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Association.
Fighting Head &swat
and Stroke
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10/8
1999
64 Detroit Jewish News
Control high
blood pressure
Cantor with a trio of interests teams with congregation
serving two streams of Judaism.
CATHY SHAF RAN
Special to the Jewish News
amela Schiffer has always
loved music, all forms of it.
So she's not the type who
could immerse herself in
only one facet of the music world.
Her musical direction has long been
driven in three directions: as a cantor,
concert singer and voice teacher.
So when East Lansing's
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
approached her for a part-time posi-
tion as visiting cantor this year, it
seemed to fit perfectly into her trifur-
cated life pursuits.
"I teach voice at Oakland
University, I'm performing in concerts
(like "Brunch with Bach" on Sunday,
Oct. 10, at the Detroit Institute of
Arts), and now I'll be going to
Shaarey Zedek 20 weekends starting
with Shemini Atzeret (last weekend),"
said Cantor Schiffer of West
Bloomfield.
Cantor Schiffer brings much experi-
ence with her to this new "part-time"
role. After her initial training at
Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles,
she held cantorial positions in
California, Maryland and, for 13 years,
at Temple Beth Israel in York, Pa.
Since moving from Maryland to
Michigan because of her husband's
new position (Dr. Charles Schiffer is
chief of hematology and oncology at
the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer
Center in Detroit), she has transferred
from the music faculty of Loyola
College to Oakland University.
She has been a guest soloist at
Temple Israel and Temple Beth El.
All the while, she continues her
work with the Contemporary Music
Forum in Washington, D.C., where
she performs regularly.
Despite her busy schedule, Cantor
Schiffer is energized by her new role
in East Lansing. "I'm excited by the
work that lays ahead," she said.
"Their former cantor, Bruce Wetzler,
retired last year after 40 years. And
now the congregation is in the process
of reassessing its needs and direction.
"My role is to bring them music,"
she continued, "but also to help
them organize their vision for what
po
they want for a music program and
future cantor.
What makes Cantor Schiffer's role
even more chal-
lenging is that
she must find
ways to blend
traditions in
this different
kind of congre-
gation, which
serves two
streams of
Judaism under
one roof. Since
its inception,
Shaarey Zedek
of East Lansing
has sought to
fill the spiritual
needs of both
Reform and
Cantor Pamela Schiffer
Conservative
Jews at the same
time.
"I really tip my hat to her," said
Rabbi David Lyon. 'She makes it
look so easy.
"It's interesting," said Cantor
Schiffer after embarking on her new
role at Shaarey Zedek during the
High Holidays. "For instance, this
year the Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur
evening service were combined,
Reform and Conservative. We made
some changes, adding some extra
Hebrew in some areas and adding
extra English in others. Then for the
morning service of Yom Kippur, we
had separate services."
The Conservative members are
pleased with the service," said Rabbi
Lyon, who is Reform and leads the
multidimensional congregation. "That
really helps me.
.
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Heavenly chat helps
synagogue identify a
prospective new cantor.
Cantor Schiffer said, "For the holi-
days, there was a lot of singing,"
including six hours on the bima dur-
ing Yom Kippur. But
working together with
Choir Director Celiarose
Varner and the volunteer
choir, we all came together
with one voice. We could
all feel it, and it made Kol
Nidre really special."
Said choir member and
cultural committee board
member Winnie Rome of
her new cantor: "I feel
someone was looking out
),
for us when we found her.
Rome was returning to
Michigan on a flight from
Denver when she just hap-
pened to sit next to
Temple Israel President
Jimm White. "I told him
how we were looking for a
visiting cantor. And he suggested a
woman who had been working with
Cantor Harold Orbach the previous
High Holidays."
For many in the East Lansing con-
gregation, the chance meeting turned
into a blessing.
Cantor Schiffer "has a combination
of professional excellence and a special
personal quality that has impressed
many people here," said Rabbi Lyon.
"I only wish she could be full time.
But I know she has many other pro-
fessional interests. So she'll be appreci-
ated while she's here.
In the meantime, the search commit-
tee continues its work to find a perma-
nent replacement for Cantor Wetzler,
hoping to name someone by summer.
Whatever the future holds, Cantor
Schiffer sees it as an exciting time at
Shaarey Zedek of East Lansing. "The
cantor will have so much to do, they
will want to help with youth pro-
grams and music in the school pro-
grams as well as adult education. The
sky's the limit on what they can do."
And the cantor sees the sky as the
limit for her own musical interests.
"I have been able to do the things I
love the most — performing, teach-
ing and expressing my Judaism
through music. I consider myself
very lucky," she said.