Rabbi Shimshon Hamerman to lead upcoming High Holidays services (2015)
Adath Shalom is pleased to announce that Rabbi Doctor Shimshon Hamerman, from Montreal, will be our spiritual leader for this year's High Holiday services — beginning Sunday evening, September 13.
Rabbi Hamerman is a respected community leader and educator in the Montreal Jewish community. Currently the Director of Education at the Bronfman Jewish Education Centre, he was the Principal and Head of School at Solomon Schechter Academy, for 20 years until his retirement last year. He also held the position of Chazzan at Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem (TBDJ) for 21 years. With an eclectic background, including a B.Sc. in Mathematics (Yeshiva University), a Masters of Operations Research (NYU) and a PHD in Theology/Bible from Universite de Montreal, and smicha from the former Chief Rabbi of Montreal, Rabbi Hirschprung, Rabbi Hamerman brings an abundance of energy, enthusiasm and serious credentials in pedagogy and torah scholarship to his audiences. He has served a the auxiliary High Holiday Rabbi at the Share Zion Synagogue for a number of years and often steps in to officiate, lead services or deliver divrei torah at other congregations.
This is but a small excerpt from his resume which includes numerous other accomplishments and contributions to community life In Montreal. Rabbi Hamerman is recently returned from Israel and Poland, where he served as spiritual leader to the Montreal contingent of March of the Living.
At this critical juncture in Ottawa's Jewish education saga, we invite the community at large to join Adath Shalom members as Rabbi Hamerman shares his experiences with Jewish education in Canada. We hope to glean some wisdom from his successful leadership of Solomon Schechter Academy. In Montreal, Rabbi Hamerman has inspired thousands of children over the years, and has encouraged their teachers and parents to reach for a higher level of involvement in community, knowledge and spirituality. Two years ago, he led a memorable shabbaton at Adath Shalom, where he focused on Shabbat liturgy and shed new light on the prayers and rituals we perform routinely (and often by rote). He helped us better understand the liturgical structure, context and meaning of the prayers. Rabbi Hamerman has a lovely voice and although he will be in Ottawa in the capacity of spiritual leader, we hope to be treated to some new melodies to enrich our lay led services.
Rabbi Hamerman is the consummate educator. His knowledge of Jewish ethics and values is firmly based in an in-depth knowledge of biblical and talmudic texts, yet he able to relate at both a cultural and spiritual with both practicing and secular Jews. His down-to-earth presentation style, peppered with a vast store of practical examples and (clean) jokes will inspire everyone present to do more and be better Jews and individuals. This season, he plans to help us think about jewish education, affiliation and the generations who follow us.
Adath Shalom is an egalitarian Conservative Jewish congregation affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ).