Decade at Micah: Weiner Extolled for "Amazing Soulfulness"

Meryl Weiner, who celebrates her 10th anniversary with Temple Micah at a special service on May 17, did not start out to be a cantor. She has always loved music, but her education initially prepared her for a career in education. At Temple Micah, she has pursued both loves.

"I just adore working here," she said. "I feel like this is where I belong and can't imagine working anyplace else."

Weiner arrived at Temple Micah in May 1998 as a parttime cantorial soloist to sing at Kabbalat Shabbat services and on the High Holy Days. Over the decade, the scope of her duties and the amount of time she spends at the temple expanded dramatically. Weiner now is full time and sings at all Shabbat and holiday services.

And she does much more than that.

She started Kol Isha, which explores Judaism from a woman's perspective, with Jan Greenberg. With the late Ellen Trauben, she organized Tot Shabbat and other programs designed for the synagogue's youngest members and their parents. When the number of adults who wanted to experience the bar or bat mitzvah they might have missed as a child grew to overwhelm the number of weekends available, she initiated the Adult B'nai Torah class. She also tutors b'nai mitzvah students, conducts other adult and youth education programs and, for the last two years, has taught prayer to students and often to parents during religious school.

"She is one of the most extraordinary teachers I've ever seen in my entire life," Rabbi Manewith said.

Weiner's voice, warmth and spirituality permeate Micah's services.

"She really knows how to beautify and inspire prayer with amazing soulfulness," Rabbi Zemel said. "A calm, spiritual openness emanates and radiates from her."

Added Music Director Teddy Klaus: "Her voice and her soul are deep. There is a richness in what she brings to our community that resonates deeply within people."

So much so that, Rabbi Manewith acknowledged, "The first three weeks I sat on the bima at Temple Micah, her praying made me cry."

The admiration goes both ways.

"I have learned so much from the clergy--for 10 years Danny (Zemel) has enriched my understanding of Judaism and prayer like no one else before. More recently, Toby (Manewith) has engaged me in thoughtful discussions about things that matter most in religious work, and it's been a pleasure to get to know Susan (Warshaw) this past year. Teddy's (Klaus) wonderful talents and support have helped me expand the possibilities of what I can do musically, and Susie (Blumenthal) has always been a guiding light.

"I feel so fortunate to be able to work with colleagues who have become dear friends and am so blessed to be able to serve this very caring Temple Micah community."

A native of suburban New York City, Weiner has been active in the Reform movement from childhood. "When I was a teen, my life was the (temple) youth group," she said. She learned how to be a song leader at North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) camps and retreats, where she met fellow song leader--and current Micah member--Doug Mishkin.

"But I put all that behind me when I went to college," Weiner said. She earned an education degree, and her first job after graduation was teaching students with learning disabilities. She also worked as a social services caseworker in Rockland County, N.Y.

She met and married George Weiner and, the day after the wedding in 1976, the couple drove to the Washington area. They have two daughters, the older one who is in Jerusalem working on a master's degree in Jewish Education, and the younger one who is a New York-based actress in musical theater.

In 1987, Weiner became a music teacher at Temple B'nai Shalom in Northern Virginia. A month later, she began to lead services there. And a new phase of her professional life began.

During the 10 years she spent at Temple B'nai Shalom, Weiner worked on developing cantorial skills, studying with mentors, taking classes and attending workshops. During the year between leaving B'nai Shalom and coming to Micah, she substituted for area cantors and began teaching music during religious school at Temple Sinai, a part-time position she held for nine years until she switched to the Micah religious school in 2006.

When Micah was searching for a new cantorial soloist, Weiner's old friend Mishkin recommended her to Rabbi Zemel--and recommended Temple Micah to her.

While at Micah, she has continued her informal cantorial education and become very active in the Women Cantors' Network, serving on the board of directors. For several years, she took voice lessons, which she says have helped her voice to grow.

But it isn't only her voice that contributes to the services.

"Meryl brings far more than music to our worship," Betsy Broder, the president of the congregation, said. "She takes us to another level of prayer and connection with our liturgy."

Weiner's contributions to Micah also extend beyond the prayers she sings and the programs she leads.

"She is a totally delightful person," Zemel said.

"Plus, she has one of the best laughs I know," added Broder.

Klaus agreed, "She has a great sense of humor, but she cannot tell a joke!"

Meanwhile, Manewith confided, "She has an undying love of chocolate chip cookies. I often sweeten my requests of her with some c.c. cookies."
[From May 2008 Vine; by Shelley Grossman; edited for web publication]