December 11-12- Shabbat Chanukah I
Cantor Simcha Leiner
Monsey, NY                                                                                                                                         

Born into a family surrounded by music, Simcha Leiner quickly earned a true love and appreciation for song. At the young age of 12 years old Simcha began studying Nusach and liturgy with Cantor Sherwood Goffin at the Belz School of Jewish Music (YU). Having led the tefilos from the Kibbutz to the Shtibel and everywhere in between, Simcha gained a rich and diverse knowledge of styles and genres. He is currently studying at Ner Israel Rabbinical College, while working on his MBA from Loyola University.


December 18-19- Shabbat Chanukah II
Cantor Shlomo Simcha Sufrin
Toronto, Ontario, Canada       

January 8-9, 2010
Cantor Yaakov Motzen
Bal Harbor, FL   

Cantor Yaakov Motzen, born in Tel Aviv, Israel, is a fifth generation Cantor who began his career at age six as a soloist with the choir of Cantor Shlomo Ravitz. Cantor Motzen attended the Kol Torah, Be´er Yakov and Ponevitz Yeshivot, and studied music and vocal technique with Yosef Goland. He also studied Hazzanut with Cantor Yitschak Eshel. While serving in the Israeli Army, he devotedly performed before wounded soldiers after the Yom Kippur War. He became Vice-President of the Nachala Organization, which is dedicated to entertaining wounded soldiers. Cantor Motzen held major positions in Givatayim, Haifa and Ramat Gan, and has performed numerous times on Kol Yisrael Radio and television.

Cantor Motzen came to Montreal in 1978 and held the position of Cantor of the Shomrim Laboker-Bet Yehudah-Shaarei Tefillah for nine years. He also held a position in Adath Israel Congregation for a period of nine years. After 18 years in Montreal Cantor Motzen then became the Cantor of the Shaarei Shomayim Congregation in Toronto, the largest Orthodox shul in Toronto. Cantor Yaakov Motzen serves today as the chief Cantor at "The Shul", in Bal Harbor, Florida.



January 15-16
Cantor Sam Cohen                                                                                                    
Los Angeles, CA

Born in London, England, Cantor Cohen grew up in a family where Chazzanut is in the blood; both of his grandfathers were Chazzanim, as well as his father and two older brothers.  From a very young age he was singing for family and friends.  This progressed to leading services at age 13 on a weekly basis at various synagogues in the East End of London.  Continuing to sing all the way through his high school years, he then took up High Holiday positions around the world.

Following Cantor Cohen’s rabbinical ordination in Melbourne, Australia, he was appointed as chazzan of the Pretoria Hebrew Congregation (PHC) Synagogue in Pretoria, South Africa.  He led the weekly services together with the PHC choir.  This included the Friday night and Shabbat morning services, in addition to the Pesach, Sukkot, Shavuot and High Holiday services.

For two years, Cantor Cohen attended the Vocal Art School of Opera in Pretoria.  While there he studied and perfected the art of singing.  On numerous occasions he performed various genres of music, including Italian, German and French opera, as well as Chazzanut and popular Jewish music.         


January 29-30
Cantor Chaim Dovid Berson      
Jerusalem, Israel  

Chaim Dovid Berson, 25 yrs old, was born and raised in Jerusalem to American parents who made aliya from the U.S. Chaim Dovid received a Yeshiva education while additionally attending the Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute where he developed his cantorial and voice skills under the tutelage of Cantor Naftali Herstik.

Chaim Dovid  presently serves as a cantor for the High Holidays and other communal events in Montreal, Canada. In addition, he performs and davens in Jewish communities throughout the world. His sweet, lyrical, tenor voice, often accompanied by his masterful guitar playing, have made him a favorite figure at music festivals, chazzanut concerts, and a wide variety of cultural events. 

As a popular Chassidic music singer, Chaim Dovid regularly entertains in Israel, Europe, and North America.