Cantor Simon's Retirement Celebration

  Cantor Stuart Simon retired as of June 30, 2024.  A celebration in honor of his amazing forty years of service to Am Yisrael was held.  You can watch the presentation, and video montage by clicking below. 

  To watch and listen to highlights from Cantor Simon's career at Am Yisrael, scroll further down the           page.

Click here to watch the presentations and Cantor Simon's remarks.
Click here to watch the video montage created by Rob Neustadt with photos submitted by Jan and Jerry Loew.

Thank you to all those who supported the congregation’s efforts
during the search process, the year of two Cantors,
and the congregation’s ongoing work to fulfill its mission.

Maestro ($50,000+)
Howard and Sheila Pizer

Virtuoso ($30,000—$49,999)
Aaron and Donna Horowitz

Composer ($10,000—$29,999)
Penny Brown and Jeff Rappin
Kate Feinstein and Rich Skolly
Lisa Garoon
Bonnie Lovitt
Rod and Tracy Loewenthal
Martha and Rich Melman
Steve Nasatir and Carolyn Rosenberg
Diana, Bruce, Margaret, Matthew and Katherine Rauner
Judi and Steve Zeal

Soloist ($5,000- $9,999)
Jordan Feiger and Margalit Tocher  in honor of Larry Hochman and in memory of Carole Hochman
Jay and Laura Friedel
Arlene and Marty Lewis
David and Kim Metrick
David and Jody Schmidt, Judy Schmidt, Nancy and Philip Schmidt
Chris and Karen Segal

Duet ($2,500—$4,999)
Anonymous (1)
Brian and Kathleen Barnett
Cynthia and Glenn Baruck
Aryn and Ted Froum
Carol and Jerry Ginsburg
Jonah Greenthal and Danielle Long
Deanna and Mark Jacobson
Jan and Jerry Loew
Jerry and Naomi Senser
Barbara and Mitch Serota
Larry and Sheryl Swibel
Deede and Ed Wittenstein

Trio ($1,000—$2,499)
Anonymous (1)
Bruce Bergelson and Julie Harris
Jeff and Melissa Bleiweis
Ben Brener and Eileen Leiderman
Joel Brown and Julie Strauss
Marilyn Cohen
Annette and Steve Doherty
Brian and Rose Dubin
Jerry Esrig and Debbie Thorne
Jonathan Feiger and Nancy Laben
Jody and Ralph Gerbie
Bruce and Susan Huvard
Aaron and Sarah Hoffman
Rabbi Debra Newman Kamin and Dan Kamin
Jenny and Michael Kelber
Judy and Wayne Lewis
Jonathan and Michelle Maer
Eric and Gloria Matlin
Diane and Steve Miller
Lonnie and Risa Nasatir
Howard and Laurie Prager
Daniel Schack and Mara Silver-Schack
Alan Schoen and Shelley Weiss
Barbara and Mitch Serota
Joel Simmons
Jay Simner
Lynn Steinberg z”l
Aaron and Andrea Tam
Elyse and Marty Tish
Amy and Jason Weller

Quartet ($540—$999)
Anonymous (1)
Merle Cowen
Danny and Max Frankel
Carla and Mark Frisch
Anat Geva and Josh Strauss
Mona and Saul Legator
Jessica Lensch-Falk and David Falk
John Levine and Merril Prager
Nancy Holab Nevins and E Marc Nevins
Women’s Network of Am Yisrael
Myra Zissman

Accompanist ($360—$539)
Marcia Adelman
Anonymous (3)
Joel and Lauren Bennett
Paul and Paula Canchester
Vera Ginburg and Don L’Amoureux
Lois and Robert Glick
Peggy Goldberg
Alan and Ruth Greenthal
Fran Hersh and Henry Schiff
Eilene Isaacs
David and Sharona Palmer
Lynn and Sheldon Sandman
Charlie and Laura Sherman
Barbara and Jerry Silbert
Lee and Shirley Simon
Alan and Linda Swimmer
Debbie and Ethan Youderian

