Shani Ben Or

Cantor-Rabbi Shani Ben-Or is the first Israeli to be ordained as a cantor by the Israeli Reform Movement. Her home congregation is Kehilat Kol HaNeshama in Jerusalem. She has served in cantorial roles both in Israel and abroad — as the cantorial soloist of the United Jewish Congregation in Hong Kong and as student cantor at Central Synagogue in New York. Shani received her dual ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Jerusalem and New York. She is an active member of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ), both as a professional and as a lay leader. In 2013, she founded T’lamim, the community of young Reform Jewish adults in Israel, and served on its board. Most recently, Cantor-Rabbi Ben-Or began an exciting new position as Director of Community Development and Outreach Programs for the Israeli Public at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem, and as Coordinator of the Cantorial Track in the Year-in-Israel program.

Together with Boaz Dorot, she co-founded the Nigunim Ensemble, a pioneering group that creates, arranges, and performs sacred music to accompany Reform and pluralistic religious services across Israel.