The times they are a changin’ — and so is the tune in our Portland synagogue | Opinion
Shaarey Tphiloh welcomes a chorus of new voices as Yom Kippur falls in Portland
In the week that began with the solemn prayers of Yom Kippur, Shaarey Tphiloh on Noyes Street—one of Portland’s oldest Jewish houses of worship—opened its doors to a trio of cantors whose musical heritages stretch from the deserts of Yemen to the mountains of Georgia. The change, the synagogue’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Akiva Herzfeld, says, reflects a broader shift in the Jewish world: a growing tapestry of traditions that now reaches even a small Mid‑Atlantic community.
Herzfeld took the rabbinate in Portland in 2007, a decade after the congregation’s original building on India Street moved to Noyes Street in 1956. For 60 years the synagogue had stood as a stone‑and‑glass reminder of Ashkenazi immigrants from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Ukraine who carried with them Yiddish prayers and Hasidic melodies. In 2014, the old sanctuary was sold to the Portland Community Squash, a nonprofit that turned the nave into a place where the sound of rackets echoes instead of the shofar.
“I still hear the echo of the past,” Herzfeld said, looking at the courtyard where children now practice the sport that once belonged to the quiet prayers of the congregation. “It’s a bittersweet reminder that faith moves on, sometimes into unexpected places.”
When the rabbi first arrived, a senior member of the community was skeptical. “Young fella,” he remarked, “I have socks in my drawer older than you.” Herzfeld, however, reassured the elder that his knowledge of ancient Jewish law would guide the congregation, and he has since encouraged members to keep those traditional practices alive.
That tradition, however, has taken on a new dimension. For the first time in the synagogue’s history, services are being led by three cantors whose cultural roots span the Middle East and the Caucasus. One brings Yemenite and Moroccan chant, another Persian liturgical poetry, and a third incorporates the rhythmic cadences of Georgian worship. Their music blends with the familiar Hebrew prayers, creating an audible portrait of the Jewish diaspora’s diversity.
The shift, the rabbi says, mirrors immigration trends in Israel, where Jews from North Africa and the broader Middle East have increasingly joined communities worldwide. “As our congregation in Maine seeks a spiritual guide, we can now look beyond our own borders for voices that resonate with the broader Jewish experience,” Herzfeld explained.
The new musical direction does not abandon the synagogue’s Ashkenazi heritage. Instead, it expands the repertoire, allowing parishioners to hear prayers sung in languages and styles that have long been part of Jewish liturgy but had never been heard in Portland’s Noyes Street. “We stay true to our traditions, but we also honor the diversity that defines our community today,” Herzfeld added.
The Yom Kippur service on September 21 was a fitting backdrop for the changes. As the congregation gathered to repent and seek forgiveness, the sound of a shofar pierced the air, followed by the distinct melodies of the visiting cantors. The mixture of ancient laws, local customs and new musical traditions highlighted a theme that resonated beyond the synagogue walls: that the Jewish people, like the rest of the world, are continually evolving.
In his closing remarks, Herzfeld reflected on the broader significance of the holiday. “We all remember the past,” he said, “but our focus must be on moving forward—leaving hurt in God’s memory and seeking a brighter path together.” The shofar’s final blast echoed that sentiment, a call for peace and a hopeful new song that, as the rabbi mused, “will be sung across the land.”
With a richer, more inclusive liturgy and a renewed sense of community, Shaarey Tphiloh stands as a testament to the enduring, adaptable spirit of Judaism in Maine—ready to welcome the next generation of voices, whether from the old world or the new.
