A STAR IN THE LIGHT
As a young boy, an image in a
skylight entranced Howard Glantz.
Little did he know that it would
guide his life.
JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR STAFF WRITER
taring up at the skylight of his what he will do, but how well he will
synagogue while daydreaming do it. With the highest of holidays ap-
during High Holiday services as proaching, the young cantor is expe-
a child, Howard Glantz never riencing a touch of stage fright.
"I want to do my best at any occa-
filled his mind with the possi-
bility that his voice would eventu- sion, be it a bris, a wedding, a funer-
ally saturate the synagogue during al or the High Holidays," he said. "I
have been particularly nervous be-
such holy moments.
But instead of fixating on the dark- fore the High Holidays."
Although he has never lost his
ening sky beyond the ceiling's win-
dow, the young boy focused instead voice or faltered when he led the ser-
vices with his rich
on a symbol set into the
voice, this year he has
skylight's design.
not had the time to
"I would stare up and
prepare as he usual-
there would be the star
Cantor Glantz's fa- ly does. As one of the
of David," he said.
Similarly, the road mous throat prepara- chairmen of an up-
coming cantor's con-
that led him to be a can- tion:
In a cup, place five to ference in Detroit,
tor at Mat Shalom Syn-
agogue has been filled six whole cloves, four Cantor Glantz has
lengthwise slices of gin-
with distractions. But ger, and between one spent his time orga-
the former construction teaspoon and one ta- nizing activities and
worker/luggage sales- blespoon of honey. Fill arrangements for the
man/marketing profes- cup with boiling water. event, leaving little
free time to craft a
sional/pool hall worker Let steep.
new piece of music or
seemed to fixate on the
Jewish component of his life — teach- practice for the Holy Days.
"Summers are slower around here
ing Sunday school.
"I did an awful lot of things," he usually," he said. "But this year I
said. "But I felt like there was some- have been so busy."
His anxiety is alleviated a bit by a
thing wrong. I was more interested
in the job on Sundays than in the job routine that he has developed over
the years. He will start his day with
that really paid me."
Cantor Glantz quit the marketing his "magic elixir" — a concoction
job, went through Jewish Theologi- made of cloves, ginger, honey and
cal Seminary's cantorial program and boiling water — designed to soothe
was employed at a smaller, East and relax his throat.
"I actually drink it often, not just
Coast synagogue before coming about
six years ago to Farmington Hills. for the holidays," he said.
He will hop on a stationary bike
He has remained focused on the Jew-
ishness in his life, continuing his ed- and pedal for miles before taking a
ucation to also become a mohel, a relaxing stroll through the neigh-
person who performs ritual circum- borhood. Then he will walk to the
synagogue, step up to the bimah and
cision.
Now his biggest concern is not sing. 0
S
THE MG IC MR
Align APPROACH
Two local cantors prepare in
their own ways for the challenge
of the High Holidays.
JULIE EDGAR STAFF WRITER
But preparation for the services
othing is quite as exhilarat-
ing as performing before a rarely changes from year to year.
Both Cantor Shimansky and
packed house.
So the High Holidays, Cantor Harold Orbach, who has led
when most Jews stream into Temple Israel in song for 35 years,
their synagogues, are a peak expe- may vary the melodies, but they
stick to the standards — "Avinu
rience for a cantor.
"I look forward to it because I can Malkeinu," for example.
It's really the mood that counts,
feel the congregation with me. The
more people I have, the more I get Cantor Orbach said.
"For each holiday, each song has
up for it," said Cantor Max Shi-
mansky of Congregation Beth its own leitmotif, its own mood and
atmosphere. Somebody
Achim in Southfield.
landing
on earth, just by
Cantors are, after all, mu-
Cant or Max
sical performers, artists who Shima nsky of hearing the melodies, could
tread the bimah hoping they Congr egation tell what the holiday is," he
Beth Achim.
said.
can bring worshippers,
Before Rosh Hashanah,
through the lifting of their
he prepares himself for the peni-
voices, closer to God.
"I remember the first time I came tent period by focusing his think-
to Beth Achim, we used to get close ing.
Cantor Orbach believes the ori-
to 2,000 people in the main sanc-
tuary. HI could get them singing at gins of "Kol Nidre" may be in Spain
the same time, there's nothing like in the 14th and 15th centuries,
when Jews secretly came togeth-
it.
"During Kol Nidre, if I can hear er on Yom Kippur to renounce the
the congregation humming with vows they made in public.
So the evening before Yom Kip-
me, I appreciate them and they ap-
preciate me even more," Cantor pur, he meditates on the misery and
the courage of the Spanish Jews
Shimansky said.