Next year in... New York!

At long last, Passover break has begun, and with it comes some exciting developments!

We're finally done with the student pulpit placement process for the coming year, and I have been given the student cantor position at Congregation Emanu-El in New York City, the largest synagogue in the world. This is the first time they have ever taken on a student cantor, and I'll get many opportunities to perform beautiful music from the Classical Reform Jewish tradition with the senior cantor, professional choir and organ. I'll also be a part of their newly-revamped Lifelong Learning program, teaching music in the religious school, and even writing the occasional sermon! As if it weren't obvious, I'm very excited to be working there next year, especially since I'll be reunited with my old Glee Club bud Adam, who is continuing on as the rabbinical intern at Emanu-El.

In other news, my dad is arriving in Israel tomorrow for his first trip both to Israel and out of North America. He'll only be here for five days, so it's up to Donna and me to show him as good a time as possible. Highlights will include Shabbat dinner at Saba and Savta's, Shabbat morning services at HUC (featuring Donna's first traditional Torah chanting since 1992), Leil Seder at Dudi and Yehudit's, and trips to Masada and the Dead Sea. We'll be sure to get plenty of pictures to post!

I gave a concert last week in Tel Aviv of art songs by Arie ben Er'ez Abrahamson, a master jeweller by trade who not only survived the Holocaust in dramatic fashion but also wrote a lot of music. The works we performed were mostly taken from the 1930s-40s, in anticipation of Holocaust Remembrance Day next month. We'll be repeating the program on that very day - April 16 - here in Jerusalem, and it will be broadcast live across the country on Kol HaMusica, the Israeli classical music radio station! Should there be simultaneous streaming available, I will definitely put the link here.

Best to all for a happy and healthy holiday: chag sameach vekasher!