HazzanL

Hazzan Sheldon Levin is well known as a cantor, conductor and educator. From 2001 until 2003 he served as the President of the Cantors Assembly. For twenty-five years, he was the cantor and educational director for two congregations in Philadelphia.

Since  1999, he has been the hazzan at Neve  Shalom in Metuchen, where  he also is the Adult Education Director and directs the  Hebrew School. Under his direction the Neve Shalom Adult  Education program was honored with the Gold Solomon Schechter Award by United Synagogue nationally for its performing arts programming and the Hebrew School accredited with Framework For Excellence.

He has edited seven books on Jewish music and education and recently edited Torah and Haftarah books for bar and Bat Mitzvah students for every Shabbat of the year. Hazzan Levin holds degrees in Opera, Voice, Hebrew and a Masters Degree in Choral Conducting and was granted Doctor of Music honoris causa from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Together with Anna West Ott, he formed a new Jewish Community Choir which meets in Highland Park and he also directs the NJ Cantors Choir. Prior to coming to NJ, he directed the Arbel Chorale in Philadelphia for eighteen years and for many summers has been on the staff of the North American Jewish Choral Festival. He has also spent several summers as music or prayer director at Camp Ramah in the Poconos and for twenty-one years he taught at the Solomon Schechter Day School in Philadelphia. When asked, he helps with the seniors at the JCC to perform, teach or lead the Seder. He regularly volunteers to lead services at Whispering Knolls. 

His cantorial teachers include Joseph Levine and Max Wolberg, for whom he edited a book of congregational melodies. Many of Hazzan Levin’s choral arrangements are published and sung by Jewish choirs throughout the country. He has written choral settings for composers including Debbie Friedman, Craig Taubman and many Israelis.

He was presented with the “Ateret Kavod” award by United Synagogue of the Delaware Valley. Together with his wife, Nita Polay Levin, they were honored by Israel Bonds with the “Crown of Jerusalem” award. He was recently honored at Neve Shalom with a special concert and reception highlighting his years there entitled “Levin@11.” On April 4, 2016 he will receive the Cantorial Award for Scholarship and Creativity the highest honor given by the Cantors Assembly.