Cantorial Curriculum Vitae

CANTORIAL CURRICULUM VITAE

NAME Dr. Leon Litvack

LANGUAGES English, Hebrew, Yiddish, French; some German and Italian

EDUCATION

1974-1979 Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1979-1983 Trinity College, University of Toronto, B.A. (Honours) in English literature, Latin and Religious Studies, Awarded first class honours 1983-1984 King’s College, University of London, M.A. in 19th-century literature. Awarded first class honours and a mark of distinction 1984-1989 University of Edinburgh, Ph.D. in English literature

CURRENT FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT Reader in Victorian Studies at the Queen’s University of Belfast Northern Ireland.

CURRENT JEWISH ACTIVITIES • Member of Council, Belfast Jewish Community, with responsibility for external/media affairs. I respond on behalf of the Community to all media and public inquiries. Recently much of my time has been spent promoting Israel, and combating boycotts. I have also organised the itineraries for visits to Northern Ireland by two Israeli Ambassadors to the UK, His Excellency Tzvi Hefetz, and His Excellency Ron Prosor, and the Head of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in London, Talia Lador Fresher. • Co-Chair, Northern Ireland Friends of Israel: this is a cross-community organisation, drawing its membership from both Jews and Gentiles; it aims to increase understanding about Israel within Northern Ireland.

SYNAGOGUE MEMBERSHIP Belfast Hebrew Congregation (Belfast, Northern Ireland) Beth Radom Congregation (Toronto)

CANTORIAL EXPERIENCE :

1974-1984 Casual Torah Reader at Beth Sholom Synagogue, Toronto; conducted services for Junior Congregation, and occasionally for adults. 1979-1984 Ba’al Shacharit and Torah reader for High Holy Days, Beth Sholom Synagogue, Toronto (professional engagement) 2

1984-2006 Since 1984 I have lived full-time in the UK, and have conducted services on a casual basis in London, Edinburgh and Belfast. I have also taught Bar/Bat Mitzvah regularly. I have extensive knowledge of Nusach Hatfilah, and have had the pleasure to lead services for all occasions in the liturgical calendar: weekdays, Shabbat, Shalosh Regalim, and Yamim Nora’im. I have also read Torah, both for the Yamim Nora’im and throughout the year 2007-8 Cantor for the High Holy Days at the Beach Hebrew Institute, 109 Kenilworth Avenue, Toronto (professional engagement) . Responsibilities included leading all services from Ma’ariv for Erev Rosh Hashanah, through to Ne’ilah on Yom Kippur, and Torah reading, for a congregation of 200 people. As this congregation has no Rabbi, I also led all the English readings. I have also undertaken professional engagements for weddings . 2009 Cantor for High Holy Days at the Lodzer Congregation, 12 Heaton Street, Toronto (professional engagement) . Responsibilities include leading all services (with backing of a choir) from Ma’ariv for Erev Rosh Hashanah, through to Ne’ilah on Yom Kippur, for a congregation of 650 people. 2010 Cantor for Comunidad Aviv de Valencia (Spain), a Masorti (Conservative) congregation. Responsibilities included leading all services from Ma’ariv for Erev Rosh Hashanah, through to Ne’ilah on Yom Kippur, and Torah reading, for a congregation of 100 people.

I am currently studying with professional tenor David Revels http://www.mu.qub.ac.uk/PerformanceGroups/QueensChamberChoir/DavidRevels/

I also study chazzanut with Cantor Stephen Robins of Woodside Park Synagogue, London See http://www.hazzan.com/

RECENT TELEVISION & RADIO WORK ON JEWISH TOPICS: 2007 Created & presented discussion series on the Jewish Festivals on “Sunday Sequence” (weekly religion & ethics programme on BBC Radio Ulster); this series stretched across the whole of the Jewish liturgical year, with detailed analyses of each of the Festivals. Report for UTV Live news programme on Torah scroll which undergoes carbon dating to determine its age. Available online (streamed video) at http://www.mediator.qub.ac.uk/ms/streams/scroll.wmv

2008 Presenter of “The Farm” – 30-minute documentary (BBC Radio Ulster) on Kinderstransport children who came to Northern Ireland during World War II. Available online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/realmedia/thefarm.ram Consultant and translator for BBC’s The Birth of Israel, presented by Jeremy Bowen, and broadcast on BBC Two television on 4 May 2008

2009 Presenter of package on “Water” to mark UN World Water Day, 22 March, broadcast on “Sunday Sequence”, BBC Radio Ulster. The package examined the theology of water in different faith communities, including Judaism. Available online at http://www.mediator.qub.ac.uk/ms/streams/WaterPackage.mp3

2010 Presenter of package on “The names we use for G_d”, 21 February, “Sunday Sequence” on BBC Radio Ulster. This package examines how G_d is named in Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions. Available online at http://www.mediator.qub.ac.uk/ms/streams/Names-for-God-complete.mp3 3

2011/12 Festival Director, Dicken 2012, Northern Ireland

I am a frequent contributor to BBC Radio on arts, culture, religion and ethics, and have done “Thought for the Day” (BBC Radio Ulster) and “Prayer for the Day” (BBC Radio 4) on many occasions. I also present packages regularly on “Sunday Sequence”.