Cantor Elise Barber – liturgical singer

Elise Barber currently serves as the Cantor at Temple Beth El in Springfield, MA. She received her cantorial ordination and M.A. in Jewish Studies from Hebrew College in Newton Centre, MA and received her B.A. in Theatre from American University in Washington, D.C. Elise also attended a summer intensive program at the Manhattan School of Music. She enjoyed a professional acting and singing career as a child and well into her twenties performing in the first national Broadway tour of the musical Titanic as well as West Side Story Suite with the New York City Ballet. Favorite roles include Louisa in The Fantasticks, Bella in Rags, Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music, and Anne Frank. Elise played the role of Lucy Wertheimer in Frauenstimmen: Women’s Voices from Ravensbruck at the Fenway Center in Boston and also at Temple Israel in Boston. One of Elise’s favorite experiences was performing a solo concert of Jewish music in Cuenca, Spain. Elise has been a featured soloist with the Springfield Symphony in 2019, 2020, and 2022. She organized and performed in a Sondheim concert at the Springfield JCC in 2022. In addition, Elise has served as a service leader and teacher at several synagogues including Congregation B’nai Jacob in Woodbridge, CT, Congregation Beth Israel in Worcester, Congregation Beth Jacob in Plymouth, Temple Hillel B’nai Torah in West Roxbury, Temple Ner Tamid in Peabody, Temple Aliyah in Needham, Temple Israel in Hull, Congregation Dorshei Tzedek in Newton, and Temple Beth Zion in Brookline. She has also performed in concerts at many of these synagogues as well as at Sinai Temple in Springfield and the Jewish Fellowship of Hemlock Farms in the Poconos. Elise is a proud alumna of The Zamir Chorale of Boston where she was also a featured soloist.