Welcome to Cantor Lorel Zar-Kessler, a new addition to our Shabbat musical leadership.
Lorel Zar-Kessler is the Cantor Emerita of congregation Beth El, Sudbury, having served as the cantor for the last thirty one years.
With the help of the wonderful and participatory Beth El community, she has learned that all music serves as a pathway to inner growth, community strength and, hopefully, to God. In addition to her work and delight at Beth El, Lorel has taught many workshops in the Boston area, focusing on the music of the soul, Jewish meditation practice, and the joy of communal song. Her investment in the musical spirit has given her opportunities to support and strengthen many of the Jewish voices alive in our wondrous Boston community, including Mayyim Hayyim, the Boston Jewish Music Festival, Women’s Seders sponsored by Temple Emunah, Temple Emanuel and Temple Mishkan Tefilah, Emanuel’s yearly Manna Concert, Ma’ayan Torah Studies Initiatives, Koleinu Community Chorus, and the Brandeis Women’s Studies Research Center.
She is an active member of the Women Cantor’s Network, part of the alumni/hevraya group of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and completed a certificate of Jewish Music at Hebrew College.
Lorel has joined Journey Song, bringing healing music and caring attention to those in need of spiritual uplift toward the end of life. It is powerful to realize that there are ever more ways of bringing harmony to humanity. And in her first year after saying farewell to Beth El, she taught a graduate course for clergy students at Hebrew College, focusing on High Holiday liturgy.
Lorel and her husband, Arnie, former Head of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston, are the proud parents of three daughters and six grandchildren.
She will be joining us twice a month on Shabbat morning. Her first Shabbat with us will be this coming Shabbat, September 10.
Please come in-person and welcome her and be uplifted by her music and her soul.
