Dear Congregants,

I am delighted to share with you the wonderful news that Central Synagogue has named Cantor Mo Glazman as our next Senior Cantor, effective July 1, 2014!

Mo Glazman is currently Cantor and Director of Arts at Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains, NY. Cantor Glazman is widely considered one of the leading Reform cantors of his generation, and we are absolutely thrilled that he will be joining Rabbi Buchdahl, Cantor Katz, Rabbi Salth and Rabbi Lorge on our bimah.

Everyone who met Mo during the search process found him to be an extraordinarily warm, intelligent and compassionate individual, in addition to being an immensely talented musician who shares our musical vision. In his years at Kol Ami, Mo has launched and instituted numerous musical initiatives and multi-generational arts programs that have served to enrich the lives of congregants. He is musically creative, and his style spans the wide range of musical genres heard at Central. In addition to his beautiful voice, Mo enriches worship by playing both the guitar and violin.

In addition to being a gifted musical partner to Rabbi Buchdahl and Cantor Katz, Mo will bring to Central his expertise in using the arts to enhance our programs. His title at Kol Ami reflects his diverse skills and his innovative approach to using art, drama and dance, as well as his musical gifts, in engaging congregants with Judaism.

The Cantorial Search Committee’s unanimous and enthusiastic recommendation of Mo followed an extensive process that included two auditions in which he sang and played prescribed selections, worked with our musicians and choir, and performed duets with Rabbi Buchdahl and Cantor Katz. Rabbi Buchdahl is tremendously excited about the musical partnership that she will have with Mo, as Mo further expands our congregation’s musical life both on and off the bimah.

Please join us in welcoming Mo, his wife Rachel, and their two sons, Lev and Jonah, to our community. You can click here to hear some of Mo’s repertoire from Kol Ami’s Kabbalat Shabbat service.

We owe enormous thanks to the Search Committee, headed by Carol Ostrow, for its dedication and thoughtfulness. Thanks to Bruce Gutkin, Jocelyn Markowitz, Matt Ringel, Moses Silverman, Ed Skloot, Susan Steinhardt, Susie Stern, and music director Dave Strickland for their commitment to Central.

We hope to have another exciting announcement in the weeks ahead as we conclude a separate search for an interim rabbi to fill out our clergy team for the coming year.

David B. Edelson
President