Cantor’s Report Finance

Submitted by: Donna M. Azu

This July will mark my five years serving as Cantor at Temple Shalom. I feel privileged to have such a wonderful clergy partner in Rabbi Miller, to collaborate with Caren Plotkin and Seyla Cohen and to receive support from the talented front office staff. I consider Temple Shalom my home and I look forward to many continued opportunities to serve our members as clergy, musician and Jewish educator.

B’Shira, Cantor Donna M. Azu

Worship and Music

My musical choices have reflected my desire of using eclectic music that aims to please different ages and backgrounds of our congregants. I try to make the services truly upbeat, spirited and soulful at the same time. I like to combine compositions of contemporary American Jewish composers that are becoming standard repertoire of Reform services as well as traditional Jewish folk melodies and Cantorial chants (Hazannut). I also try to engage the congregants to sing a long and to create a more participatory service. As I believe that singing or praying together has a special value and is one of the ways of building a strong community, we continue to dedicate the first Friday of the month to our 6:30pm Shir Joy Shabbat service giving our Religious school students an opportunity to be involved in leading parts of the service. Jane Galler joins me in in leading this lively service. We have also continued our successful Shabbat services on the beach.

Adult Choir

The volunteer Choir rehearses twice a month on Thursday’s from 6:30-7:30pm under the direction of Musical Director Peter Lewis. Peter and I work closely together in choosing the music for each choir Shabbat. We currently have 18 members of the choir.

High Holy Days

On the High Holy Days, we engaged 8 professional singers to join the choir and we had 5 weeks of rehearsal dedicated to preparing for the holidays. In addition we had 17 of our students chant Torah during the holiday. I organized the Torah readers, made Torah recordings of what they were chanting, and met with many of them regularly to insure that they were prepared.

B’nei Mitzvah

This year we have 15 students in our B’nei Mitzvah program. Our tutor’s Perry Switzen, Dr. Michael Rubner, Howard Moeckler, and Hari Jacobsen are continuing to teach and contribute their time to the success of our students. Each student receives 28 one hour long tutoring sessions beginning 8 months prior to their date. Our B’nei Mitzvah program has always focused on meeting the needs of our individual students. I have loved this special time getting to know Temple Shalom’s students and families and sharing a momentous

sacred celebration with them. Our B’nei Mitzvah services receive compliments and praises form the guests and family members.

9th Grade Confirmation

During the year students learned about Comparative Religion. In my class we learned about each of the world's major religions and how Judaism is both similar and different from them. Part of the year was spent learning about Jew’s living outside of the United States. Although there are Jews living around the world, each culture has their own unique way of expressing and celebrating their Judaism. We explored the traditions, music, clothing, and food of Jews around the world.

Rosh Chodesh

Temple Shalom’s Rosh Chodesh Group - a Women’s Gathering meets monthly at 5:30 pm on the Thursday Closest to Rosh Chodesh. Jane Perman and I lead a wide variety of activities and discussions that center around issues of importance to Jewish women, deepening learning and promoting spiritual growth. Together, the group meet’s to celebrate the new month and their lives as empowered Jewish women; learning and sharing as a community

Adult Education

This spring I began teaching 5 motived ladies to become adult B’not Mitzvot. This group will study with me for one year culminating in a wonderful ceremony where they will be called to the Bimah as a bat mitzvah in March 2016!

Purim

Megillah Reading: I organized many of the Temple’s Havurah’s and Groups to take part in a creative lay led reading of the Book of Esther. It was a very successful evening that we plan to do again in the future.

Spiel: The theme of this year’s Spiel was Frozen in Shushan! Rabbi Miller, and I met with 12 volunteers from the congregation for 1 month to perform this musical for our religious school. The entire Purim Spiel team succeeded to create a show that was funny and educational at the same time.

Pesach Seders

I was happy to once again be involved in various Temple Seders’. I co-led the Women’s Seder with Caren Plotkin as well as our annual Community Second Night Seder with Rabbi Miller.

Community Involvement

In the greater collier county community I was involved in the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue Kristallnacht service, the Interfaith Thanksgiving service, JFCS Senior Center, Federation candle lighting at the Mercato, Chanukah Tea, community Yom HaShoa service, as well as PFLAG. Nationally, I serve on the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music Alumni working group and I currently serve as the American Conference of Cantor’s (ACC) concert coordinator for the June 2015 convention in Ft. Lauderdale.