John Kaplan (cantor)
John Kaplan is an American cantor.[1][2] He was Chair of the Committee on Ethics and Appeals of the American Conference of Cantors (ACC) and was Secretary of the ACC Executive Board.[2] In 2010, the ACC named him Volunteer of the Year.[2] In 1981, he became Cantor of Temple Israel in Memphis, Tennessee, where he served as clergy liaison to its committee on congregational caring, God’s Unfinished Business.[2] In 2014, he became spiritual leader of CongregationB'nai Israel in Jackson, a position similar to that of a pastor, which had traditionally been held by a rabbi.[1]
Education[edit]
Kaplan attended University of North Texas, then obtained a Master of Arts in Religion degree from Memphis Theological Seminary.[2] His Cantorial Certification and Investiture was from the HUC-JIR School of Sacred Music in New York.[2] He trained under Cantor Joseph Cycowski in Palm Springs, California, then trained under Cantor William Sharlin of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, California.[2]