Posted on 06/29/16
Rabbi Yaacov Cohen has been selected to lead the tefillos in the Main Shul for this coming Yamim Noraim.
Baltimore, MD - June 29, 2016 - The following announcement was sent from Shomrei Emunah to its membership this morning:
Dear Shomrei Emunah Family,
We have some very important news to share with you. Our beloved Chazan Chaim Gartenhaus has informed us that he will be retiring from his position as Yamim Noraim Chazan of our Main Shul minyan.
For more than a quarter of a century, Chazan Gartenhaus’ tefillos have captivated and inspired thousands of Shomrei mispallelim with his sweet and passionate voice. He has been a pillar of the Shomrei Yamim Noraim experience, and has helped create lasting memories for us. We are fortunate to have had such a masterful Chazan beseech the heavenly gates for mercy on our behalf for so many years.
Chazan Gartenhaus’ Yamim Noraim tefillos will be sorely missed. We thank him for his dedicated service, and wish him good health and much bracha and hatzlacha for many years to come. In the near future, we will have an opportunity to formally recognize Chazan Gartenhaus, and thank him for his years of dedicated service to our shul.
As we look towards the future, together with the Executive Board and the Board of Trustees we are pleased to announce that Rabbi Yaacov Cohen has been selected to lead our tefillos in the Main Shul for this coming Yamim Noraim.
Rabbi Cohen is known to many of us as a member of our shul and in his capacity as the Executive Director of Talmudical Academy. In addition, Rabbi Cohen is a professional Chazan who has led Yamim Noraim tefillos for more than fifteen years in shuls around the country. We have had the privilege to have Rabbi Cohen serve as Chazan for many Shalosh Regalim and Shabbos tefillos at Shomrei over the past few years, all of which have been extremely well-received.
In preparation for the upcoming Yamim Noraim, Chazan Gartenhaus has graciously agreed to meet with Chazan Cohen to transmit the beautiful nusach and style for which our Yamim Noraim tefillos are renowned.
Tradition teaches that a Chazan for Yamim Noraim should be a “yirei shamayim” and “meurav im habrios,” God fearing, and well-liked by the people he leads in tefilla. We are so grateful that both Chazans Gartenhaus and Cohen fit this description.
We look forward to Chazan Cohen continuing Chazan Gartenhaus’ beautiful work, and we anticipate a beautiful and meaningful Yamim Noraim at Shomrei. May Hakadosh Baruch Hu answers all our tefillos and grant us all a year of good health, happiness, yeshuos and the ultimate geulah, bimhera viyamenu.
With warm wishes for a wonderful summer to all,
Rabbi Binyamin Marwick Dov Ocken, President