MARCH 4 • 2021 | 33

“I PLAN ON USING 
MY EXPERIENCES TO 
STRENGTHEN THE 
SYNAGOGUE’S MUSICAL 
TRADITIONS.”

— GAVRI YARES.

and teaching positions at the 
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day 
School in Maryland.
He also has performed 
in secular venues, touring 
North America, Europe and 
the Middle East while work-
ing with his brother, Ami. 
The Brothers Yares present 
Americana and Middle 
Eastern repertoire.
Yares was a musician, 
prayer leader and teacher at 
Adas Israel Congregation 
and the historic Sixth & I 
Synagogue in D.C. As a lay 
leader, he was an active mem-
ber of Ohev Sholom — The 
National Synagogue and DC 
Minyan. 

MUSICAL ROOTS
“My musical interests were 
a product of the public 
schools I attended in New 
Jersey,” said Yares, whose 
main instrument is the bass. 
“When high school came 
about, I knew it was some-
thing I wanted to pursue 
professionally.
“I had a lot of music 
teachers who also were 
professional musicians, and 
I was able to see that they 
could teach and perform. 
Because of that, I pursued a 
degree in music education at 
Rutgers University.”
After graduation, Yares 
taught at a New Jersey pub-
lic school and then took a 
hiatus in Israel, where he 
performed with ensembles 

in addition to the one with 
his brother.
The move to Michigan 
came in 2018 after his wife, 
Laura, accepted a religious 
studies professorship at 
Michigan State University. 
The couple are raising their 
two children — Nadav, 4, 
and Jonah, 1 — in Oak Park.
“The hiring of Gavri 
will allow us to further the 
future of our thriving and 
growing institution, pro-
moting the renaissance of 
Jewish Detroit,” said Arlene 
Frank, synagogue executive 
director. “Gavri’s deep com-
mitment to our local Jewish 
community — paired with 
his musical and spiritual 
knowledge, experience and 
enthusiasm — will support 
the Downtown Synagogue’s 
growth as a hub of Jewish life 
in Detroit.”
Silverman is pleased Yares 
applies his teaching skills, 
especially during Zoom ser-
vices.
“Gavri knows how to take 
kids off mute, and I watched 
children remind him when 
he omitted a regular part of 
a service,” the rabbi recalled. 
“He led them in what was 
omitted and taught them 
about encores.”
As music becomes more 
integrated into Downtown 
Synagogue services, antic-
ipated podcasts will make 
encores accessible to the 
community. 

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