Dear Temple Shalom Family and Friends,

As we approach the High Holy Days, we are writing to provide you with many exciting updates to our music program for this year.

First, we are delighted to welcome back student cantor Sarina Elenbogen-Siegel and welcome cantorial intern Margo Wagner as our music leaders this year. Since late summer, both Sarina and Margo have been leading us in song and prayer. Both Sarina and Margo will be with us during the High Holy Days. I hope that you will join us for many opportunities in the coming weeks and months as Sarina and Margo bring their talents, skills and beautiful voices as they lead us in prayer and worship.

We are also very excited to share that Ben Pagliaro will be joining Temple Shalom as our Musician in Residence. Ben, originally from New York, grew up going to URJ Camp Eisner and is now a worship leader and song-writer. As Temple Shalom’s Musician in Residence, Ben will serve as our choir director for the adult and teen choirs and help lead services that include the choirs throughout the year, including special services such as our annual Martin Luther King service. Ben will also support the Early Learning Center with Shabbat Sing and will be doing some programs with the Religious School.

As some of you may know, our beloved accompanist, Andrew Stewart, notified us this summer that he accepted a position with another congregation much closer to his home. As much as we will miss Andrew’s musical talents, we understood his decision and wished him well. We are incredibly fortunate to welcome back as our accompanist Kathy Herman, who was our accompanist for many years prior to Andrew. Kathy already shared her talents at our Selichot service this past Saturday evening, and will continue to do so during the High Holy Days and throughout the year.

Lastly, we write to inform you that the Music Leadership Search Committee began meeting this month to start the search for a Cantorial Soloist/Worship Leader for the long term, beginning in August 2023. The Committee represents a full range of members of our congregation and is co-chaired by Debbie Szyfer and Michelle Windmueller. The plan is to advertise for the position in January 2023 with a decision by the Board in late spring 2023. There will be opportunities for the congregation to meet vetted candidates in late winter/early spring 2023. Information will be provided throughout the year to keep the congregation informed of the process. If you have questions, please contact Debbie or Michelle at ten.molahselpmet@cisuMST.

On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, we wish each of you a sweet, healthy, and meaningful new year as we continue to write the story of Temple Shalom together.

L’Shana Tovah,

Jeff Steger, President

Debbie Szyfer, Vice President and Co-Chair, Music Leadership Search Committee