Chazan Joel Kaplan

Joel Kaplan has served as Cantor of Cong. Beth Sholom for the past eighteen years. Cantor Kaplan is blessed with a rich tenor voice, and a wide vocal range. His repertoire consists of traditional cantorial recitatives, and “golden-oldie” and contemporary melodies. Cantor Kaplan studies voice production with Cantor Hersh Einhorn, studied Chazanuth and nusach hatefillah with Cantor Noach Schall, and is a graduate of the Hebrew Arts School for Music.

Cantor Kaplan officiates on the Yomim Noraim, the Shalosh Regolim, and Shabbos Mevorchim and at other shul and community events. The annual concert tin memory of Chazan Moshe Ehrlich a”h is coordinated by Cantor Kaplan, and has featured  world renowned Cantors Yitzchok Meir Helfgot, Nesanel Hershtik, Yaakov Motzen, Binyomin Muller, Yaakov and Shulem Lemer,  Zevi Muller,amongst others.

Cantor Kaplan served previously as Cantor of Cong. Kneseth Israel (the White Shul) in Far Rockaway, Queens and the Ocean Avenue Jewish Center in Brooklyn.

As a child, Cantor Kaplan was an alto soloist with the Ben Friedman choir, accompanying Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky and Paul Zim and was a featured soloist on a number of record albums, including the Zamir Chorale, Pirchei Sings, and the Ohr Chodosh.

Cantor Kaplan served a four year term as President of the Cantorial Council of America and was elected Honorary President of the Council. The CCA is affiliated with the Sarah and Philp Belz School of Jewish Music of Yeshiva University and is the member organization of orthodox cantors in the United States and Canada.

Cantor Kaplan and his wife, Leah reside in Far Rockaway, and are the proud parents of twelve children.