2024 Richard W. Briskin Cantor-in-Residence Award

Originally from Queens NY, Gedalia grew up in a Modern Orthodox home full of Torah, tefillah and music. His experience with Jewish song leading goes as far as back as supporting his father, the rabbi of their shul, in harmony for kabbalat shabbat and even High Holiday services. His love for singing and harmony continued through high school and a gap year in Israel until he reached Yeshiva University (YU), where he joined Y-Studs A Cappella and his professional musical career began.
Singing and serving as the musical director for Y-Studs A Cappella opened up Gedalia’s world both literally and figuratively. Gedalia travelled the world with the Y-Studs and similar groups, sharing vocal music and inspiring Jewish community. Even when performing locally in and around NYC, his eyes were opened to the vast applications of music to Jewish life and celebration. During this time he was also introduced to the vast and beautiful gamut of Jewish practice and experience, singing at countless bnei mitzvah and other events in Orthodox, Conservative and Reform settings.
Gedalia finished YU with a Bachelor’s in Music and began teaching at Carmel Academy in Greenwich, CT. In his classroom, music was not as much Mozart and Beethoven as Sheet Music Twister (left foot, C sharp!); his classroom motto is “music is everywhere and everyone’s”.
In 2019, Gedalia joined Hadar’s Rising Song Residency in Mount Airy, Philadelphia. There, Gedalia and his six fellow residents studied under the expert tutelage of award winning Jewish musician and teacher Joey Weisenberg.
Today, Gedalia lives in Riverdale, NY with his husband, Caleb, and dog, Booker, where he is studying to become a cantor at the H. L. Miller Cantorial School of JTS. He continues to pursue music full-time, leading communities and congregations in song and tefillah; consulting with and arranging for a cappella groups; giving private prayer and bnei mitzvah lessons; and producing his own original music. He currently works at Congregation Adath Israel of Riverdale (CSAIR). Find more and follow Gedalia on his website.