Ba'al Tefilah

Davening and leading a community in prayer is my favorite thing in the world to do. I believe that a skilled and attuned ba’al tefilah (prayer leader) should daven from within—should be part of the kahal (community), praying along with them, not just on their behalf. My approach to leading prayer is to give everyone a chance to really chew and stew and meditate on the poetry and stunning beauty of our traditional liturgy. These words have been with us through innumerable triumphs and unfathomable defeats, and the words of our liturgists capture a profound emotional and spiritual range. My aim is to reflect this range, and for the kahal to feel their prayers moving up through their feet, through their gut and hearts and radiating out from their mouths.

I employ ancient and contemporary melodies, and find a balance between the comforting familiar and the boundary-pushing unfamiliar. Most often, I let the traditional nusachot (chanting melodies) and the words of our siddur speak and sing for themselves. But always, always, always, my goal is to make prayer and liturgy accessible, inspiring, and fun. I pride myself in being able to bring the words of the siddur to the people in a stimulating and unintimidating fashion.

Please see below for some recorded samples of my davening.