Vol. 40, No. 7
Av-Elul 5778
August 2018
Temple Israel Welcomes Cantor Shira Lissek
Temple Israel is pleased to
welcome Shira Lissek as its new
Cantor, as of July 1.
Cantor Lissek comes to Temple
Israel after previously serving as
Associate Cantor of Park Avenue
Synagogue in NYC since 2013.
Cantor Lissek earned a Masters
in Music from the Manhattan
School of Music, where she ma
jored in Voice as a merit scholar,
and holds a Bachelor’s degree
from Indiana University School
of Music in Vocal Performance.
Bom and raised in St. Louis, MO,
she learned the art of being a Can
tor from her father. Cantor Leon
Lissek of Congregation B’nai
Amoona. She is also the grand
daughter of the late Rabbi Pin-
chas Chasin of Philadelphia and
great-granddaughter of Hazzan
Hirsch L. Chazin of New Jersey.
Cantor Lissek began serving
as Hazzan Sheni at age 19, when
invited to lead High Holy Day
services for Congregation Beth
Shalom of Kansas City and then
Congregation Gesher Shalom
(The Jewish Community Center
of Fort Lee, NJ). Prior to Park
Avenue Synagogue, she served
as Hazzan and Music Director
of Congregation Mount Sinai in
Brooklyn Heights for six years.
With her arrival at Temple Israel,
Rabbi Murray Ezring noted he is
“very excited Cantor Lissek has
joined the Temple Israel family.
Her beautiful voice and love of
Jewish music, combined with her
Jewish pride, help all who hear
her experience the joy of Shabbat
and holiday observances.”
Temple Israel President, David
Rosenthal added, “Our congrega
tional family. Board of Trastees,
and my family are excited about
celebrating many Shabbats Shira
(Sabbaths of Song) and hearing
various melodies and songs as
interpreted by Cantor Lissek.”
About her relocation to Char
lotte, Cantor Lissek said, “We
have been so moved by the warm
welcome we have received and
are thrilled to be a part of such
a special community. I look for
ward to getting to know everyone
and creating some amazing mem-
•• ^
' I',
Rabbi Shira Lissek
ories together.” Cantor Lissek
and her two children, Reuben and
Maayan (who will be attending
Charlotte Jewish Day School),
are happy to now call Charlotte
their home.
Cantor Lissek is passionate
about using her voice and music
to inspire and empower individ
uals of all ages to engage deeply
with their Judaism and communi
ty. She has participated in numer
ous interfaith services and events,
sharing her voice within both the
Jewish and broader communities,
at national conventions and pro
fessional sporting events. She has
been invited to serve as Hazzan in
Residence at many congregations
around the world including West
London Synagogue in London
and Agudat Achim in Washing
ton D.C. In 2017, Cantor Lissek
released her second solo album
titled Ani Ma ’arnin, I Believe: A
Voice For Humanity, featuring re
flective, prayerful songs express
ing Lissek’s love poem to the hu
man spirit.
To welcome Cantor Lissek to
the congregation. Temple Isra
el will host a “Welcome Home
Shabbat” on August 10. The eve
ning will begin with a pre-oneg at
5:30 PM in the temple lobby, fol
lowed by an engaging and uplift
ing Friday night Shabbat service
at 6:15 PM. Both the pre-oneg
and Shabbat services are open to
all members of the community.
Following services there will be
a Shabbat dinner (free of charge)
for all Temple Israel congregants.
Space is limited. Please RSVP
online at templeisraelnc.org.
At Temple Israel’s Selichot
service, scheduled for Satur
day, September 1, Cantor Lissek
and Rabbi Ezring will introduce
musical selections that will be
featured during the High Holy
Days. Please note: This year, we
will hold a single service on the
2nd day of Rosh HaShanah (in
the Morris and Sylvia Speizman
Sanctuary) incorporating both
traditional and contemporary mu
sic. *5*
temple Israel
tudiir; for the j 1st cenutry
Local Athletes Appointed to Team USA for the 2018 Maccabi Youth
Games
The Maccabi USA Organiz
ing Committee is pleased to an
nounce that three athletes from
the Charlotte metro area have
been appointed as members of
Team USA for the upcoming
Maccabi Youth Games, which are
taking place in Israel, July 22-Au-
gust 2.
The athletes are Zoe Bartholf
of Tega Cay, SC, Youth Women’s
Soccer; Adam Buckler of Char
lotte, NC, Youth Men’s Basket
ball; and Maya Lesack of Tega
Cay, SC, Youth Women’s Soccer.
The 2018 Maccabi Youth Games
will be the flrst time that Zoe,
Adam, and Maya will compete
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as Team USA athletes. Adam and
his family are members of Tem
ple Beth El; Maya and her family
belong to Temple Israel; Zoe’s
family attends Temple Solel.
There will be six days of com
petition, followed by three days
of touring based in Jerusalem.
The other countries competing in
clude Argentina, Brazil, Canada,
France, Great Britain, Holland,
Hungary, Israel, Italy, South Afri
ca, and Spain.
The Maccabi Youth Games
will provide the athletes an op
portunity to compete internation
ally and connect with Jewish ath
letes from around the world and
the State of Israel.
Maccabi USA builds Jewish
pride through sports, generating
the emotional intensity, high ide
als, and powerful camaraderie of
competition. It connects athletes,
volunteers, and supporters with
the global Jewish community. Its
athletic, educational, and cultural
experiences build Jewish identi
ty, perpetuate Jewish continuity
worldwide, and strengthen sup
port for the State of Israel.
The Magic of Maccabi com
bines a passion of Israel and
athletics. The team members are
excited to be part of Team USA
heading to Israel in just a little
under a month for the inaugural
Maccabi Youth Games.
For more informa
tion about Maccabi
USA, please contact
Shane Carr at 215-
561-6900 x4147 or
by email at scarr@
maccabiusa.com.
About the organiza
tion:
Maccabi USA
(MUSA) enriches
Jewish lives through
athletic, cultural and
educational pro
grams. The organiza
tion is the official sponsor of the
United States Team to the World
Maccabiah Games, and the Pan
American and European Macca
bi Games, as well as a sponsor
of the JCC Maccabi Games for
teens in North America. As the
official Maccabi representative
in the U.S., Maccabi USA sup
ports Jewish athletic endeavors,
enhanced by cultural and edu
cational activities in the United
States, Israel, and throughout the
Diaspora.
MUSA develops, promotes
and supports international, na
tional and regional athletic-based
activities and facilities. It strives
to provide Jewish athletes all
over the world the opportunity to
share their heritage and customs
in competitive athletic settings.
MUSA supports programs that
Adam Bucker, Zoe Bartholf, and Maya Lesack.
embody the Maccabi ideals of
Jewish continuity, Zionism and
excellence in sport. Maccabi
USA builds Jewish pride through
sports.
Maccabi USA is a U.S. Olym
pic Committee (USOC) Multi-
Sport Organization (MSO). The
Organization is one of 38 MSOs
nationwide to be recognized by
the USOC for its ability to cul
tivate a national interest in sport
and increase opportunities for
participation internationally, na
tionally, and at the grassroots
level, and is rated as a four-
star non-proflt by Charity Navi
gator. d-