Cantor Netanel Hershtik set to lead Joseph Dresdner, z”l Memorial Shabbat Chazanut.
Music and tefillah are cornerstones of how the Jewish people pray to God. In these challenging times, Jewish liturgical music has become a beacon of hope and spiritual connection. Platforms such as the Jewish Broadcasting Service (JBS), YouTube and the internet have been instrumental in bringing the sacred melodies and services of the synagogue into our homes. In fact, JBS has confirmed that they have 200,000 weekly viewers across the U.S. through NBC Comcast.
The Young Israel of Teaneck (YIOT) stands out as a vibrant hub for Jewish cantorial music, home to a number of professional singers including Cantor Netanel Hershtik. All of these singers have recorded songs and prayers that anyone can watch from the comfort of their home. The YIOT also makes a point to feature guest baalei tefillah and chazanim throughout the year including Shabbat Shira and Tisha B’av kumsitz.
This year, the anticipation for the Joseph Dresdner, z”l Memorial Shabbat Chazanut (April 5-6) is palpable, with the community poised for an emotionally charged observance. Hershtik, known for his passionate advocacy for enriching prayer through music, song and emotion, is set to lead this year’s Shabbat Chazanut with the Hampton Synagogue Choir under the direction of Izchak Haimov.
Hershtik’s selection of liturgical pieces, known for their deep emotional resonance, along with the choir’s harmonious accompaniment, promises to transform traditional davening into an immersive spiritual journey.
To mark the passage of 100 days following the October 7 massacre, Hershtik recorded a special prayer for the IDF soldiers with the Maccabeats, War Cabinet Minister Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz and hundreds of young choir members across the world, including many from Bergen County and the YIOT. The cantor will include a version of this prayer during Shabbat morning davening in addition to his inspirational “Avinu Shebashamayim.”
“In a continuing effort to engage and inspire members during davening, we are pleased to once again host Netanel and the Hampton Synagogue Choir for Shabbat Chazanut,” said Rabbi Binyamin Krohn, rabbi of the Young Israel of Teaneck. “Shabbat Chazanut always brings a unique energy and excitement to our davening, and it is so special to see so many people come from far and wide to join us in tefillah on this special Shabbat.”
YIOT President Dror Barber told The Jewish Link, “Adeena Pultman and her husband, Yaakov, have endowed the annual Shabbat Chazanut in memory of Adeena’s father, Joseph Dresdner, a”h. Her father had a great love for chazanut and this is a fitting tribute to him each year.”
Hershtik began his musical career as a child soloist in the Jerusalem Great Synagogue alongside his father, Cantor Naftali Hershtik. He has given concerts across the world, including performances with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed in the famed Berlin Philharmonic Hall with Cantor Avraham Kirshenbaum of Jerusalem and was one of three cantors featured in the PBS production “The New York Cantors” at the famed Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam.
YIOT will host the Joseph Dresdner, z”l, Memorial Shabbat Chazanut April 5-6. Hershtik will lead the Friday evening services on April 5, as well as both Shacharit and Mussaf during Shabbat services at the 9 a.m. minyan, April 6. The entire community is invited to attend.
The Young Israel of Teaneck is located at 868 Perry Lane in Teaneck. For more information on Shabbat Chazanut, email [email protected].
