A High Holiday Matchmaker For Chazzans
“I am looking for a special Chazzan for this High Holidays”. “I needs a Chazzan for Rosh Hashana only”. “I need someone for Selichot and High Holidays”. These are the types of inquiries that Shomie Rabin an accomplished Chazan gets from Shluchim and shuls in need of a match.
They are all looking for something specific and need to find the right match for their community and budget. Where do they turn? When he got his first request from Rabbi Fishel Zaklos from Chabad of Naples, Rabin quickly paired him up with his brother. Soon though it became apparent that Rabbi Fishel was far from the only one in need of someone and his network of people would need to expand.
Using social media and word of mouth news began to spread and he made 6 successful matches, securing over $30,000 in payments to Chazzanim for this year.
“The need is for the Shul as much as it is for the Chazzanim” he tells Collive.com. Both have trouble finding each other and having someone to go to is very helpful.
“The need is for the Shul as much as it is for the Chazzanim” he tells Collive.com. Both have trouble finding each other and having someone to go to is very helpful.
Using voice notes that the candidates send him he sends a Rabbi voice notes from 3 potential candidates. If the Rabbi likes one, Rabin may send more voice notes, discuss the details and if it makes sense, makes an introduction. “It’s a system that’s been working,” he says.
He takes a commission usually paid the Cantor which is only due once they get paid from the Synagouge. Mordechai Moscowitz who was recently signed on to a Shul in NJ said “the process was smooth and convenient and I'm grateful to be making the amount I want without having to travel far”.
“I am really looking forward to my Chazzan this Year and giving my community an elevated High Holidays experience,” said Rabbi Berel Pewzner who was one of the first matches Rabin made.
The challenge now has been finding the jobs more than finding talent. Chazzanim reach out at all different talent levels and finding them the right community means matching their experience, travel needs and Davening skills with a compatible Shul.
This article was published online on collive.com, read more via this link