Temple Emanu-El Sandy fundraiser set for Sunday

Music benefit will raise funds for new roof at Long Beach synagogue

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One year after incurring significant water damage from Hurricane Sandy, a Long Beach synagogue is set to celebrate its rebirth.

Temple Emanu-El, at 455 Neptune Blvd., is holding a music benefit this Sunday to mark the Reform Jewish congregation’s comeback from destruction caused by the storm, and raise funds for a new roof in its longtime building. The fundraiser, called “A Spiritual Journey Through Jewish Music,” will begin at 5 p.m. and will feature harmonies by the temple’s cantor, Lisa Klinger-Kantor, who will perform solos and duets.

“It is through our music, that we tell the story of our past and we express our hopes for the future,” said Neil Vogel, president of Temple Emanu-El. “This wonderful event is an important milestone in the continued renaissance of Temple Emanu-El as it brings together multi-generational members of our Temple family and friends in a celebration of our journey to recovery from the storm.”

Other cantors joining Klinger-Kantor on stage will be Mark E. Stanton, who was formerly at Temple Sinai of Long Island in Lawrence before relocating to Delaware, Jerry Korobow from Temple Am Echad in Lynbrook and Dorothy Goldberg from Connecticut. Klinger-Kantor said that these cantors provided support to Temple Emanu-El in the aftermath of Sandy with Temple Am Echad offering use of its facility.

“We have been great friends for a long time,” said Klinger-Kantor of the other cantors who will be taking part in the event. “They were there for us in our time of need.”

Klinger-Kantor said in the immediate aftermath of Sandy, 85 to 90 percent of the temple’s members were displaced but that they have persevered through the challenges of past year and have been motivated to see their synagogue bounce back from adversity.

“The whole temple is tight,” said Klinger-Kantor, who before arriving in Long Beach two years ago was a longtime cantor at Temple Shaarei Shalom in Bellmore and is also dean of admissions at the Academy for Jewish Religion in Yonkers. “Everyone there is supportive and all for saving the temple.”

Tickets for the Nov. 24 fundraiser are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For further information, call (516) 432-4060 or log onto www.temple-emanu-el.org.