Ensemble ($180—$359)
Judy and Neil Adelman
Anonymous (1)
Karen Arnold Hammond and Jerry Hammond
Liz and Ronnen Belkind
Pat Benenson
Hal and Marlene Bressler
Ken and Lynn Denenberg
Alan and Mindie Dolinko
Sheryl Dworkin
Sharon and Victor Elias
Myra and Bob Feinberg
Deborah and Michael Feingold
Barbara and Glenn Ferencz
Mitch and Nina Friedman
Ellen Goldsmith
Rich and Stacy Kahan
Larry and Linda Layfer
Don and Lynn Leviton
Michael and Rebecca Lieber
Claudia and Gerry Linda
Rachel and Craig Mather
Elyse Rasky-O’Connor
Jeff and Lynn Richman
Cantor Dara Rosenblatt
Jessica  and Paul Rosenblatt
Carl and Sharon Rosenstein
Alice and Stephen Rudolph
Sahar Segal, Shai, Zachary and Charlotte Kamin
Marianne and Mort Schreiber
Barbara and Robert Shmikler
Sharon Silver
Abby Sivan and Milt Harris
Aleeza Strubel and Yaron Iram
Bobbi and Harvey Teitelbaum
Jan and Michael Welbel
Stuart and Wendy Witzel

Chorus ( up to $179)
Anonymous (5)
David and Miriam Appel
Bobbie and Phil Barry
Irene and Paul Bennett
Hope Bernstein
Bryan Bogucki
Debbie and Rob Boton
Jen and Rob Bressler
Laura Brown
Bruce and Susan Cohen
Alex and Melissa Drapatsky
Lois Gold and Larry Allen
Dale and Harlan Goldberg
Michael Gordon and Jennifer Marsh
Alex and Rachel Green
Ina Grodzin
Julie Guenther and Mitch Lieber
Daniella Herman
Michael and Nancy Himmelfarb
Marty and Nancy Kaplan
David and Leween Kay
Anne and Elliot Lefkovitz
Teri Lehmann
Martha and Steve Loewenthal
Flo and Hank Marks
Jeff and Lynne Miller
Elise and Lee Nadler
Emily and Scott Nasatir
Craig Ostroff
Helen Rosenberg
Keith and Susan Rosenthal
Marshall and Robin Ross
Anita Scheindel
Bryan and Michelle Simon
Alison and Jeff Solotoroff
Barbara and Jay Statland
Francie Stavish
Carol and Seth Stein
Elizabeth Stein Shmikler
Barry and Julie Veit
Mike Wasserman
Rebecca and Steve Weller

Thank you to those who helped with this event.
Jan and Jerry Loew (photo timeline)
Rob Neustadt (video)
Wayne Lewis (Tribute Book)
Rabbi Newman Kamin, Daniel Schack, Jonathan Maer, Jessica Lensch-Falk, Alison Solotoroff, Charlie Sherman (fundraising)
Am Yisrael Board of Trustees

Shema Koleinu – Hear our voices

We pray those words every year on the High Holidays.  When we say them, however, it is Cantor Simon’s voice that soars to heaven,
imploring and praying on our behalf.  For forty years, Cantor Simon has been “our voice” in prayer.  For forty years, Cantor Simon has shared in our joys, comforted us in our sorrows, taught us, led us, served as a role model and been our friend. For forty years, he has been our Cantor.  And now, as he is on the brink of a new adventure, we are looking back and looking forward.

We look back on the unfathomable impact he has had on our lives; in small ways and in big ways.  We look back and see all that he has done.  At the same time, we look forward.  Just as Cantor Simon is embracing retirement and already has plans to continue his acts of lovingkindness, we are embracing our own Am Yisrael future.  A future with a beautiful new voice on the bimah, and our dear friend sitting next to us in the congregation, one of us now, but still a leader and a role model. We experience this bittersweet moment together, as a community. 

Cantor Simon, we anticipate sharing so much more with you in the years to come.  We hope to continue to benefit from your good counsel, humor and wisdom. This is not a parting of ways, just a change in seating. Welcome to the other side of the bimah. 

We wish you all the very best in your retirement. May it bring you joy and peace.

With respect, admiration, and most of all, gratitude,
from your partners and friends,
Rabbi and Nancy