Left to right starting at the top:
Daniel Viragh, Marc Rieger, Isaac Hayon, Alan Iny (Choir Director), Cantor Yehuda Abittan, Benji Harrouch, Robbie Iny, David Hadid, Patrick Lulin, Edgar Fernandez, Jason Hadid, Ilan Benamara, Shalom Acoca, Gaby Abittan, Orad Reshef, Jacob Ayele, Eric Cramer, Robert Khazam, Mickaël Dadoun, Alexander Phillips, Elroy Shuker, Mickaël Abittan

The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue Choir has been in existence for almost the entire 230-year history of the congregation. Until the 1970's, the choir was composed of five or six male adults who sang in a choir loft during services. But under Cantor Amzallag in 1972, the choir was hanged to a young boys' choir which sings in the main sanctuary, right next to the Tevah, every Shabbat and Holiday.

In 1989 Eyal Bitton became the choir director and used his skills as a composer to write many new arrangements and even occasional new
elodies for our choir, many of which are still used today. The choir slowly grew; it contained over twenty regular members when Eyal resigned in 1996.

Alan Iny took over the choir in December 1996, after six years as a choir member. Something he enjoys is looking through old music books of
the Synagogue and finding tunes that were used hundreds of years ago and are suitable for reintroduction today. He works closely with Cantor Abittan, and continues to find new melodies to introduce, as well as new harmonies for existing melodies. The choir continues to grow - it now boasts over thirty enthusiastic members between the ages of 7 and 21.

Today, the choir plays a very important role in the synagogue services - apart from singing with the Cantor during the entire service, several of
the boys assist with Torah-reading or even Hazzanut. Also, the annual Youth Shabbat is when the choirboys get a chance to be Cantor and/or Rabbi for a day.

The choir has sung recently at the Federation CJA Direction 2000 Conference, the Sisterhood's 80th anniversary celebration, and an evening of Sephardi music sponsored by the Centre Communautaire Juif. The Choir has participated in every instalment of the Montreal Jewish Choral Festival, including the most recent one last June. We have also gone on outings to an Expos game, the March to Jerusalem and Pizza Pita. The sense of brotherhood and friendship among the boys has never been greater. The choir is an excellent way for boys not only to sing and make beautiful music, but also to learn about Judaism, prayer and interpersonal relationships.

Alan Iny also recently started a non-liturgical choir, called Kol Beyachad, for young boys and girls, that also sang at the last Montreal Jewish Choral Festival. Future projects include the recording and production of a CD.

Montreal's best Jewish teen choir, Hazamir, has launched their debut CD! Buy a copy today (they're available at the synagogue office for just $12), and hear Hazamir perform their favorite songs. The CD was recorded in our very own Mashaal Sanctuary during the Spring of 2001, and all songs on it were conducted by Alan Iny. It's very popular, so hurry before we run out of them!

Hazamir is also looking for new members! If you are a teen, and love to sing all kinds of Jewish Choral Music, you should come sing with us. Rehearsals are held every Sunday evening, 7-9:30 p.m., at the Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue (located at 450 Kensington Ave, Westmount). We're already booked to sing at three huge gala concerts this fall; and we are also planning our annual trip to New York City in February, when we'll sing with hundreds of other Jewish teenagers from across North America. You don't have to know how to read music, and there aren't any costs involved. For more information, please contact Stephen Glass (the Director of Music at the Shaar), at 937-9471, ext. 122.

The Synagogue Choir is always looking for new members! Boys between the ages of 10 and 18 are welcome to sing with us on every Shabbat, and on Holidays. You even get to wear a robe! For more information, please contact either Ilan Benamara (at 483-5516) or Daniel Viragh (at 343-5036).