Music has the power to unite, to move, to inspire. Under the able guidance of Cantor Daniel Benlolo, the Beth Shalom Neshama Choir, a mixed chorale ensemble of 20 strong, is working hard to perfect its High Holy Day repertoire in order to once again add beauty and solemnity to the service.
Today's Beth Shalom choir is following in the footsteps of a great musical legacy. Our late congregant Irving (Chick) Wolfe always recalled being in the choir in 1926 under the leadership of Cantor Jacob Dorskind when the synagogue was located at 417 Rideau Street. He described the old synagogue where the women sat on the top floor, the bimah was in the centre, and the choir clustered around the Cantor. " Indeed, there have been several generations of this choir since.
The 1973 Beth Shalom choir, under the direction of Cantor David Nemtsov, had as its soloist the bassist Al Shapiro. It counted among its members, the late Laz Mirsky, father of one of today's current choir members Ken Mirsky. Maynard Kreiger began singing with the choir in 1979 and to this day still climbs the stairs of the bimah to add his deep baritone and playful harmonies to the mix along with another 1973 member, Leon Leckie.
Through the years, the choir has always been a mainstay of religious services at Beth Shalom. Under a series of talented cantorial leaders, the all-male choir continued to thrive. The addition of women to the choir in 2003 was a treat for both the congregation and the singers. "I just love to sing" says chorister Ethel Malek. The sentiment is echoed by Edie Landau who maintains she sang in choirs all her life, "from the early days in Winnipeg at Rosh Pina Synagogue with the renowned Sarah Udow."
While the full choir performs during the High Holy Days, some of the members get together informally to join the Cantor on the Bimah for Friday night and Shabbat morning services. The atmosphere in the synagogue is haimish and is a great drawing card for younger new members like Evan Green. Newcomer to Canada Paul Sheffrin says that "almost from the moment I went up on the bimah, something magical happened. Cantor Benlolo exudes a musicality and clarity of diction that combine with the spirituality of the service to create something I can only describe as ruach."
And of course, Cantor Benlolo has great plans for the future of the Beth Shalom Neshama Choir. "I plan to become more active in both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities and bring our ruach to hospitals and extended care facilities." He recalls the very successful Interfaith Concert held at Beth Shalom in 2005 and last year's trip to Montreal where they performed at a prestigious choral festival. "It was great to bring music created from the heart and fashioned by emotion to a warm and appreciative audience."
A synagogue without a choir is like a motion picture without a score. If you want to be spiritually moved and inspired, come visit us downtown at Congregation Beth Shalom. We would love to sing just for you!
This article by Esther Shetzer originally appeared in the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin.
