Volunteer of the Month: Cantor Wendy Autenrieth

Wendy, what have you done as a volunteer for the ACC?

I have served as a member of the board, and lately, I serve as a representative from the Southeast region to the nominating committee. We (in the Southeast region), as a collaborative group, have done concerts at a variety of times, and donate proceeds to the ACC. We try to do that from time to time, as often as we can. We’ve been doing that for some time now and try to do that every year.

Describe the most important or most enjoyable part of being a cantor.

Getting my Dor L’Dor band that is here at Temple Bat Yahm. When I came here 11 years ago they had had a band at one point, but then we had the initiative of Friday Night Live. We got some new people and we have been together for, I’d say, about 8 years, and it’s one of the best thing about this synagogue and, for me, the most fun. When I look at the band members and one of them is the brotherhood president, one is the membership chair, four or five are past presidents -- it just does my heart good. These are committed people, and keeping that going as part of what I do here has been a joy. We started out small and now at any given time, if everyone is there, there are six singers and there is a drummer, a sax player, rhythm guitar, bass player, and a piano player. It’s hard to keep track with so many people. Sometimes we have some of the kids who used to sing with us who are back from college sit in and sing with us.

How have you influenced others in your work as a cantor?

One of the things I learned early on getting to know the community a little bit is something that I never would have imagined in a million years, which is the hunger problem. There is an enormous number of kids in the public schools that are on assisted lunch and I learned a lot about that. As a result of that there were a lot of initiatives that I began in my congregation to try and make people aware that there are a lot of people in Broward County who go hungry every day. I learned a lot about that when I got involved in the city. We have not only a Yom Kippur food drive, we have an ongoing, all-year-long food drive in our synagogue. We used to grow food in a garden and we would grow salad so that they would have something fresh that they could eat. We called it “Gan Chazzan – the Cantor’s Garden.” That was one of the things. We’d make people aware of the sites people could go to online and learn about homelessness. I learned about the people who don’t have and I made my congregation aware in a variety of ways of what the situation is and they have responded in kind, I must say. They are a wonderful group. I have made sure that it was one of a couple of places when we have our own mitzvah day. We’re making others aware of the things happening around them. It has paid off and been wonderful. The two places where we drop off food every month are very aware and very thankful.

Tell us about the volunteer work that you are doing in the ACC. What about it is rewarding for you?

I am on the Nominating Committee representing the Southeast region. I have always thought it (the ACC) is important, being a cantor and being part of a community, and I want it to continue and the only way it’s going to continue is if I do something to ensure that. And one of the things I do as a volunteer for the nominating committee is I make sure that the people who are asked or who come on to the board are people who are going to help make that happen. I’ve been in this for a long, long time, and I’ve seen some people who have really good ideas who need to be heard. That’s why I do it -- because I care. I really, really care about the future of the ACC.

ACC: What do you look forward to most at ACC conventions?

Seeing my friends. I always learn something too. I look forward to the camaraderie. There are people I don’t see except for the conventions. I also feel like I’m not alone. Some of the problems and some of the joys everybody has, and when you get together you’re not so alone. Even though you have other people in your community, when you get together at convention you talk about it more. I always learn something new I can bring back.

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

I’m the grandmother of four – I have two wonderful sons, two wonderful daughters-in-law, and four wonderful grandchildren: Abigail, 4, Ruby 3 ½, Lillian, 2, Harrison, 2.

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

I’m not just a cantor; I have also been the educator. Before that, I was the staff liaison to the youth group. Ever since I came here I’ve been involved with the youth here in a variety of avenues. One was getting the youth group going again which we did for a while. Another is getting our talented, musical young people into the band and into the choir. One of my tricks is I keep a bowl of candy on my desk. The kids know they can take a piece, but they have to say hello and they have to tell me something about what’s happening in their lives. When I first came here that helped me to get to know all the kids, but now it helps me keep up with what’s going on in their lives.

Tell us about your cantorial mentor, who or what influenced you to become a cantor.

When I was in my teens and after college, my mentor was Cantor Ted Aaronson, from Sha’arey Tefillah Israel in South Orange NJ. He had been trying to convince me that I should be a cantor for a long time. He and my husband are the reasons I am a cantor. My husband finally popped the question, and I don’t mean marriage. He asked me, “is this what you want to do for the rest of your life?” At the time, I was doing music therapy at several nursing homes. And that’s what got me thinking about becoming a cantor. The rest is history.