Cantor Brian Reich
Cantor Brian Reich has been with Beth El for 18 years. His father, Israel Reich, was a cantor at Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco for many years. Cantor Brian's brother and sister are also cantors. Brian, along with his brother and sister, are 6th generation cantors. Cantor Brian is an accomplished composer and much of the music we chant at Beth El are his compositions.
In addition to providing cantorial services, he teaches and leads a large group of congregants who assist in services and he has primary responsibility for B'nai Mitzvah preparation. Brian's singing goes from the sublime to the silly and he is known at Beth El for his sense of humor and all around fun. He can be reached at 848-3991 or by e-mail at brian@bethelberkeley.org.
From Cantor Brian:
From my heart I say that I love being a cantor and I love being the Cantor at Congregation Beth El. I live in Berkeley and have 3 children, Shira Reich, Talia Reich and Gabriel Ross-Reich. Over 18 years ago, when I was interviewed for this position, I was asked what my vision was as Cantor of this congregation. I responded:
- I believe that my job as a Cantor is to teach a community to do my job, because the community should be able to perform my job. As long as I can teach and inspire the community to pray, to lead prayer and be connected to prayer I am one happy Cantor.I do not believe that the cantor has any greater connection to G-d through prayer than any other person.
|
