NOVEMBER 17 • 2022 | 27

ing at Hebrew Union College-
Jewish Institute of Religion, the 
first year in Israel and the rest in 
New York. In addition to singing, 
she learned guitar and piano. 
And she spent a lot of time at Central Synagogue, one of 
the largest Reform congregations in the country with 2,600 
member families. She worked with youth groups there and, 
during her last two years of cantorial school, she was a can-
torial intern, leading services as well as working with youth. 
Her start as a cantorial intern coincided with the start of the 
COVID pandemic. “
At my first service, there were no people 
in the sanctuary, which was really strange,
” she said.
Pearsall joins the temple’s pulpit team of six rabbis and can-
tors.
Temple Israel’s Cantor Neil Michaels will take part in 
Pearsall’s installation ceremony.
“Jenna possesses all the qualities of a natural leader: genu-
ineness, intelligence and integrity,
” Michaels said. “That, cou-
pled with her passion for transforming lives through Jewish 
music and uniting people together, make her a truly special 
cantor, and we are so proud of all that she has accomplished 
and will accomplish.
” 
Pearsall was married on June 12 to Connor Pearsall, whom 
she met in college while both were doing catering work in 
Ann Arbor. He loved the food business and now works at a 
New York restaurant.
She describes her mother as her “biggest fan.
” Her father, 
who she says grew up with no religion, loves watching her ser-
vices remotely — but he flew to New York to see her lead Yom 
Kippur services in person. Leah, Robert and Scott will all be 
in New York for the installation. 

Pearsall on the bimah

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