Hebrew Tabernacle Congregation welcomes new rabbi, cantor by Daniel P. Bader Hebrew Tabernacle Congregation housed at the 102-year-old synagogue on Ft. Washington Avenue and W. 185th Street is singing to the beat of a new drummer – literally and figuratively. The congregation has a new rabbi, Jeffrey Gale, formerly of the Suburban Temple in Wantagh, Long Island, and a new cantor, Daniel Pincus, who brought his drum with him from Great Neck, Long Island. They succeed Rabbi Scott Weiner and Cantorial Intern Rollin Simmons who both moved on from the temple at the end of June. The congregation, which has run into financial difficulties, began a search for candidates to fill the positions with part-timer before Weiner left.  The congregation is an amalgamation of two groups, one of German Holocaust survivors who moved to the neighborhood during and after World War II and the members of Beth Am, a neighboring congregation that was consolidated into the temple in 2002. Both have different worship styles – something Gale and Pincus are learning and balancing since they started working at Hebrew Tabernacle in July.
“Cantor is the musical leader of the services,” Pincus said. He is in charge of making sure the Torah, the Jewish holy book, is sung each week and leads the congregation in song. And he drums – something new to the entire congregation. “Both groups responded very positively to my playing drums in the service,” said Pincus. “It was a little risky the first time. I was confident that at least some of them would love it.” He also plans to introduce it to the congregation’s Hebrew school. “There is a nascent interest in drumming in Jews,” Pincus said. While Puncus is leading the congregation in song, Gale plans to listen. “For the very first year it’s … understanding the congregation, and to listen,” the rabbi said. “The role of a rabbi is basically the educator of the temple.” It’s his responsibility to teach about the faith, interpret the readings from the Torah each week, be a resource in the schools and oversee weddings, funerals and bar and bat mitzvahs, coming of age ceremonies after which the participants – girls age 12 and boys age 13 – are ready to participate in services as adults. Pincus and Gale want to bring their experience to the congregation and “basically build on what’s already there,” Pincus said. Both agree that while diverse, the Hebrew Tabernacle Congregation shares a strong passion for their faith. “Our job is to find a way to tap into that,” Pincus said. With the approaching holy days, the congregation is offering a discount for new members who would like to join. For more information about the congregation or to join call 212-568-8304. The Manhattan Times is the bilingual newspaper of Washington Heights and Inwood.
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