In 2001, Bonnie Streigold stood atop Masada, leading services for the first time during her USY Pilgrimage. It was an awe-inspiring moment, a unique spiritual awakening. And since then, she has focused on the mission of using music to create a rich Jewish life both for herself and the congregations and groups she has served.

 

But further education was needed. Hazzan Zakarin’s home had been a secular one, and her shul did not even have a cantor. She attended Binghamton University, majoring in Judaic Studies, so that she could go on to the Miller Cantorial School at JTS. Then, in her first year of Cantorial School, she attended the Conservative Yeshiva in Israel, immersing herself in Judaism. And during the summers, she worked at the 92nd Street Y as the Camp Director for 7-9 graders. Her life became centered around the rites and rituals, and the beautiful music, of her Jewish heritage.

 

When she graduated from JTS in 2012, Hazzan Zakarin began her career at two different synagogues in two different capacities. She was the Cantor at Or Olam/East 55th Street Synagogue in midtown Manhattan and the Director of Education at The New Shul, which is located downtown. Working in both a Conservative synagogue and a progressive non-denominational synagogue encouraged her to be innovative, experimental, and original in her programming.

 

When Hazzan Zakarin started at The Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre, she brought zest, energy, and music to many programs at the synagogue. Among many other activities, she heads the Chesed Committee. Hazzan also runs the Kinder Kantors Youth Choir program, where children from the congregation learn liturgical music so that they can participate in services on Shabbat and holidays. They have also performed in a fundraising concert. She introduced a Mindful Meditation Minyan for one evening weekday service. She has arranged concerts at the synagogue, including her “Hazzan and Friends” annual concert. In 2017, she recorded the CD, “The Sounds of Shabbat,” for the congregation. In 2019, Hazzan Zakarin took over as Religious School Director, revamping the program. She is more present in the Religious School and Nursery School classrooms, adding holiday programming and Tot Shabbats. She has helped increase the synagogue’s social media presence and supervised the Covid-19 video production of High Holiday Services. And, of course, she helps children (and adults) learn Torah and Haftorah portions for Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and other occasions, creating personalized Bar and Bat Mitzvah services.

 

Broadening out into the community, she has sung for five Pearl Harbor Day Concerts hosted by the East Rockaway Veterans of Foreign Wars. Hazzan Zakarin has been active in the Cantors Assembly as a member of the Executive Council, the chair of the Metropolitan Region and in charge of the CA Purim Project and Swag since 2019.

 

Hazzan and Moshe have a beautiful love story: they met in 2016, knowing right away they were meant for each other,  and married in February, 2018 in the HERJC sanctuary. They danced the night away with members of their family, friends, and many HERJC congregants. It was amazing to share this simcha with the entire community.  HERJC has been a part of their lives since the beginning. 

 

Moshe can always be found in the back of the sanctuary or chapel during services singing his heart out, roaming the hallways with hot tea, schmoozing, and lending a hand in whatever task is at hand. He has been working and volunteering in our Religious School even in COVID times, continuing to help during Shabbat services, all holidays, and anything else Hazzan has asked him to do! Moshe single-handedly filmed all the honors for the 2020 High Holidays production as well as offered family portraits to those who came in.

 

Hazzan and Moshe are extremely honored to be this year’s Gala’s honorees and are so thankful for the opportunity to continue to serve HERJC as Klei Kodesh.  We are humbled by our fellow honorees and give a hearty Yasher Koach to all of them, Lisa Cohen, Laura Underweiser and Joan and Jimmy Berkowitz.  They are all such deserving people who give so much to the HERJC community.

 

What a night to remember!

 

Hazzan and Moshe would also like to thank the members of the Gala Committee for their outstanding work on this year’s Gala.  We are in a different normal now and we are thankful for the amazing event they were able to create.