Shalom and welcome to Congregation Beth El. These are exciting times to be part of our synagogue community!

We just completed our third year of Synaplex Shabbatot highlighted by five Beth El Friday Night Live! services over the course of the year. These special musical services attempt to engage our congregants in a new, vibrant approach to song and prayer. Meditations as well as fresh, contemporary melodies accompanied by instrumental ensemble highlight the service. Our Beth El Live CD, with excerpts found on our website (click here) helps familiarize the community with the service, and encourages all to experience Shabbat with us.

Once per month, we have a different Friday night service called 'Shirei Shabbat', when our Youth Chorale joins me on the bimah in song and prayer.

In addition, I conduct an adult choir who sing for special events and services during the year.

We have also taken an initiative to bring new meaning to our Shabbat morning services through new melodies and engaging discussions of Torah and prayer. Many of these musical settings can be heard on our newest CD or can be found on our website (click here).

I encourage our members to chant Torah, Haftarot, and M'gillot as well as lead other parts of the service. Recently, I taught sessions on ‘How to be a Gabbai’ and ‘How to lead Musaf’, and this coming year we will be co-conducting an Adult B’nai Mitzvah class.

Of special note is the formation this past year of our own Chevra Kadisha, a Holy Burial Society, which serves the needs of our community and immediate family. The Chevra Kadisha helps in preparing the meit/ah (deceased) for burial, and helps to comfort the aveilim (mourners). We welcome new members to Beth El Chevra Kadisha (BECK).

This year marks my 18th year at Congregation Beth El. I grew up in Baltimore where I sang in Jewish choirs for over 20 years. A graduate of Towson University and the University of Michigan, I received a Masters of Sacred Music and Investiture as Hazzan from the Jewish Theological Seminary where I have served on the faculty for the past thirteen years.

I am one of the co-founders of Voices in Harmony (VIH), a community interfaith vocal ensemble now celebrating its ninth year. Voices in Harmony perform for the three major community events: the Thanksgiving Service, the Martin Luther King Commemoration, and the Interfaith Holocaust Service. VIH also prepares special concerts. This past year we presented a 'Freedom’ Concert and this coming year the choir will help me celebrate my eighteenth anniversary with a May concert at Beth El. Please contact me if you interested in joining the group.

My wife, Miki, a teacher in the Metrowest community, leads a Advanced Hebrew class in the spring and the Teen Experience on Shabbat mornings.

Please contact me if you are interested in participating in any of above-mentioned programs. I can be reached in my study at 973-763-6447 or through the Beth El office at 973-763-0111. You may also email me at espritpsf@aol.com.