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July 6, 2009

After a year, temple finds new leader

By Tom Dalton

SALEM — Temple Shalom is gaining a lot in Idan Irelander.

The temple's new spiritual leader, it turns out, is both a cantor educator and a talented musician.

"Actually, I came to this country as a musician," said Irelander, 37, a native of Israel.

Irelander, who plays guitar and other instruments, enrolled in a music conservatory at age 6, once played with Yehoram Gaon, whom he described as the "Frank Sinatra of Israel," and came to this country to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

He has been music director and song leader at several North Shore temples, and currently holds that title at a reform synagogue in Andover.

Last month, Temple Shalom, a small, conservative congregation, named Irelander its "spiritual leader," a relatively new concept for temples in this area. He is a recent graduate of Hebrew College in Newton and, as a cantor educator, performs the same role as a rabbi or cantor.

"I just did a baby-naming," he said.

At present, it is a part-time position, although the temple hopes to make him full time.

Irelander replaces Rabbi Lee Levin, who stepped down in August due to health reasons. He began leading services at the Salem temple last fall as a cantorial student.

For the temple, which has been without a rabbi for almost a year, this is a large step forward.

"I think it is a turning point for renewing the temple," said Thomas Cheatham, the board president. "It is a significant event for us."

Irelander has already made his presence felt. He has been an enthusiastic leader of a torah discussion group, a versatile musician who led "Shabbat Unplugged" music nights, and is a married father with two young children — just the demographic the temple hopes to attract.

He also plans to launch several new programs for young adults.

"Our strategy is really to grow the membership, and we think we have the opportunity here with Idan to attract a lot of the unaffiliated Salem Jews, who are much more numerous than any of us realize," Cheatham said. "Lots of young families find Salem affordable and have moved in and don't belong anywhere."

For Irelander, Temple Shalom is an exciting opportunity.

"I love this place," he said. "We call ourselves 'the little shul with the big heart.' We want to reach out to the whole Salem community."

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