Volunteer of the Month: Cantor Rosalie Boxt

Why do you volunteer for the ACC? How do you make time for it in your busy schedule?

I don’t think it ever occurred to me NOT to volunteer for the ACC, though I’m not altogether sure where the drive came from. I loved school, I loved my classmates, and I felt strongly about the cantorate. I will say that because my background wasn’t as traditional when I was in school, in that I came from a camp, songleading, teaching background, I think that I wanted to engage with the cantorate as a whole, with people whom I had met, inside and outside of school who were such menshen and such sweet singers, in all their diversity. And I wanted to be a part of celebrating that, and contributing to that.

I am fortunate to be in a very healthy congregation, and one that has strong lay leadership and a healthy respect for clergy’s time off and engagement in Jewish life and activities outside of the traditional synagogue walls. Though at times it’s been a lot – I made time at home, on days off, with my family’s love and support did what I knew I had to do – to support, encourage, advocate for our colleagues any time I could.

What projects are you currently involved in with the ACC? What past involvements have given you exceptional memories?

I am still connected to youth and our camps, working with NFTY and the Youth Division when I can, spending time at camp and with my regional youth group. I still sit on the URJ Commission for Worship, Music and Religious Living, a great honor indeed, and I am still engaged in some of the processes around Biennial and musical and cantorial programming there. The group of cantors and singer-songwriters who make up the Kesher Shir group will meet again this spring and I’m continuing to coordinate this project. Ultimately, any time I am called upon by our leadership, I will do everything in my power to answer that call.

How do try to inspire young people?

I try to stay “young” – connected to music, activities, the life of our young people. I try to listen a lot – to their stories, to their experiences, to their music – secular and Jewish. I try to treat kids with respect and open-heartedness so that they come to see me and the synagogue as a safe place, made up of adults who love and respect them, and who are always available to them. I believe that our Jewish journeys start at the very earliest age, and I hope our young people can see, through anything I can offer, that synagogues and engagement in Jewish life can provide meaning, joy, and sense of belonging throughout their lives.

What do you like to do completely unrelated to your cantorate?

As some of you know, I knit, I also watch TV, particularly movies – we don’t go out to them as much as I’d like (though I could go every day, even alone, and be a happy person) but my husband and I make time to rent and watch movies.  Drama, action-adventure, foreign, art, blockbusters – we like a lot! I play a lot (too much) online Facebook Scrabble. So please don’t invite me to a game – I have no more TIME!!