Cantor Neil Newman, Emeritus
Cantor Newman joined the Beth El Synagogue staff in 1980 after serving congregations in Philadelphia PA and Syracuse NY. In addition to his Bachelor of Sacred Music and Ordination as Cantor from the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, he holds a Bachelor of Hebrew Literature from Gratz College (Philadelphia), an MA in Religious Education from HUC-JIR and a Doctorate in Educational Administration and Supervision from Syracuse University.
During his full-time 29-year tenure at Beth El, Cantor Newman was advisor to the Beth El Music and Arts (BEMA) and the Lihyot B’Kesher (‘Keep In Touch,’ College-Age) Committees in addition to his clergy responsibilities. Over the course of his career, he has been to Israel twenty times and designed fifteen tour experiences there, eleven of which with his wife, Saranee. For ten years (1992-2002), he served as Chair of the American Conference of Cantors Certification Committee, monitoring candidates through studies and testing leading to certification as cantors and professional recognition. For many years, he was an avid tennis player and continues to be an enthusiastic fan. Since retirement, he has also taken a serious interest in duplicate bridge. Cantor Newman and Saranee have five children and eight grandchildren.