Rabbi Erin Polansky is originally from Montreal and grew up in Toronto, and moved back to Montreal again where she finished high school and attended CEGEP. She received her BA from Queen’s University and was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2000. After serving congregations in Minneapolis and Toronto, Rabbi Polansky moved to Vaughan where she founded Neshamah Congregation of York Region. In 2018, Rabbi Polansky moved to Kingston to assume the rabbinical leadership at Beth Israel Congregation. She was accepted as a member of the Rabbinical Assembly in 2020. Rabbi Polansky is always learning and growing. Since ordination she has completed a Certificate from Yeshiva University in Gerontology & Palliative Care, Rav HaMachshir (kashrut training) from the RA, and is currently enrolled as a part-time student in the Queen’s Faculty of Education Graduate School.
Email Rabbi Erin Polansky at rabbi@kehillatbethisrael.com or call 613-728-3501 Ext. 222
You can find Rabbi Polansky’s sermons on the Rabbi’s Blog page. Please feel free to read and share them with attribution.
“The Hazzan is much more than a performer of music. We are artists, healers, and teachers. Our mission is to be modern-day “kohanim” – opening a channel and creating a container for profound heart-expanding interface with higher consciousness. We do this in the spiritual wilderness of the contemporary era. Our tools are the liturgy, the musical tradition, our voices, our imaginations, and our souls.” – Chazzan Jack Kessler, ztz”l
A native of Montreal, Canada, Cantor Green (lyric tenor) began singing at age 6 as a child soprano in his Synagogue’s choir. He became its conductor at age 15, under the tutelage of Stephen Glass. He continued his vocal development and knowledge of repertoire by joining the Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue Choir in 1992, soon afterwards becoming its associate conductor.
Cantor Green holds a diploma in Nusach Hat’filah (Prayer modes) and Chazanut (Cantorial Art) from the London School of Jewish Studies, having studied primarily with Cantor Stephen Robins. He studied voice production with Cantor Jerome Kopmar and Robert Davis. He was certified in January of 2007 as a member of the Cantors Assembly, the world’s largest professional organization of Cantors. In 2011, Cantor Green received his Cantorial Commission from the Cantors Assembly.
Since 2004, Cantor Green has held cantorial positions in the United States, and most recently, in London, England, where he was known for his professional-quality volunteer adult and youth choirs, a caring and inspiring approach to B’nei Mitzvah training, his warm and engaging personality, and his sense of humour. Cantor Green has proudly served KBI since May 2018. He is married to Jodi and they have three wonderful sons.
You can find a YouTube playlist of Cantor Green’s/KBI’s virtual music videos here.
Email Cantor Green or call 613-728-3501 ext. 239.