I Spirituality Sweet Shul Music Inspired congregants lead prayer and song at Beth Ahm. For The Record David Sachs Senior Copy Editor Beth Ahm in West C ongregation o 0 Bloomfield prides itself as a family oriented, close-knit syna- gogue."Big enough to enrich you, small enough to know you," its motto professes. For years on the Days of Awe, the shul's congregants have been shepherded from the bimah by Ronn Nadis, a soulful and mellow baritone. But most days, Nadis is more of a barrister than a baritone, practicing commercial real estate law as a shareholder in the law firm of Taubman, Nadis & Neuman P.C. in Farmington Hills. At 50, Nadis has been wearing these two hats, lawyer and prayer leader, his entire adult life. While practicing law and raising a family, Nadis studied with rabbis and can- tors and traveled to hone his cantorial craft. Among his mentors were Rabbi Allan Kensky, formerly of Beth Israel Congregation in Ann Arbor, with whom Nadis studied while his wife, Dr. Beth Nadis, a pediatrician in West Bloomfield, was attending medical school at the University of Michigan. As Ronn became more proficient in leading services, he took jobs for the High Holidays with synagogues in Vineland, N.J., and Milwaukee, Wis., and then, for several years, at Congregation B'nai Moshe in West Bloomfield. A key element in his development was his relationship with B'nai Moshe's late Cantor Louis Klein, who helped him further refine his skills. And to assist him on the High Holidays, Nadis has enlisted the aid of his musi- cally gifted twin daughters, U-M seniors Emily and Rebecca Nadis, and his wife's brother, Professor Howard N. Lupovitch of West Bloomfield, the Waks Family Chair of Jewish History at the University of Western Ontario in London. Lupovitch's wide Jewish music rep- ertoire ranges from singing the latest Hebrew camp songs while strumming his guitar to chanting the traditional nusach (prayer melodies) from the bimah every Shabbat and holiday. In addition, he serves as Beth Ahm's main Torah reader. As a historian, Lupovitch can be spellbinding when lecturing on Jewish topics and is a sought-after speaker all over town. Twin sisters Emily and Rebecca Nadis form a quartet with their uncle, guitar player Howard Lupovitch, and their dad, Ronn Nadis. To pick up a free copy of Beth Ahm's High Holiday musical CD, stop by the synagogue office, 5075 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield. To inquire about High Holiday services, contact Executive Director Tessa Goldberg (director@cbahm.org ) or Rabbi Steven Rubenstein (raysteven@cbahm.org ) at (248) 851-6880. The congregation is hosting an evening of song, medi- HIGH HOLY DA\ tation and prayer in preparation for the High Holidays at 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept.12. Rabbi Rubenstein and Beth Greenapple will lead the special program titled "Open the Gates," and Ronn Nadis and Howard Lupovitch will lead traditional Selichot services. All are wel- come. Last year, the family foursome recorded a CD of their High Holiday harmonies, which Beth Ahm is offering free this year to all who stop by the Conservative syna- gogue's office on Maple, west of Inkster. The recording, titled Kol HaAhni: Voice of the People, was made to familiarize congregants with the melodies heard 0 0 mostly on the High Holidays so they could better participate in the service. Backed by Lupovitch's guitar (which cannot be used at the actual services), the traditional Ashkenazi and occasional Sephardi melodies are augmented with newer sounds from modern Conservative songsmith Craig Taubman and the leg- endary Chasidic minstrel Rabbi Sholmo Carlebach, among others. One of the most beautiful prayers on the CD loosely borrows a folksong melody from an unlikely source — the late singer-songwriter John Denver. Nadis and Lupovitch adapted the tune to the Hebrew words of the "K'vodo" verse of the Kedushah, which is sung with the congregation while it stands during the repetition of the Amidah. Nadis starts off in his deepest bass, melodically extending all three syllables of the opening word K'vodo (God's Glory) until it nearly sounds like a song in itself. Then the rest of the clan chimes in, sing- ing much higher harmonies and creating a joyous symphonic blend that exalts the Kedushah and further lifts the already risen congregants. Although twins, the young women are not identical, visually or vocally. Rebecca is taller and has the higher voice, a delightful soprano. She usually joins forces with Uncle Howard, himself a higher bari- tone, to harmonize above Ronn. Emily's joyful alto most often shadows the main melody sung by her dad, a low baritone. The twins take the lead in "Ado [shem] Melech" (God Is King), blending their voices together in a wistful duet. In Craig Taubman's "Halleluyah" (Praise God), all four take center stage in a cocktail of four-part harmonies. Many Chip In Beth Ahm's Rabbi Steven Rubenstein encourages all who feel comfortable to Sweet Shul Music on page 42 41