High Holy Days — Service Leaders
Andrew Oberstein, Rabbinic Student
Andrew Oberstein is currently in his second year of rabbinical school at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City. He is also a recipient of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship. Most recently, he served as the Director of Jewish Life at the URJ Six Points Sci-Tech Academy in Byfield, MA. Andrew is the former Coordinator for Social Justice and Young Adult Engagement at Temple Israel of Boston where he managed "The Riverway Project," a thriving initiative that connects over 1000 young adults each year to each other and to Judaism through worship, learning, and justice work.
During his tenure in Boston, he acted as the co-chair of "Eser," a young adult Jewish learning series operated through Hebrew College in Newton, MA. In 2016, he was honored with a "Chai in the Hub Award" from Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Boston's Jewish Federation, honoring the top 18 Jewish leaders under 45 years old in the Greater Boston area.
Before transitioning to a life of Jewish communal service, Andrew worked as a professional actor for five years, performing in a variety of plays and musicals across America. Andrew was an Iwasaki Scholar in the Honors Program at Emerson College, graduating Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater in 2009. He currently lives on the Upper West Side with his husband, Nick.
Mark Kross, Pianist
Pianist, composer, educator, and bandleader Mark Kross moved to New York City in 2014 after having been a vital part of the Boston jazz scene for well over thirty years. Mark holds a Master of Music degree in Afro-American Studies from the New England Conservatory of Music, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from SUNY Binghamton. As an educator, Mark has worked with students of all ages, from middle school through adult, with instrumentalists and vocalists, with beginning and advanced students. He is currently on the Teaching Artist staff of the National Dance Institute.
As a composer, Mark has created over one hundred pieces for ensembles of all sizes, from solo piano to symphonic orchestra, including his jazz cantata, Pirke Avot: Sayings of the Fathers, which premiered in 2008.
Mark has released five CD’s with his band, The Mark Kross Five-Piece Trio, and in 2016 released Fauré at Play – Jazz Interpretations of art songs of Gabriel Fauré, with Louise Rogers, with whom he founded Jazz WaHi, a resource for jazz education and performance in Northern Manhattan, and with whom he can be seen performing at Le Cheile on W. 181st St. every Wednesday evening.
Beverly Myers, Cantorial Soloist
Beverly Myers has served as the Cantorial Soloist at Beth Am for the past 26 years.
She has sung at numerous Synagogues in NY, New Jersey and Westchester including Temple Emmanuel, Shaaray Tefila, Rodeph Shalom, Park Ave and Central Synagogue.
For two years under the employ of the American Jewish Congress she gave concerts of Jewish music at venues in the 5 boroughs of New York.
After earning a Masters Degree from Manhattan School of Music she went on to a career in Opera, Oratorio, Musical Theatre, Recital and cabaret across the United States and Canada.
Luna Sky – Cellist for Kol Nidre
Officers
President
Margot Fein
Vice-President
Elena Deutsch
Treasurer
D. B.
Secretary
Nina Nesher
Trustees
Helen Blumenthal
Elise Cagan - Roger Gradess - Melissa Moschitto
Morton Orentlicher
Elizabeth Lorris Ritter
George Robinson
Arlene Shaner