Cantor Howard Tabaknek

Cantor Howard Tabaknek received a Bachelor’s Degree from Dartmouth College in 1970 and a Masters in Sacred Music and Investiture as Cantor in 1993 from the School of Sacred Music of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. A member of the American Conference of Cantors and the Cantors Assembly, he served as Cantor of Temple Beth Israel in Phoenix, AZ, from 1993-2000 and as Cantor of Temple Shalom in Succasunna, NJ, from 2000-2002.  He returned to Phoenix in 2002 to be Jewish Studies Coordinator at the Pardes Jewish Day School.  He was elected Cantor at Temple Beth Emeth of Scottsdale in 2003 on a part time basis.  From 2004-2010 he served as the Jewish Contract Chaplain for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office,  In August of 2010 Cantor Tabaknek took a position as Correctional Chaplain for the Arizona Department of Corrections in Perryville.  While in Israel in 1989-1990, Cantor Tabaknek was a student of Naphtali Hershtik of the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem. He sang in the Moshe Lior Opera Workshop, and was a featured soloist at the opening of the Gershon Ephros Wing of the Israel National Library at Hebrew University. He has sung throughout the Valley, including concert performances at Har Zion Congregation, Beth El Congregation, Temple Solel and Temple Beth Israel in Phoenix and at Congregation Anshe Israel in Tucson. In addition, he has performed at many elder care facilities, participated in the Memorial Service for Yitzchak Rabin, the dedication of the Chapel at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, several Israel Bonds events, and in the Yom HaShoah Service sponsored by the Phoenix Holocaust Survivors Association.  He enjoys bowling, movies, concerts, theater, and reading, reading, reading, both fiction and non-fiction. Cantor Tabaknek lives in Scottsdale with his wife Marjorie.