Nearly a dozen lay leaders, men and women, lead our communal worship in song every week. They are of different backgrounds and express themself in different styles.

David Harris has been the Music and Ritual Director of Shir Tikvah and has been shaping the music program at the synagogue since 1988. David brings a broad community perspective because of his work as Executive Director of Rimon: The Minnesota Jewish Arts Council. He is also Artistic Director and vocalist with the group Voices of Sepharad and has toured internationally with the ensemble.

Steve Greenberg. Steve's musical leadership goes back to the late sixties, when immediately after his own Bar Mitzvah, he began teaching other b'nei mitzvah students and leading services. His leadership continued at many synagogues across the country, and we are lucky enough that Steve and his life partner Larry Kaplan make their spiritual home at Shir Tikvah. Steve considers his forte to be in encouraging others to sing and says "the action is not happening in the pulpit, it's all in the congregation."

Ian Silver was first inspired to lead music when he was an 8-year-old at Jewish camp in Indiana. He became a camp song leader and synagogue youth music director. After a 17-year hiatus, he joined the music leaders at Shir Tikvah in 2001. Ian enjoys blending the music of summer camp with the traditional liturgical melodies, and loves listening to the congregation sing! Ian has written music that he occasionally incorporates into the service.

Helen Kivnick and Gary Gardner have been leading music at Shir Tikvah since 1991. They came to the task with a strong musical background, particularly in folk music from around the world and of South Africa. Use of guitar and delightful harmonies are Kivnick/Gardner trademarks.

Jane Newman first shared her musical gifts at Shir Tikvah chanting Torah at High Holiday services. She most enjoys watching congregants participating either through singing or even sometimes closing their eyes and taking the melodies into their hearts. She says, "it's very uplifting and even some days when the energy is hard to come by, I feel energized after leading the music."

Billy Perkiss has led music at Shir Tikvah since 1996. He enjoys leading music because "singing with so many people and harmonies feels like a shared experience." He keeps his skills up at home with his children, Shira, Tova, and Zev. Billy teaches Spanish in the Minneapolis Public Schools.

Carole Evenchik has found singing to be an uplifting creative outlet dating back to elementary school through choirs, musical theater, and voice lessons. She continued singing with the elders at nursing facilities which evoked wonderful participation, smiles, and tears to all. Upon joining Shir Tikvah in 1991 it was trope, musicality to Torah, that deepened her love of singing beyond avocational to spiritual. Vocal studies with David Harris sparked interest in music leading at Shir Tikvah and for Carole- "it is not about performing — leading music helps ground me spiritually by being a part of something much bigger — our communal sound — which creates such a joyous and sacred moment in time".

MJ Gilbert has been joyfully singing Jewish music since her involvement with the Congregation Shalom youth choir in Milwaukee as a child. This love was deepened when, as a teenager in NoFTY, she sang with Debbie Friedman. MJ was a NFTY songleader in the 1980s and 90's, and led the music for the Alternative High Holiday services with the youth group of Temple Israel from 1984 until 2000.

Cheryl Hornstein has been a music leader at Shir Tikvah for many years. She loves singing and leading music and is committed to bringing music to her own two boys, Nathan and Noah. Here at Shir Tikvah she also tutors Bar/Bat Mitzvah students, teaches music to the Mishpacha class and helps create drama projects with Religious School classes. Recently she has been working as a Music Together teacher — bringing music to infants through 6 year olds and their parents in an experiential setting.

Dylan Bindman. Dylan Bindman has been a sporadic music leader since 2000, but more often since he moved back to Minnesota in 2005. He sings in a variety of music ensembles, including choral, a cappella, jazz, and religious groups. Currently, Dylan is a pre-medical school student at the University of Minnesota.

Andrew Elfenbein is happy to join the roster of music leaders at Shir Tikvah, where he has been a member since 1998. He has been singing for as long as he can remember, and singing has taken him all over the United States and Europe. For the past six years, he has been singing with the chorus of the Minnesota Opera.Ê When he is not singing, he is a Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of English at the University of Minnesota.