Malachi Kanfer
Cantor, Congregation B'nai Jacob
|
Malachi Kanfer is the Cantor at Congregation B’nai Jacob in New Haven, Connecticut, a position he has held since 2013. He also serves as the Education Director for Yahad, the joint Hebrew School of Congregation B'nai Jacob and Congregation Or Shalom.
Malachi has devoted his career to the creation of participatory, spiritual prayer experiences, to the education of children and adults, and to pastoral work. He strives to facilitate for his congregants a deeper relationship with self, others and God, with the goal of changing how we act and live outside of the synagogue. Malachi is particularly proud of his pastoral work in the community, as well as his educational work for both children and adults. He also directs synagogue choirs and instrumental ensembles, officiates at life-cycle events, and concertizes. Malachi founded and directs the New Haven chapter of Hazamir, the international Jewish teen choir. In Fall 2016, B’nai Jacob released “The Music of Congregation B’nai Jacob with Cantor Malachi Kanfer,” a professionally recorded album featuring many community members. Previously, Malachi served as the High Holidays Hazzan at Congregation Agudas Achim in Columbus, Ohio from 2010 - 2013. He lives in New Haven, CT with his beloved dogs, James and Avigayil. EDUCATION Malachi graduated from the H.L. Miller Cantorial School of the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he received numerous awards, including the Cantor’s Assembly Alumni Award, the Rose S. Rovine Prize in Liturgical Music, and the A.J. Weisgal Award. Malachi is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he performed many operatic roles in both Oberlin and in Italy. |