Volunteer of the Month: Cantor Ellen Sussman

Ellen is a 1983 graduate of HUC-SSM. She has been the cantor at Temple Shirat Shalom in Allentown, Pennsylvania for many years.

In what capacity have you volunteered for the ACC?

I've been on the board for ten years in many different jobs. First, I was an ACC representative to all the regions. This is before we had regional directors. There was very little cantorial participation in regional biennials or national biennials. Over the years, Cantors have become 'up front' in terms of participating at the national biennials. I started out leading services, doing music programming for our regional biennials, and it just snowballed. I'm happy to see that was a success. I was also chair of the Vatikim committee and began the video project. That's been going on for so many years, and I'm happy about that. (editor’s note: Vatikim videos can be viewed here: http://accantors.org/acc/node/557.)

I've also been involved in having cantors donate their music and writings to the American Jewish Archives. And now there is a place for the cantorate and we're invited to do that. I've spoken to Rabbi Gary Zoloff about that. So I consider those to be my major accomplishments. The conference has changed so much, I feel we are much more responsive to our membership; that we really take our membership’s views and interests to heart. We've really focused on serving our membership more directly.

When I began on the board it was a much smaller organization and I was there as we changed the organization to become more professional. We have a managing director and other people who work in the office. All that occurred while I was on the board and it’s proven to be very successful.

Did someone approach you regarding volunteering? How did you get involved?

I think they called me up and asked me to serve on the board, and I said yes. I think I told the nominating committee that I was very willing to work and serve on the board. I made the first overture that I wanted to do that; and I was in the position to do that once my children were older, and I had professional staff to help me.

What is it about volunteering for the ACC that's most rewarding for you?

Chairing the Vatikim committee was very rewarding because we tried to include our retired members. It is very important that those who give so much to the organization, when they retire, to see that they were not only connected but honored and appreciated for what they did. I think that's what the committee I chaired did. It gave kavod to our retired members.

What's the best part of being a cantor?

I think it’s most gratifying that people that I tutored for bar mitzvah are calling me to do their weddings and baby namings. I have been in a community long enough that I have been with families for all their lifecycle events, and they think of me as part of their family. They can't imagine a simcha or a difficult moment without me. That's the most rewarding-that I can serve people at all the important moments of their lives.

What's the biggest challenge facing the cantorate in the future?

I think that we have to create our own relationships with our membership. We need to reach out to our membership, and create relationships with our congregants. We have to reach out to them when they need us.

Can you tell us a little bit about your relationship with youth as a cantor?

As cantors we met our children at all their important moments. We teach them as Bar Mitzvahs and form important relationships with them and their families, but especially with them. And then we have to keep that relationship going as we still see them at confirmation, and to reach out even when they’re in college, to send a note, to tell them that if they're ever in town to come see us. To tell them that we look forward to sharing the simchas in their lives. And I've been able to do that. We get them at such important times and I think we have to build on that.

What influenced to you to become a cantor?

At that time there were few women cantors. Growing up I had no role models. I was always involved in Judaism. It was always an important part of my life. I grew up in the Conservative movement; I went to shul on Long Island. I was studying opera in Boston. I sang in the synagogue choirs. And then a choir director said to me, “Why are you singing in the choir loft. You should be out there singing as a Cantor.” It piqued my interest. A good friend of mine entered the cantorial school. I went and sat in on some of her classes. I am a feminist, and I saw this as a way of effecting social change. It was a way to be in a job traditionally for men. I love Judaism, singing and music. It's a way to improve the world.

Tell us one thing about yourself that we might not know, that you would want us to learn about you.

I love to cook. Wine is sort of a new hobby for my husband and me. So we've been reading about and experiencing all different kinds of wines. Cooking and pairing appropriate wines has become a focal point of our household. It's been a lot of fun. He drinks red and I drink white. We've been on winery tours in Napa and someplace south outside of Los Angeles. My husband started a wine tasting club in the synagogue. It's become very popular.