Volunteer of the Month: Cantor Jill Abramson

Jill is a 2002 graduate of HUC-SSM. She is the cantor at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, New York.

In what capacity have you volunteered for the ACC? Did someone approach you?

I coordinate the ACC membership exam on the East coast for graduates of other institutions like JTS. I administer the test, communicate with the candidates, grade the exams, and do follow-up. I also serve on the Joint Cantorial Placement Commission. We meet at HUC. I was asked by the ACC President to serve on the JCPC. And Rachel asked me to coordinate the membership exams.

What’s the most rewarding about doing volunteering for the ACC?

Working with talented colleagues, and being part of shaping the vision of the future leadership. I like deadline driven projects. It allows me to complete projects and still maintain my portfolio at the shul.

In your experience, what’s the best part about being a cantor?

Seeing people at poignant lifecycle moments and in tandem I would say, creating music and ritual moments to mark the milestones.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the cantorate, looking toward the future?

The first thing is seeing a decline in membership in general especially in the 20-30 age groups. Because of that, it’s not just the cantorate but general synagogue life that’s in danger. I think the suspicion about affiliation is a problem. There’s a decline in people’s attention span, and our work sometimes requires people to have good listening skills, for creating listening moments.

What influenced you to become a cantor?

My stepmother was a rabbi, so I had a strong female role model as clergy. Also I would say it was a confluence of a lot of my skills and interests. I was active both in the children’s chorus of the Minnesota opera and I was also a youth group song leader for years. I was exposed in school to a lot of different styles of music leadership. I had really powerful experiences in synagogue youth group and planning. I wanted to use my musical skills to serve something greater, to serve a greater purpose.

Is there anything you look forward to at the ACC conventions?

Seeing colleagues. I look forward to hearing people who are at the top of their field. I like hearing people who are at the top of our related field. People who bring a different set of jargon so we don’t over marinate in our own.

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

I lived in Cameroon West Africa when I was twenty, for the School for International Training. It was my junior year.