Cantorial Search Process

• Met almost every week, sometimes two or three times a week;
• Created a plan to find the best candidates for Neveh Shalom;
• Created a private web site to discuss the process and candidates and had ongoing online conversations about the search;
• Reviewed resumes and audio samples from 34 candidates, most of whom are cantors, but also include a rabbi and several non-ordained cantorial soloists;
• Conducted video and in-person interviews with 10 candidates;
• Checked with references;
• Organized three weekends of activity for candidates to come to Neveh Shalom.  In addition to attending services, members of the committee and board met with and observed candidates in a variety of social and interview situations; and
• Collected feedback from congregants on each of the invited candidates.  The informal online survey received more than 500 responses and helped guide the committee in its deliberations.

 
The Search Committee held a final, three-hour meeting to discuss the merits of each candidate and to determine if any would be a good match for Neveh Shalom.  The group unanimously recommended Cantor Bletstein for the following reasons:

• She is a talented singer, with a range of vocal interests and abilities. 
• She has received an outstanding education at the Jewish Theological Seminary.  In addition to thorough knowledge of all aspects of liturgy, she also received training in pastoral counseling. 
• She possesses an unusual ability to bring ruach to a room.  Many who attended services or Shabbat dinner with Cantor Bletstein said they could not remember attending such a spirited Shabbat at Neveh Shalom.
• References from clergy, lay leaders and members of her current synagogue give her rave reviews.  Members of her community say it would be a great loss to see her go, but they say they know she will be better able to reach her professional potential at a larger synagogue.
• She is innovative in her programming and well-connected to the world of Jewish music.
• Cantor Bletstein has strong skills at engaging youth and looks forward to leading a large b'nai mitzvah program.
• She has strong interpersonal skills. Several people at her current congregation described her mentsch-like qualities.
• She will work well with clergy, staff, and lay leadership. 
• Her leadership will attract both current a potential members to Neveh Shalom.

 
After its many months of work, the Board and Search Committee feel fortunate to have the opportunity to bring Cantor Bletstein to Neveh Shalom at this point in her career.  Many have told us that she is a rising star in the Conservative cantorate, and we believe that she will help Neveh Shalom continue its rise as a center for Jewish prayer, music and culture.
 
Throughout this process, we have strived to include the spectrum of voices who make up Neveh Shalom, and we appreciate everyone who has taken time to participate in thesearch.  We are confident that Cantor Blestein will bring forth all of our voices for years to come.

Please feel free to contact Search Committee Chair, Rich Meyer, with any questions.

With thanks to all of our congregants for your input and participation, and appreciation for the dedication and hard work of the Search Committee,

Rich Meyer                                             Doug Lenhoff

Cantor Search Update:
We are excited to announce two cantorial candidates will visit Neveh Shalom.  

Cantor Michael Weis will join us Thursday, April 8 through Sunday, April 11. Cantor Weis will graduate the Jewish Theological Seminary this spring with Masters degrees in Jewish Sacred Music and Jewish Education.  Prior to attending cantorial school, he was an actor  in Los Angeles and founded and managed a business for 12 years that specialized in creating resumes and portfolios for actors. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Economics from Stanford University. Our committee appreciated his wonderful voice and his creative approach to educating b'nai mitzvah students. You can read a little about Cantor Weis and his journey to the cantorate in an article on the JTS web site. 
  
Cantor Deborah Bletstein will come to Portland Thursday April 15 through Sunday April 18. Cantor Bletstein currently serves Tifereth Israel, a Conservative congregation in Des Moines, Iowa.  A 2007 graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary, Cantor Bletstein impressed the search committee with the diverse selection of liturgy and style that she shared with us.  Her colleagues and congregants at Tifereth Israel told us they love davening with her and that they don't want to lose her but understand that she is destined for a larger congregation.  Cantor Bletstein asked us to share an article she wrote for CJ (the Conservative Movement's magazine) upon her graduation from JTS.

Cantor Deborah Bletstein, originally from West Bloomfield, MI, received her Bachelor’s in Music with distinction from Ohio Northern University in 1992.  In addition to performing with both the opera and musical theatre departments, she created the position of lead singer for both of the ONU Jazz bands, which had historically never appeared with a vocalist.  This lead to an opportunity to open for Marvin Hamlisch at The Veteran’s Memorial Convention Center in Lima, Ohio.  She went on to earn her Master’s of Music from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where she majored in classical voice, and was the lead singer for the CMU jazz band.  While at CMU, she performed leading roles in opera and musical theatre productions, and received rave reviews in the Pittsburgh press for her portrayal of Golde in Fiddler on the Roof.  A member of Actor’s Equity Association, she has appeared on the summer stock stages of The New London Barn Playhouse and The Hampton Playhouse, as well as Theatreworks USA in New York, and Walt Disney World’s MGM Studios in Orlando. 

