Honoring Our Cantors

In 2024 an Honoring Our Cantors committee (Joyce Falk, Louise Harkavy, Ellen Hoffman, and David Wilson) interviewed all the living cantors (and created an audio biography for Cantor Robofsky), and created the below videos. They also interviewed Rabbi Emeritus Warren Stone, who worked with all of the cantors, and Rabbi Adam Rosenwasser.

An evening honoring the cantors was held on March 21, 2025. A permanent display in the Temple Emanuel lobby and this digital repository displaying their interviews and audio materials were unveiled.

These permanent installations honor our Temple’s past, present and future cantors. Congregants and visitors will be able to access, so everyone’s legacy will live on within our physical building and our digital presence.

MAIN VIDEOS:

Cantor Abrasha Robofsky Z"L

(1962-1997)

(d. 1997)

The Winding Road from Carnegie Hall to Connecticut Avenue

Abrasha Robofsky Biography (audio)
Interview with Lois Simpson about Cantor Robofsky
Interview with Jennifer Mann Fields about Cantor Robofsky
Interview with Peter Kurtz about Cantor Robofsky
Interview with Sue Rudo about Cantor Robofsky
Group interview with several TE members about Cantor Robofsky
Washington Post article on Cantor Robofsky

Cantor Susan Berkson

(1989-1994)

First Woman Vested Cantor at Temple Emanuel

Full interview with Cantor Berkson
Sound Bites: (Music from her album Life As A Song)

Rabbi Cantor Gershon Silins

(1994-2001)

Bye, Bye Keyboard. Hello Grand Piano

Full interview with Rabbi Cantor Silins
Sound Bites:
- Kedushah recorded at Temple Emanuel
- R’tzei

Cantor Rosalie Will

(2001-2017)

From Camp Songleader to DMV Area Wide Choral Concert Director

Full interview with Cantor Will
Sound Bites:

Cantor Lindsay Kanter

(2017-2025)

Two Rabbis and a Pandemic

Full interview with Cantor Kanter
Interview with Rabbi Rosenwasser about Cantor Lindsay Kanter
Sound Bites:

For those who wish to express their appreciation and support for the Cantors and the Temple’s music programs, contributions may be made to the Byer Jewish Enrichment Fund at Temple Emanuel.

This fund was created as a bequest from the estate of Myrna Rosen Byer who was actively involved at Temple Emanuel from the 1990’s until her untimely death in 2008. She loved participating in the Temple Choir and was involved in the Capital Campaign Building Project of 1998-1999, which saw the construction of HaMakom, the Administrative Offices, the Lobby with elevator, and the school areas. She served as President of the Congregation from 2002-2004. After her term as president, Myrna was on the Board of the URJ.

If you have any difficulties with online donations, please contact the Temple Office at 301.942.2000 or via email. Checks can be mailed to Temple Emanuel (10101 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington MD 20895); please make out to Temple Emanuel and note in the memo line “Donation to Byer Jewish Enrichment Fund”