Home

Name: Hazzan Sheldon Levin

Occupation: Cantor, education director for Congregation Neve Shalom, Metuchen

Address: Edison

Family: Married for 27 year to Nita Polay Levin, who teaches Hebrew School, leads junior congregation, and works at JCC Camp Yachad on the arts, and Judaic staff in Scotch Plains. They have three children: Daughter Jessica is married to Marc Rajs. They are both working for the Todd Harris Pool and Spa Company in Edison and live in Hamilton. Daughter Valerie Levin is a student at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey studying hotel management. Son Joshua is a student at Rider University/Westminster Choir College, where he is majoring in music theater, appearing in Plays in the Park at Roosevelt Park in Edison, and working at George Street Theatre. Mother Ruth Solomon lives in Philadelphia.

Community activities: Together with Anna Ott conducts the Jewish Community Choir of Central N.J. Director of New Jersey Cantors Concert Ensemble and past president and still active officer of the Cantors Assembly International. Volunteers at Whispering Knolls, a senior adult living center and lead services. Member of the Metuchen Edison Interfaith Council, where he works with the JCC on Holocaust programs.

Hobbies: "I'm a big fan of Broadway shows and also enjoy computers -- working with computers and on them. I always try to have the latest equipment and figure out how to do things the most efficient way possible."

Self-portrait: "I'm very hard-working and try to be as efficient as I can be."

Motto: "Do not separate yourself from the community."

Greatest accomplishment: "Developing programs for the synagogue and community. We do a lot of concerts and guest speakers, shows, and events. I directed Israel's 60th birthday celebration at the State Theatre in New Brunswick. I really work hard to bring the community together."

Bad habits: "I work too much."

Favorite TV: " 'Law and Order' and 'CSI'."

Favorite Food: "Pasta."

Best childhood memory: "Singing in choirs. I started with the Philadelphia Boy's Choir as a boy soprano. I started there when I was 9 and left when my voice changed and sang in other choirs."

People don't know that I... "Have written over 70 books. The largest number is a Maftir book for every Torah and haftarah portion for every Shabbat of the year for bar/bat mitzvah students already being used. I also edited the Cantor's Assembly books on Jewish education and I also edited the music for prayer books of the Reconstructionist movement."

Last Book I read: " 'Surprisingly Happy: An Atypical Religious Memoir,' by Rabbi Shiela Peltz Weinberg."

The biggest asset in the local Jewish communities: "The synagogue and Jewish federation working together."

The biggest challenge for the local Jewish communities: "Right now, Conservative Judaism is going through a lot of changes and so it needs to figure out the highest priorities for the future."

If I had more time, I would... "Arrange even more choral music. One of things I do during the summer is write the choral arrangements for composers like Debbie Friedman and Lenny Solomon."