Cantor Rachel Gottlieb Kalmowitz

Headshot of Cantor Rachel Gottleib Kalmowitz

Cantor Rachel Gottlieb Kalmowitz (she/her) is honored to have served Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Hills, MI, since 2004. She is active in the Reform Movement, serving on the executive board of the American Conference of Cantors and on the Israel and Reform Zionism Committee, which advises and supports the Union for Reform Judaism's Movement-wide Israel work. She is also involved with AIPAC and spoke at its national policy conference in 2019. She received her cantorial certification from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, a Master of Music in voice performance from University of Michigan, as well as degrees from Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy. In a career filled with music of many genres, she seeks to create sacred moments and holy relationships with and for her congregants and community. She shares her life with her husband, Carey, and daughter, ilana.

String of Israeli flags against a cloudy blue sky

I Have a Voice: A Cantor at the World Zionist Congress

Cantor Rachel Gottlieb Kalmowitz
Despite being “only” an alternate delegate in the World Zionist Congress, I realized I still had a part to play. Going forward, each of us has a seat to take at the table and a choice to make about our Jewish future.

How Music Can Help Us Make Connections in Difficult Times

Cantor Rachel Gottlieb Kalmowitz

The Hamilton craze is sweeping the nation, and even the Jewish community isn’t exempt. Case in point: Recently, at the annual convention of the American Conference of Cantors and the Guild of Temple Musicians, several cantors led a Shacharit (morning) service that included several prayers set to tunes from the smash hit by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

And it wasn’t the only secular music to take center stage. Just two days earlier, a few colleagues and I had led a Maariv (evening) service that included “Be Here Now” by Ray LaMontagne and “Grateful” by John Bucchino.

What is it that makes secular music useful and appropriate in a service setting? Or is it?

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