Cantor Amy Pearlman Kanarek
 |
Cantor Amy Pearlman Kanarek of the Greenburgh Hebrew Center in Dobbs
Ferry, New York was born in Steubenville, Ohio. A graduate of both
the H.L. Miller Cantorial School and the Davidson School of Education
masters' program of the Jewish Theological Seminary, she also has
a certificate in Compassionate Jewish Leadership from the Jewish
Institute of Pastoral Care. Cantor Kanarek received her bachelors'
degree in French language and culture from the University of Pennsylvania,
where she sang in the Penn Singers, a Gilbert & Sullivan troupe.
Before enrolling in cantorial school, she taught high school French
and Spanish, spent a year as a Fulbright exchange teacher in France,
and served as Family Life Educator at Temple Beth David in Palm Beach
Gardens, Florida. As a seminary student, she served several congregations
in the northeast and midwest. In July, 2005, she brought to Greenburgh
Hebrew Center her beautiful voice as well as her passion for teaching
students of all ages.
Since her arrival at GHC, Cantor Kanarek has started a new Hebrew Literacy Program for adults, reinvigorated Shabbat services with lively new melodies, introduced a long awaited Purim Shpiel, taught many adults to read Torah, and worked tirelessly with B'nei Mitzvah students and their families. She has also reached out to post b'nei mitzvah students offering them opportunities to be at the heart of Jewish life at GHC. Her community involvement includes membership in Kol Hazzanim, the Cantor's Assembly and the Women Cantor's Network. Cantor Kanarek was recently selected by the Cantor's Assembly to tutor a cantorial soloist in Paris, France. She and her female cantorial colleagues performed in December 2007 at JTS in a concert sponsored by Women's League for Conservative Judaism and the Miller School honoring 20 years of Women's voices in the Conservative Movement.
Cantor Kanarek and her husband, Cantor Barry Kanarek of the Nanuet Hebrew Center enjoy performing all types of Jewish & secular music as a duo and with their band, "The Temple Dudes". They are the proud parents of Emily, a student at the Reuben Gittelman Hebrew Day School of New City, NY.