY, and growing up in his native San Diego, CA. Jeremy is married to Sarah Gimbel.

Rita Glassman
Cantor Rita’s personal warmth, enthusiasm and passion for Jewish music is evident at every Shabbat and Holiday service, in every note and every word she sings. Her voice was once described as "the perfect blend of heaven and earth." She is as comfortable singing traditional prayer chants and melodies as she is the most contemporary Jewish liturgical music of our day. She comes from strong traditional Jewish background. Her studies in Voice, Piano and composition at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem led her to the Cantorate. Cantor Rita is a member of the Max Helfman Institute of Jewish composers based in Los Angeles, and a graduate of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. An appointed member of the World Union for Progressive Judaism’s Yad B’Yad Task Force, she has done outreach to Jewish communities in Latin America, performing with and teaching Cantors in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Rio De Janeiro, Sao Paolo and Porto Alegre, Brazil. Her original "Oseh Shalom/Song For Peace" was sung at the 2011 North American Jewish Choral Festival in New York by 500 singers as well as in a recent interfaith concert with US Army Field Band Soldier’s Chorus.

Mikey Pauker is one of the most profound and trend setting Jewish Recording Artists and experiential educators in the world.  Mikey is recognized as an engaging musician who is transforming the boundaries of contemporary Jewish music and generating “Jewish cross over music.”  Mikey draws inspiration from traditional Jewish liturgy, Chassidut, mysticism, and his own Jewish experiences.  Mikey’s “Sim Shalom” has been featured in the RUACH 5771 song book and has been implemented in congregations, youth groups and summer camps all over the US and Israel.  He serves as an artist in residence for BBYO’s CLTC summer program in West Virginia, and travels all over the country throughout the year songleading, teaching Jewish yoga and meditation.  Recently he has shared the stage with Matisyahu, Idan Raichel, David Broza, Yael Mayer, Julie Silver, Josh Nelson, Craig Taubman among others.  Currently Mikey Pauker is hard at work in production of his full length record with producer Diwon (Y-Love, Bonhom) and owner of PR Agency and Label Shemspeed, with an expected release in 2013.  For more information please visit Mikeypauker.com

Kathy Robbins 'Founding Cantor' of Temple Solel in Cardiff by the Sea, California and member of the American Conference of Cantors, is now serving the wider Jewish community. In addition to leading Shabbat services for congregations from San Diego County to Los Angeles, Cantor Robbins is available to unaffiliated families for planning and officiating all life-cycle events.

Julie Silver is an American folk musician who has been traveling throughout the world and performing for the last 20 years. She has released eight albums which have sold over 80,000 copies without the help of a major label. Silver was raised in Newton, Massachusetts and started playing music at the age of eight. Her music is predominantly Jewish in nature, and she sings in both Hebrew and English. She performs original songs that are written by her, as well as traditional Jewish folk songs by others. Silver also has had an acting role, appearing in Then She Found Me in a scene opposite Bette Midler.

Cantor Raina Siroty is a 2010 graduate of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Raina grew up in Los Angeles, California and always loved to sing. She received her Bachelor of Music in Voice from UC-Santa Barbara, graduating with highest academic honors. Raina has earned many awards in national vocal competitions and received numerous academic and performance scholarships. Before cantorial school, she appeared on the stage in numerous opera roles.  She has served as the Cantor of Congregation Shomer Emunim in Toledo, Ohio, as well as the student Cantor at Temple Beth El of Huntington, NY, Sinai Reform Temple in Bay Shore, New York and Temple Beth Miriam in Elberon, New Jersey. You can purchase her CD, entitled “Songs of the Synagogue” on iTunes.

Cantor Natalie Young Natalie Young is a singer/songwriter whose songs have found their way into the hearts and souls of congregations across this county and beyond. Her music is used in communities in the UK, Canada, and Israel. Her musical journey began as a young child. Both of her parents shared their musical passion and talents with her and inspired her to explore her own gifts. From her earlier days singing in her synagogue youth and adult choirs, to her college folk trio for whom she composed secular folk songs; from song leading in Jewish camps to solo gigs at local venues, Natalie has drawn from her various life experiences to create a unique sound. She has given a contemporary voice to Jewish texts, finding new ways to make them relevant to people everywhere. Her melodies are well crafted and accessible, allowing people to internalize the music and texts. We welcome Natalie with her husband David, and their three children, Gabriel, Alex, and Isabella.

President's Update
by Bonnie Kehe
(published June 1, 2012)

I would like to take the opportunity to update you on important initiatives currently underway relating to Temple Beth El’s future musical needs. By now you all know that our beloved Cantor Shula will retire on June 30th, 2012. While we all know that she cannot be replaced, the Board of Trustees and several task forces have been working to address the musical direction of our synagogue.

Last fall, I appointed Jeff Greer to lead an Exploratory Music Task Force to research the future musical needs of our Temple. From this Task Force, a recommendation was made earlier this year to allow for a transition period following Cantor Shula’s retirement. The Board of Trustees elected to enter into a yearlong transition period where we as a community can determine the musical direction we believe is most beneficial to the congregation.

With the involvement of the Clergy, the Board of Directors, the Exploratory Music Task Force and the recently appointed Music Needs Search Committee, the following highlights the actions taken to date:

1. Appointment of a Music Needs Search Committee to assess what type of cantorial voice and leadership from the bimah the Temple Beth El community requires. Under the leadership of Brad Shapiro, committee members include: Shiffy Crane, Rosemary Stevens, Adam Leibovitz, Marty Stein, Muriel Sachs and Board members- Miriam Hillburn & Michael Goldfader. Rabbi Levi, Al Welland and I are non-voting members.

2. The Music Needs Search Committee is in the process of drafting a survey to be sent to the Congregation to assess what is deemed important to the TBE community regarding how we experience music in our services.

3. During the upcoming fiscal year, we will invite various cantors to lead the music portion of the service so our community can experience wonderful yet diverse musical leadership for Shabbat evening services on Friday. The committee will be actively seeking your thoughts and comments as the guest cantors are invited to participate.

4. Following Cantor Shula’s retirement, cantorial soloists have been selected for all upcoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah services through June 30th, 2013. Temple Beth El has secured two talented cantorial soloists to lead the music part of our B’nai Mitzvah services along with Chris Wynn’s accompaniment …both have exceptional voices and you can expect the same beautiful service that has been the hallmark of Temple Beth El…but with a different voice

i. Amy Robinson is a second year student at the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles, and for the past several months has been on the Bimah as the cantorial soloist at our own Kabbalat Shabbat services.

ii. Josh Friedman is a full-time music professional and accomplished Jewish musician who officiates at many Shabbat services in Southern California. Josh frequently serves as the substitute when cantors go on vacation.

5. A cantor has been hired for the High Holy Days. Cantor Rita Glassman will bring her beautiful voice and cantorial experience to Temple Beth El later this year. Most recently, Cantor Glassman has spent the past 9 years as Cantor at Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco.

6. Rabbi K’vod begins full time at Temple Beth El in June. He is a gifted rabbi with a generous heart and will be taking on Cantor Shula’s pastoral care responsibilities.
Again, I would like to remind the Congregation we will be in a transition period and as such no decisions have been made concerning a cantor or the musical direction. The guest cantors are precisely that, guests to lead services and help us sample the quality and variety of cantorial talent. It’s indeed difficult to imagine Cantor Shula retiring but she’ll continue to be an omnipresent part of the Temple Beth El community. And once the search committee completes its work, we hope to enter into a new relationship —and your input is crucial!