Convocation Honors Cantors for Dedicated Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Nina Jacobson
Office: (212) 678-8950
Email: nijacobson@jtsa.edu

December 11, 2008, New York, NY

Honorary Doctor of Music degrees were awarded to thirty-one cantors who have served the Jewish community in Canada, Israel, and the US with distinction. The gala event was held at The Jewish Theological Seminary's Convocation honoring members of the Cantors Assembly (CA) on Tuesday, December 9, in New York City.

The CA is the largest organization of hazzanim worldwide. The official placement agency for hazzanim in the Conservative Movement, the CA sets and maintains the highest standards of professional competence and ethics.

Professor Arnold Eisen, chancellor of JTS, and Dr. Alan Cooper, provost, conferred the honorary degrees and delivered the convocation address. Hazzan Henry Rosenblum, dean of the H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music, served as sponsor of the honorary degree candidates. Hazzan Joseph Gole, cantor of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, president of the Cantors Assembly, and a member of the JTS Board of Trustees, delivered remarks on behalf of the honorees.

The names of the honorees, listed by state or country, can be found below. Each position listed is a cantorial position, unless otherwise indicated.

Canada
Name: Hazzan Benjamin Maissner
Current Status: Holy Blossom Temple, Toronto, Ontario
Current Residence: Toronto, Ontario

Israel
Name: Hazzan Eliahu Treistman
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Hadera, Israel

California
Name: Hazzan Hans Cohn
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Palo Alto

Name: Hazzan Marc A. Dinkin
Current Status: Congregation B’nai Shalom, Walnut Creek
Current Residence: Walnut Creek

Name: Hazzan Joseph Gole
Current Status: Sinai Temple, Los Angeles
Current Residence: Los Angeles

Name: Hazzan George Wald
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Sacramento

Florida
Name: Hazzan Edward Berkovits
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Aventura

Name: Hazzan Joseph Birnholtz
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Boynton Beach

Name: Hazzan Irving Grossman
Current Status: Temple Beth Tikvah, Greenacres
Current Residence: Greenacres

Name: Hazzan David Silverman
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Delray Beach

Illinois
Name: Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi
Current Status: Anshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago
Current Residence: Chicago

Name: Hazzan Shlomo Shuster
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Northbrook

Name: Hazzan Steven F. Stoehr
Current Status: Congregation Beth Shalom, Northbrook
Current Residence: Northbrook

Maryland
Name: Hazzan Abraham J. Denburg
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Baltimore

Massachusetts
Name: Hazzan Robert S. Scherr
Current Status: Jewish Chaplain, Williams College, Williamstown
Current Residence: Williamstown

Name: Hazzan Richard Wolberg
Current Status: Temple Beth El, Fall River
Current Residence: Fall River

Michigan
Name: Hazzan Earl G. Berris
Current Status: Congregation B’nai Moshe, West Bloomfield
Current Residence: Farmington Hills

New Jersey
Name: Hazzan Leon S. Lissek
Current Status: Cantor Emeritus, Congregation B’nai Amoona, St. Louis, Missouri
Current Residence: Teaneck

Name: Hazzan Murray E. Simon
Current Status: The Jewish Center, Princeton
Current Residence: Princeton

New York
Name: Hazzan Tyrone Bauer
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Freeport

Name: Hazzan Farid Dardashti
Current Status: Beth El Synagogue Center, New Rochelle
Current Residence: New Rochelle

Name: Hazzan Kalman Fliegelman
Status: Temple Beth Torah, Westbury
Current Residence: Westbury

Name: Hazzan Israel Goldstein
Current Status: Cantor Emeritus, Jericho Jewish Center, Jericho
Current Residence: Jericho

Name: Hazzan Samuel (Shlomo) Gomberg
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Woodmere

Name: Hazzan Martin Leubitz
Current Status: Temple Beth El, Rochester
Current Residence: Rochester

Name: Hazzan Ephraim David Shapiro
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Baldwin

Name: Hazzan Herbert J. Weiser
Current Status: Retired
Current Residence: Manhasset Hills

Name: Hazzan Morris W. Wolk
Current Status: Plainview Jewish Center
Current Residence: Plainview

Pennsylvania
Name: Hazzan Marshall A. Portnoy
Current Status: Main Line Reform Temple, Wynnewood
Current Residence: Wynnewood

Name: Hazzan David F. Tilman
Current Status: Beth Sholom Congregation, Elkins Park
Current Residence: Elkins Park

Name: Hazzan Nathan Zimri
Current Status: Part-time, Congregation Ner Zedek, Philadelphia
Current Residence: Philadelphia

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