Born and raised in Chicago, our Cantor, Scott Simon is a graduate of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion School of Sacred Music (HUC–JIR SSM), a member of the American Conference of Cantors (ACC) and the Cantor’s Assembly (CA) and a founding member of the Reform Cantors of Chicago (RCC). Cantor Simon is proud to be enjoying his twenty third year dedicated to Temple Chai and is incredibly honored to work alongside its talented and passionate staff and leadership. He enjoys the many spiritual and relational facets of his work including co-leading all religious services with his colleagues and actively shares his “golden” tenor voice and artistry performing a stunning array of Jewish concert programs each year. Our Cantor leads a variety of congregational choral and instrumental ensembles and performs with top Chi–area cantors and nationally recognized–award winning artists in folk rock, operetta, musical theater, Yiddish “theater” and jazz. With a fresh batch of catchy songs every year, our Cantor’s “sound” is the “musical signature” of Temple Chai. His songs teach, inspire and fill hearts. Many of the students he has mentored have gone on to careers in the Cantorate, Rabbinate, Jewish Education, Communal Service and Music. Cantor Simon also enjoys leading meditation classes and on the lighter side, creating comic video content for young and old in which his zany wit and creativity bring warmth and smiles. With his wife Gail, a junior high school music teacher, choral–director and Jewish educator, he loves making music for all, often alongside one or more of their talented children: Nadav 28, Haggai 25 and Lily 22. Scott was recently awarded his honorary Doctorate, for his lifetime of dedication to the Jewish community and the values and standards of the HUC-JIR and SSM and to elevating and evolving the values and goals of the modern Cantorate here at Temple Chai and in the Chicago area.