Meet Cantor Silverberg!
Cantor Jessica Woolf Silverberg
Cantor Jessica Woolf Silverberg is a rising spiritual and educational leader entering her second decade of service to the Jewish people. Before beginning her cantorial studies, Cantor Silverberg was the Education Programs Coordinator and Ner Tamid Fellow at Ohr Kodesh Congregation in Chevy Chase, Maryland. A product of pluralistic Judaism, she received cantorial ordination and a Masters in Jewish Studies in 2021 from Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts. Most recently, Cantor Silverberg served Har Zion Temple (Penn Valley, PA) as the Interim Cantor; she proudly carries the distinction of being their first female hazzan.
Cantor Silverberg has an extensive background in Jewish education across the denominational spectrum. She has taught multiple grades, consulted on Hebrew curricula, and piloted two b’nei mitzvah training programs. Cantor Silverberg spent the 2021-2022 school year in Providence, Rhode Island as the Temple Educator and Minyan Coordinator at Temple Emanu-El and Kindergarten Judaic Studies at the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island. Reflecting her particular interest in the intrinsic spirituality of young children, Cantor Silverberg is a trained Torah Godly Play practitioner and looks forward to sharing this spiritual practice with the youngest members of TCS. This summer, Cantor Silverberg will complete her term as a Leadership for Emerging Education Professional (LEEP) Fellow at NewCAJE, the premier professional development conference for Jewish educators.
Originally from Portland, Oregon, Cantor Silverberg received her undergraduate degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she studied oboe and music history. In addition, she plays multiple musical instruments including guitar, violin, and tof. A devoted chorister outside the synagogue as well, she regularly attends the North American Jewish Choral Festival and recently had the pleasure of singing with Nashirah, the Jewish Chorale of Greater Philadelphia. She is a proud alumna of Zemer Chai (Washington, DC) and the Zamir Chorale of Boston, where she was a frequent soloist.
In her free time, Cantor Silverberg enjoys discovering new plant-based recipes, playing board games, and spending time with her husband Dr. Steven M. Silverberg, an astrophysicist. They are both looking forward to returning to New England and joining the TCS community in Westport!
