Our Clergy

Born and raised in the so-called “Borscht Belt,” among New York State’s Catskill Mountains, Cantor Noah Rachels is a graduate of the H.L. Miller Cantorial School of the Jewish Theological Seminary, from which he earned cantorial ordination and a master of sacred music degree in 2023. He currently serves as hazzan of Mosaic Law Congregation, a Conservative synagogue in Sacramento, California. Cantor Rachels is particularly passionate about music, prayer, and fostering spiritual growth and meaning.

For much of his adult life, Cantor Rachels aspired to be a professional singer, while in parallel he developed a successful career in nonprofit fundraising and administration, holding roles of increasing responsibility with notable performing arts and higher education institutions in New York City. Since 2003, when he began singing professionally in synagogue choirs, he thought many times about training to become a cantor, but always managed to talk himself out of it. While helping to care for his gravely ill mother in 2018, however, he witnessed both the awesome power of music to provide comfort and peace, and the importance of human connection during lifecycle events. These experiences—combined with the example set by the inimitable Cantor Jacob Ben-Zion “Jack” Mendelson—helped inspire him to consider the cantorate anew and ultimately enroll at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in 2019. While a student at JTS, Cantor Rachels served for two years as cantorial intern at the historic Ansche Chesed synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, and he received numerous awards and prizes for his scholarly and musical accomplishments.

As a professional singer, Cantor Rachels has been heard at Park Avenue Synagogue, Congregation Rodeph Sholom, and the Reform Temple of Forest Hills (all in NYC), as well as at Sandys Row Synagogue (London, UK), and he has been featured as a soloist in concerts presented by the Cantors Assembly, Harrison Friends of the Opera, Light Opera of New York, Canto de las Americas, the Maestro Pier Miranda Ferraro Concert Series, and New York Dramatic Voices.

When not working, studying, or spending time with his wife and their young daughter, he enjoys doing crossword puzzles, hiking, cooking, and listening to recordings of historic singers. And if you are a fan of the game show Jeopardy!, you might even have seen Cantor Rachels on your TV.

As of August 1, you can reach Cantor Rachels at cantor@beby.org or x 260.