Rabbi & Cantor

Rabbi Janet Madden was ordained in May 2011 by The Academy for Jewish Religion-CA, a transdenominational, pluralistic and egalitarian seminary in Los Angeles that trains and ordains Rabbis and Cantors and trains professional Jewish lay Chaplains to serve Klal Israel.

In addition to her rabbinic S’micha (Ordination) and Master’s degree in Rabbinic Studies, Rabbi Madden is a certified Jewish Spiritual Director, was named a 2011 GreenFaith Fellow and is a practitioner and student of Jewish sacred chant.

Prior to attending rabbinical school, Rabbi Madden earned two Masters degrees and a Ph.D. in 19th century literature, a background that illuminates her approach to traditional Jewish texts and liturgy. She was the recipient of a Fulbright award and has three times been selected as a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow. She serves on the Editorial Board of The Menorah Review and is currently preparing her rabbinic thesis, Song of the Animals: Critical Approaches to Perek Shira, for publication.

Rabbi Madden aspires to “serve Temple Havurat Emet so as to provide every individual a way to connect meaningfully and joyfully to Judaism and to facilitate connections to the Holy One and to our traditions.”

When she is not at Temple Havurat Emet, her qualifications in Clinical Pastoral Education and chaplaincy contribute to her work with Skirball Hospice, a program of the Los Angeles Jewish Home.

Rabbi Madden can be contacted at RabbiJanet@gmail.com

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Cantorial Soloist

Dr. Nancy Cohen

Dr. Nancy Cohen began her career as a cantorial soloist in 1986. She had the honor of studying cantorial music with Hazzan Allan Michelson (z”l) and subsequently with Hazzan Nathan Lam and Cantor William Sharlin.

Dr. Cohen served as cantorial soloist for Congregation Beth Knesset Bamidbar, the Reform congregation in the Antelope Valley in California, for over 10 years. She has also been the cantorial soloist for several Conservative congregations including Temple B’nai Hayim, Sherman Oaks, California. A highly skilled and experienced Ba’al Korey (Torah reader), Dr. Cohen has taught Jewish day school and B’nai Mitzvah classes. In addition, she is certified as a Reform mohel.

With a deep love for traditional cantorial music, Dr. Cohen is dedicated to a blend of traditional nusach and modern Jewish melodies. She is passionate about imparting the joy, beauty, and bond of our Jewish liturgical music to all.