Cantor Korn
Leigh Korn is the cantor at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette, CA. Cantor Korn received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music in bassoon performance. He went on to receive a Master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of Iowa. In 2000, Cantor Korn began his studies at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion School of Sacred Music, first in Jerusalem, and then in New York. While in Israel, he received the The Rabbi Jason Huebsch Memorial Prize for his work with Tzi’im, a choir of mentally challenged adults, which included preparing them for a performance at the K’nesset. While a student, Cantor Korn served pulpits in Washington Township, NJ and Falls Church, VA. In 2004, he received a Masters of Sacred Music degree, and in 2005, became invested as cantor. He has spent several summers teaching the laity of the Reform movement through the Synagogue Associates and Mifgash Musical programs. Cantor Korn is an active member of the American Conference of Cantors and is currently working with its Task Force for Continued Education to develop a curriculum in the fields of musicianship, conducting and music technology.
Parshat Maaseh / Num. 33:1-36:13
When I was in high school, history was one of my worst subjects. I would not say that I was not interested in the events that we were studying. It was just that when I was in school so much of learning history was remembering dates and places. This was not my forte. I was always struggling to keep the numbers straight in my head (was it the 18th century or the 1800s?!?!) and without having visited places, it was hard to remember all of the names. In addition, this kind of learning was rather dull and monotonous. Moreover, I never really understood why all of these details were so important. On the surface, the opening of this week’s Torah portion seems to be another one of those tedious history lessons.
Parshat Pinchas
Num. 25:10-30:1
In this week’s portion, Pinchas, God guides Moses as he appoints a successor to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, since Moses himself will not enter the Land. We read that “Moses spoke to the Eternal, saying, ‘Let the Eternal, Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint a leader for the community who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out and bring them in, so that the Eternal’s community may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.’” (Numbers 27:15-17) God then singles out Joshua for this appointment because he was “an inspired leader.” (Numbers 27:18)