Cantor Emily Simkin

Spiritual Directing/ Visioning Initiatives

• Facilitate upholding core Jewish values in all congregational matters, leadership, and community outreach
• Lead staff and lay leadership in cultivating and implementing congregational mission and vision
• Support lay leadership in recruiting and building future lay leadership
• Support internal and external fundraising efforts
• Co-lead Senior Staff meetings

Ritual Responsibilities

• Plan and lead High Holy Day services, Shabbat, and holiday celebrations
• Aid lay leadership in setting policy for religious matters

Pastoral Care

• Serve as spiritual guide through regular pastoral meetings and officiating for all lifecycle events for community members

Educator Role

• Support development of Religious School curriculum and Religious School music curriculum
• Oversee b'nai mitzvah program and teach Confirmation
• Teach weekly Lunch and Learn, two original adult education courses per year (ie Jews and Booze, Musical Midrash, Music, Mussar, and Meditation) and partner with yearly Scholar in Residence in developing program

Music Direction

• Oversee music budget
• Supervise accompanist and guest musicians
• Invite and partner with yearly Artist in Residence
• Oversee Shir Emanu-El Choir, introduce new music to the congregation as well as plan and implement the Temple's annual concert

Community Engagement

• Oversee Youth Engagement for K-12
• Work in partnership with temple committees to create intentional congregational programming and events
• Establish vision and implementation of new interest groups (ie Menschkins (Tot Shabbat), TEE Pride, TAAM (Taste of Judaism, and Millennial Meetups)

• Solo cantorial presence for all Shabbatot and High Holy Day services
• Orchestrated weekly Shabbat services in partnership with the senior rabbi
• Developed and led t'filah programming for Pre-K and Kindergarten students
• Created and implemented shirah curriculum for Pre-K - 6th grade students
• Taught and offered spiritual direction to b'nai mitzvah students
• Directed and spiritually oriented youth choir
• Collaborated with volunteer choir and band

• Solo cantorial presence for all Shabbatot and High Holy Day services
• Directed congregational band, Shir Chadash, and mindfulness services
• Led Rosh Chodesh group
• Co-officiated lifecycle ceremonies

• Created Shabbat services that bridged Native Hawaiian mindfulness with Jewish liturgy
• Led t'filah at Pearl Harbor military chapel
• Created and taught adult education series, Women in the Cantorate, and mindfulness
  series, Our Breath and Our Soul

• Led weekly Shabbat services
• Coordinated Religious school t'filah for grades K–6
• Orchestrated shirah for grades K–2
• Tutored b'nai mitzvah students
• Designed the curriculum for the Chavurah family educational program

• Prepared seventh-grade students for their b'nai mitzvot through spiritual mentorship and teaching of prayers, Torah and haftarah

• Solo cantorial presence for all Shabbatot, High Holy Day services and religious school t'filah
• Co-officiated lifecycle ceremonies
• Educated Hebrew and Jewish Studies for grades 6 – 7
• Wrote and implemented Israel curriculum for grades 4 – 7

• Designed, organized, and led prayer services for a camp community of over 900 campers and staff

• Madrichim Coordinator: Supervised and trained over thirty high school aged teacher
  assistants in an innovative Jewish leadership program
• Hebrew and Judaica Educator: Created and implemented engaging, experiential lesson plans for grades 3-10
• Chugim Curriculum Designer: Originated and implemented interactive learning, discussion, and middot application through culinary arts, meditation, and music
• NFTY Northeast Youth Group Advising: Attended and supervised NFTY conventions
• High Holiday Service Leader: Prepared and led interactive, age appropriate, and meaningful services for grades K-2.

• Assisted in the formation of the first URJ day camp
• Supervised and trained counselors
• Created and implemented programming for over twenty campers ages 4 – 6

• Developed and implemented original curriculum with the mission of discovering middot
  in all aspects of camp life
• Leader of shirah and t'filah