Cantor Paul C. Silbersher
Congregation
Kol Ami’s Spiritual Leader is Cantor Paul C. Silbersher. Cantor Silbersher
comes to the congregation with a wealth of diverse experience and education.
A native of Millburn, New Jersey, the Cantor graduated from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, School of Sacred Music with a bachelors degree in 1955. He completed his Rabbinical studies at the Academy for Jewish Religion and was ordained as a Rabbi, privately, in 1972. He received a Doctor of Music Degree in 1998. (Honoris Causa) from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, School of Sacred Music in 1998.
He was Cantor, Educator and Youth Director at Temple Beth El in Stamford, Connecticut from 1957 until 1959, when he took a similar position at The Free Synagogue of Westchester, Mount Vernon, New York. He became the Assistant Rabbi for Education at Temple Sinai also in Stamford in 1967, and held that post until 1970 when he became Chaplain at the Hawthorne Cedar-Knolls and Linden Hill Schools in Hawthorne, New York where he provided Spiritual Care and counseling for court referred teenagers.
His parallel interests in Social Work led him to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy at the New School for Social Research in 1964 and go on to receive a Masters Degree in social work (MSW) from Yeshiva University in 1974.
Following graduation he became a school Social Worker in Stamford Connecticut Public Schools where he supervised the placement of special education students. In 1976 he was appointed Headmaster of the Noroton School for Special Education in Fairfield County Connecticut, a program providing residential and day treatment for autistic, neurologically impaired, developmentally delayed and emotionally disturbed children. In 1978 he became Director of the Bridgeport, Connecticut Children and Youth Day Treatment for the State of Connecticut.
He
departed the east coast and moved to Kansas City, Missouri where he became
the Cantor and Music Director for The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah,
a 1900 member congregation. Here, at the request of the Senior Rabbi,
the Cantor assumed full Rabbinic responsibilities including worship sevices,
torah study, Hebrew instruction, adult B’nai Mitzvah, life cycle events,
hospital/home visits and shivah services. In addition, he worked with
the pre-school director, sisterhood and brotherhood presidents, librarian,
provided counseling and represented The Temple at public events.
During his years at B'nai Jehudah, the Cantor continued his interest in social work by establishing and supervising a graduate student social work placement in conjunction with the Kansas University School of Social Work. This program went on to serve the needs of Temple members in 32 nursing homes and 300 students in two Charter public schools.
In June 2003 Cantor Silbersher became the Spiritual Leader of Congregation Kol Ami. He augments these duties with a passion for tennis and teaching as an Adjunct Professor at St. Paul School of Theology Methodist Seminary and Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas.
