Chazzan Rabbi Arik was born and raised in Israel and joined the Beth Jacob community in February 2013. First imbued with the love and foundations for the cantorial art by his father, Arik advanced his cantorial studies and has been teaching B'nai Mitzvah since he was 9 years old.
After graduating from Yeshivah Yavneh, Arik then became the head soloist of the Israeli Military Choir. Arik holds a Bachelor’s (Brooklyn College) as well as a Master’s (SUNY) degree in Music & Opera studies and has performed throughout the world in a variety of operas and concerts of Cantorial, Jewish, and Israeli music.
In 2001 Arik took his first position as a full time Chazzan at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford, Connecticut where he stayed for 12 years. In 2004 he released his solo CD Return to Zion, a collection of Cantorial works accompanied by a full Symphony Orchestra. In 2008 Arik returned to Israel commuting to Connecticut every month, while studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for his PhD. In Israel, Arik served as a faculty member at the Jerusalem Cantorial School and CEO of Renanot (The Israel Institute for Jewish Culture & Music).
In addition to his duties at BJC, Arik has served as music director of Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy and is a Professor of Jewish Liturgy at the Academy of Jewish Religion. In 2017 Arik received his ordination as a Rabbi after completing a three-year program with Rabbi Riskin at Ohr Torah Stone. Chazan Arik has led adult and youth choruses both in Israel and the US and has led inspiring Shabbat and holiday services at approximately 100 synagogues on four continents, and has become known for his unique approach and style of Davening.
Arik and his wife Tehilah are the proud parents of four daughters: Yehudit, Emmanuelle, Hodaya and Oria.
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