Our Musicians

Our Shabbat experience is not only elevated and made holy by prayer and learning but also by music and song.  We believe the joy of singing, especially when led by our cantor, and the uplift of musical accompaniment adds to our Shabbat prayer experience.

 

At the Jewish Congregation of Brookville we are blessed by the presence of many talented musicians.  Our Shabbat prayers are regularly accompanied by piano and guitar.

Natalie Tenenbaum often accompanies our Shabbat prayers with piano.  In addition she serves as our congregation's pianist, composer and arranger for the High Holidays.  Natalie was born in Israel and graduated cum laude from the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts in Givatayim, Israel. She completed her Bachelor of Music in piano performance at The Juilliard School in 2007. Natalie Tenenbaum is an avid performer of solo and chamber music and has performed in many concerts and master classes at venues including the Jerusalem Music Center, Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center.  A recipient of scholarships from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and the Ronen Foundation, Natalie has toured Europe with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas and performed with the Israel Symphony Orchestra. Most recently she has served as Associate Conductor and Pianist for the European tour of Bernstein's West Side Story, the Asia tour of 42nd Street and the United States tour of Evita.  To learn more about Natalie Tenenbaum and watch some of her performances visit her website.

Our cantor, Talya Smilowitz, frequently combines talents with Natalie to entertain us with the occasional concert of Broadway show tunes and contemporary music, as well as composing original songs and prayers for Shabbat services and our observance of Yom HaShoah and Yom Haatzmaut.

Noah Solomon grew up in Israel on Moshav Meor Modii'm, a community founded by the great rabbi/composer Shlomo Carlebach. Noah was raised in a large musical family.  His mother, father and six brothers are all musicians. Noah moved to New York in the mid 1990's and started the band Soulfarm, a successful rock/worldbeat group who tour regularly throughout the US and Europe.  He also sings, plays and records with a variety of acts in many musical genres including Bluegrass, Celtic and Middle Eastern. Noah has worked and performed with a variety of artists including David Broza, Perry Farrel (Jane's Addiction), Lisa Loeb, Shlomo Carlebach, William Ackerman, Mike Gordon (Phish), Nora Jones as well as many others.  Noah met Cantor Smilowitz when they were together performing in the Off Broadway play, "The House of Love and Prayer," a musical about the life of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.  For videos of some of his performances follow this YouTube link.  Noah often accompanies our Shabbat prayers with guitar.

 

During the year we have several special musical Shabbat services and concerts.  On Shabbat/Yom HaShoah and Shabbat/Yom Haatzmaut we always welcome additional musical accompaniment to mark these days.

 

On the High Holidays our praying and repenting is aided by the musical accompaniment of additional musical instruments.  Natalie Tenenbaum serves as our congregation's pianist, composer, and arranger for the High Holidays.  She is joined on Rosh Hashanah by Avigail Malachi on clarinet and on Yom Kippur by Wendy Law and Reenat Pinchus on cello and Christiana Liberis on violin.

 

The following talented musicians have appeared at the JCB: