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The New Shul welcomes Hazzan Keith Miller as Cantor and Director of Education, beginning July 1, 2012

 

It is a profound delight and honor to join The New Shul as Cantor and Education Director. Together with my colleague, Rabbi Michael Barclay, I hope to inspire the community in holy worship, prayer and song.
 
After completing my undergraduate studies at Cal State Northridge and Hebrew University in Jerusalem, I studied voice, liturgy and hazzanut with renowned Hazzanim Allan Michelson Z”L and Meir Finkelstein, and received my commission as Hazzan-Minister of the Jewish Faith from the Cantors Assembly in 1996.

I've had a close to 25-year career in the pulpit. I began my career at Sinai Temple, in Westwood, as Director of Bar/Bat Mitzvah Programming, where I continue to teach part-time. Prior to coming to The New Shul, I served a number of congregations as Cantor in the Los Angeles area.

I have served on the Executive Council of the Cantors Assembly, and currently serve as an officer in the Cantors Assembly Western Region.

I have served as CAWR representative to the United Synagogue Executive Committee, co-chair of the Bureau of Jewish Education’s Religious School Principal’s Council and as a member of the Board of Directors of Los Angeles Hebrew High School.

In November, 2004, I was honored by the Foundation of New Jewish Liturgical Music for my original composition “Ashrei,” which was performed at the inaugural festival of New Jewish liturgical music in Maryland. I am a featured artist on two CDs co-produced by United Synagogue and the Cantors Assembly, “The Spirit of Passover” and “Spirit of Israel II."

I look forward to meeting you soon and developing a personal relationship with you and your family.

In friendship,

Cantor Keith

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RABBI MICHAEL BARCLAY 

 

Author, college professor, and the Recipient of the 2010 Distinguished Humanitarian Award from the B’nai Zion Foundation; Rabbi Barclay has served as the spiritual leader of multiple Conservative Synagogues in the San Gabriel Valley, as well as, the Associate Rabbi of the Temple of The Arts in Beverly Hills. He is the author of “Sacred Relationships:  Biblical Wisdom for Deepening Our Lives Together”, to be published by Liturgical Press in February of 2013.  Rabbi Barclay founded EverySoulLA, an arts inspired service and outreach program for young Jewish professionals, has written for multiple periodicals including the Jewish Forward; and is a regular Torah commentator for the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles.   
 
Rabbi Barclay both taught in the School of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University, and was also the Hillel Director; where his growing programs became the national model for small college campuses.   An expert on inter-faith relations and cross-cultural mysticism and meditation; he has taught around the world to small groups of executives and athletes on the importance of having a spiritual foundation as an integral part of their lives.
 
Most importantly, Rabbi Michael Barclay is married and the father of twin boys; who constantly remind him “to live fully, ethically, and with joy”.