MEHADRIN CLASS OF 2000 FOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
RABBI THEODORE LICHTENFELD
CANTOR RICA TIMMAN
I was born in Philadelphia and grew up in the suburb of Dresher, attending Upper Dublin High School and Gratz College Hebrew High School. I graduated from the Joint Program( List College of the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University) in 1992. Following my ordination from AJR, I also received ordination from JTS in 2001. I have served in several pulpits, most recently from 2008 to 2019 at Congregation Agudat Achim in Niskayuna, NY. In 2020, I completed a residency in pastoral care at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Currently I am a full-time chaplain with the Visiting Nurse Association of New Jersey Hospice. I live in Orangeburg, NY with my wife of 23 years, Rabbi Miriam Midlarsky Lichtenfeld. Miriam is a Jewish educator currently pursuing an MSW. We have 3 children, Tali( 21), Ari( 19), and Shuli( 13), and Shoko the labradoodle. I would like to express my gratitude to AJR for the Torah I learned and the Hesed I received.
I began this journey during graduate school, studying Jewish ethnomusicology and working as a cantorial soloist and music specialist. I held smaller positions before serving for twelve years with Temple Emanu-El in Lynbrook, NY, the last four while studying at AJR. After ordination I served for sixteen years at Temple Beth El in Closter, NJ. My current post for the past eight years and counting is with Temple B’ nai Torah in Wantagh, NY.
Congregational work has afforded me opportunities to collaborate with award winning guest artists and musicians. I direct a congregational band and youth and adult choirs. My High Holy Days Torah Corps includes over fifty congregants. Off the bima my work includes pastoral care, Jewish music education, and directing the B’ nei Mitzvah program.
I enjoy performing cantorial and Broadway literatures, currently running a series of cabarets with my daughter. I have been honored to be a soloist on NPR, at Lincoln Center, the Tanglewood, Bowdoin and Gamper Music Festivals, and performing with the Chicago, Boston, St. Lukes, New York, and London Symphony Orchestras.
I am a member of the American Conference of Cantors, a past president of the Women Cantors ' Network, and served as the Treasurer of ARC. I hold a Master ' s degree in Music from the University of Illinois and a B. A. from Sarah Lawrence College.
I love gardening, designing, and making jewelry. My husband Charles and I reside in Crestwood, New York and we are the proud parents of our adult children Fox and David.
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