“A cantor is not simply a musician for a congregation, but a spiritual leader who gives voice to the prayer, hopes, and sacred yearnings of a community.”
— Dr. Judah M. Cohen, The Making of the Reform Jewish Cantor
This coming Friday is a truly special and joyful moment in the life of our Wise community, and I warmly invite each of you to be part of it. At our 6:15pm Shabbat service, we will celebrate the installation of our new cantor, Lauren Blasband-Roth. Many of you already know Lauren well from her time serving our community as our cantorial and education intern, and we are so grateful that after her ordination last May, she officially began here in her new role in July.
Installations are rare and sacred milestones — moments when a community and a spiritual leader formally covenant with one another. Your presence matters. Being there in person, if you are able, is one of the most meaningful ways we can show our love, support, and shared excitement as Cantor Lauren steps fully into this role among us. We are also thrilled to welcome Lauren’s husband, Rabbi Aaron Blasband-Roth, who serves the Milken Community Schools just across the street — a reminder of how interconnected and blessed our corner of the Jewish world truly is.
In a world that often feels relentless, loud, and overwhelming, synagogue prayer music remains one of our greatest balms. It slows us down, opens our hearts, and reminds us that we are not alone. To gather this Friday and hear Cantor Lauren and colleagues join together in leading us in song will be both a comfort and a celebration — a chance to breathe and to rejoice in the gift of sacred music shared in community.
This Shabbat, we also read Parashat Va’era, where Moses begins to grow into his leadership before the People of Israel. At first hesitant and unsure, Moses learns that leadership is not about perfection or power, but about showing up again and again, listening deeply, and trusting that one’s voice — even when it trembles — can be a vessel for something greater. Jewish leadership has always been communal: leaders are strengthened when they are seen, supported, and accompanied by the people they serve. This Shabbat, as we affirm Cantor Lauren’s leadership on our clergy team, we are also affirming who we are as a community.
I hope you will join us this Friday evening to lift our voices together, to mark this sacred beginning, and to share in the joy of welcoming Cantor Lauren in the fullest possible way — with presence, song, and hearts wide open.
With gratitude and anticipation,
Cantor Emma