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Hazzan Steven W. Dress

Hazzan Dress was attracted to religious life and hazzanuth as a protégé of Hazzan Charles Lew, z”l in Medford, MA. Commissioned as hazzan by the Cantors Assembly, Cantor Dress was awarded a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, MA and a Master’s Degree in Judaic Studies from Hebrew College, Brookline, MA. He also studied Judaica, Music, and Pastoral Counseling at a variety of universities and ulpanim in New England and Israel, including the Fuchsberg Center’s Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem during the summer of 2005. From 1984-1999, Cantor Dress advanced his study of voice and Jewish music under the guidance of Hazzan Gregor Shelkan, z”l, Newton, MA.

Prior to being invited to serve Temple Israel, Sharon, MA sixteen years ago, Cantor Dress served Temple Am David, Warwick, RI for nine years. He is widely regarded for retaining teenagers in the synagogue setting. Temple Israel’s Teen Tefillah, its numerous Torah Reading Corps, Rinat Yisrael Chorus and Junior Chorale have developed under Cantor Dress’ direction. Cantor Dress, with some tutorial assistance, has personally prepared over 1,000 b’nai mitzvah during his years of service.

A lyrical tenor, Hazzan Dress is a baal-nusah in the Eastern European style. His CD, Together As One, released in 1998, together with his educational cantata video production, Moadim L’Simha, contributed to a United Synagogue Solomon Schechter Cultural Arts Award, presented to Temple Israel. The most recent CD, entitled Hazarat Hashatz, earned Cantor Dress and Temple Israel first prize national recognition with another United Synagogue Solomon Schechter award. He is also the recipient of the Outstanding Mentor award by the American Association of University Women. His congregation, in recognition of his decade of service in Sharon, MA, honored Cantor Dress at a festive celebration.

Cantor Dress chaired or co-chaired a number of New England Region Cantors Assembly concerts. Currently, he serves on the Cantors Assembly National Executive Council and is the President of the New England Board of Cantors. He has lectured on aspects of Jewish liturgy and its potential influence on human behaviors and relationships. He has also volunteered as Cantor-in-Residence at NERUSY’s Summer Encampment since 1988. A former activist for Soviet Jewry, Cantor Dress advocates for the chronically mentally and physically disabled. Cantor Dress served on the international Board of Directors of the Masorti Foundation as National Chairman of Operation Mazal Tov, an Bar/Bat Mitzvah educational program that serves Israeli special needs children. He voluntarily teaches Torah cantillation at the South Area Solomon Schechter Day School. Cantor and Myrna Dress have led inspiring trips to Israel, with many congregational families to advance important programs sponsored by Masorti, Hadassah Medical Center, JNF, NACOEJ, and Yemin Orde. In December, 2005, he organized and facilitated nusah practicum sessions at the USCJ Biennial Convention. Cantor Dress is also on the Executive Board of the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, and is a member of The Phoenix Society, and the National Association of Jewish Chaplains.

Hazzan Steven and Myrna Dress, who reside in Sharon, MA, have two children: Melissa, age 21 and Jonathan, age 18.