established charities, most recently for Tzedek (a charity which is involved in educational projects in Africa) and the Alzheimer's Society. The choir runs an annual workshop and joint concert with school children from the Goldbeaters and Orion Primary Schools in North West London. Through this work we introduce Jewish music to mixed faith children and their families, which encourages the development and love of music with a religious or spiritual theme in young people. The choir has maintained its reputation as a result of Professional musical direction, and a Strong commitment to rehearsals by its members. We come together not only to sing, but to be part of a warm and friendly social group. We are always happy to welcome new members. To find out more about us, visit our website at www.zemelchoir.org or phone our membership secretary, Doreen Havardi on 020-8868 8423 SYNAGOGAL ^ENSEMBLE BERLIN Musical Director Regina Yantian; Cantor Isaac Sheffer The innovative genius of the great master and reformer Louis Lewandowski (1821 - 1894) transformed Jewish prayer Services into a true musical experience. Lewandowski's compositions reflected the newly-found self-con- fidence of German Jews in the 19th Century, and they contributed to the dissemination and growing popularity of Jewish liturgy worldwide, even beyond the bounds of religious affiliation. With the destruction of German Jewry in the Holocaust the liberal choir-organ Service disappeared - and it was only in the Pestalozzistrasse Synagogue in Berlin that the German-Jewish tradition of Lewandowski remained alive. "Synagogal Ensemble Berlin" is the only Professional choir that performs exclusively the liturgy of Louis Lewandowski at Services every Friday evening, Shabbat morning and on all Jewish holidays. For several years now, Cantor Isaac Sheffer's concerts with "Synagogal Ensemble Berlin" have been making this unique Jewish-German tradition known to audiences beyond the borders of Berlin and Germany. In addition to the Lewandowski repertoire, the Ensemble also performs works by other great 19th-century composers such as Salomon Sulzer and Samuel Naumbourg as well as 20th-century compositions by Kurt Weill, Maurice Ravel, Ben Steinberg, Meir Finkelstein, etc. The Ensemble has eight to twelve Singers, Professional freelance soloists or members of Berlin's opera or radio choruses. It is directed by organist and choir director Regina Yantian M.A. Cantor Isaac Sheffer has been officiating as cantor of the Pestalozzistrasse synagogue in Berlin-Charlottenburg since 2000. He began his musical career as a tenor in the ensemble of the New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv before assuming cantorial positions at the Hebrew Tabernacle and Temple Beth Shalom in New York. Regina Yantian started training as an organist and choir director at the age of fifteen. She studied ethnomusicol- ogy and Jewish studies in Heidelberg, Jerusalem and Berlin, and has been organist and choir director at the Pestalozzistrasse Synagogue since 1998. She was was strongly inspired by her association with Chief Cantor Estrongo Nachama (1918 - 2000) whom she accompanied on the organ at the beginning of her career. ENSETTIBLE CHORAL COPERNIC ULIF COPERNIC Union Liberale Israelite de France Musical Director Itai Daniel Founded in 2004, Ensemble Choral Copernic is a mixed choir of 25 passionate amateurs, hosted by Union