      In 2002, Cantor Bletstein decided to devote her voice and her love of Judaism to the cantorate, and began her studies at the H.L. Miller Cantorial School at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City.  She spent her second year of the program learning at The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem, as well as ulpan at Hebrew University.  While at JTS in New York, Cantor Bletstein was active in Student Life, Va’ad Gemilut Hasadim, and a number of tzedaka concerts, including a series devoted to Alyn Children’s Hospital in Jerusalem.  She earned her Cantorial Investiture and a Master’s in Sacred Music from JTS in May of 2007.  Cantor Bletstein has served as guest hazzan, speaker, and scholar-in-residence at numerous congregations throughout the United States, and is sought after as a concert artist for her ability to seamlessly cross over genres of opera, musical theatre, classical hazzanut, contemporary Jewish music, jazz, pop and folk stylings.  Her writing was published in the 2007 inaugural issue of the quarterly magazine, CJ: Voices of Conservative/Masorti Judaism, celebrating 20 years of women in the Conservative Movement cantorate.  Cantor Bletstein is a proud member of both the Cantors’ Assembly and the American Conference of Cantors.  She currently serves Tifereth Israel Synagogue, a Conservative Movement congregation in Des Moines, Iowa.  Cantor Bletstein will be granted a Commission as Hazzan-Minister at the Cantor’s Assembly Convention in New York this coming May. 

We are working hard to ensure that there are ample opportunities for everyone to meet Cantors Weis and Bletstein during their visits and hope you will take advantage to hear them while they are here.  More details about their visits will follow.

Meanwhile, we continue to review many other candidates. More than 30 people have applied for this position, and it is amazing the breadth of experience these candidates offer us. We recently opened our search beyond the Conservative Movement's Cantors Assembly to include Reform cantors as well as other candidates who are not cantors. We are focused on finding the candidates who we think will add the most to the spiritual and cultural life our community.  Keep checking your emails for information about visits from Cantor Weis as well as other candidates.

We are excited to announce the first visit to Neveh Shalomof one of our cantorial candidates.  Cantor Michael Weis will join us Thursday,April 8 through Sunday, April 11.  CantorWeis will graduate the Jewish Theological Seminary this spring with Mastersdegrees in Jewish Sacred Music and Jewish Education.  Prior to attending cantorial school, he wasan actor in Los Angelesand founded and managed a business for 12 years that specialized in creatingresumes and portfolios for actors.  He earneda Bachelors Degree in Economics from StanfordUniversity.  Our committee appreciated his wonderful voiceand his creative approach to educating b’nai mitzvah students.  You can read a little about Cantor Weis andhis journey to the cantorate in an article on the JTS web site.   We areworking hard to ensure that there are ample opportunities for everyone to meetCantor Weis during his visit and hope you will take advantage to hear him whilehe is here.  More details about his visitwill follow.

Meanwhile, we continue to review many other candidates.  More than 30 people have applied for thisposition, and it is amazing the breadth of experience these candidates offerus.  We recently opened our search beyondthe Conservative Movement’s Cantors Assembly to include Reform cantors as wellas other candidates who are not cantors.  We are focused on finding the candidates whowe think will add the most to the spiritual and cultural life our community.  Keep checking your emails for information aboutvisits from Cantor Weis as well as other candidates.

If you have any questions about the cantor search, pleasecontact committee chair Rich Meyer. 

The "Cantorial Transition Committee" has transitioned into the "Cantor Search Committee", which held its first meeting Sunday, January 31.  We have submitted a job posting to the Cantors Assembly, the organization that represents chazanim in the Conservative Movement and have begun to hear from potential applicants.    The committee will review and evaluate any resumes we receive in the coming weeks.  We have an agreement with the Cantors Assembly to be our exclusive search mechanism during the first part of this process.  Depending on the results of this initial phase, we may expand the search to include cantors outside the Conservative Movement as well as candidates who are not cantors. We anticipate we may be hosting candidates during weekends in March and April.   

We will continue to inform members of our progress.  Our plan is to keep you updated through e-mails, onwww.nevehshalom.org and with printed material available at the synagogue.  We want to have as many congregants involved as possible as the synagogue makes this important choice, so please keep your eyes and ears open for events related to the search.  If you know of candidates who might be interested in thisposition, please have them contact Fred Rothstein or committee chair Rich Meyer. 

Members of the Search Committee

Mel Berwin

Julie Brophy

Joel Friedlander

Elizabeth Steiner Hayward

Priscilla Kostiner 

Rich Meyer

Mylen Shenker

Mark Sherman 

Eric Stone

Merritt Yoelin

January 27, 2010 Update

The Board of Directors has approved the recommendation to conduct a formal search for new cantorial leadership.  We have submitted an application to the Cantors Assembly, the umbrella organization for Conservative Cantors and expect to start receiving applications and resumes soon.  Rich Meyer will chair the Search Committee, which will review applications and plan for any visits by potential candidates.  We will continue to keep the congregation informed as the process moves forward.  For more information, contact Rich. 

December 27, 2009 Update 

Please read the Cantorial Transition Committee's Summary of Recommendation to the Board of Directors (PDF file) dated December 27, 2009