Cantor Jessica Roskin, a native of North Miami Beach, Florida, grew up in the sanctuary and classrooms of Temple Sinai of North Dade since the age of 8. She became Bat Mitzvah, was confirmed, and actually attended her graduation from the Jewish High School of South Florida at Temple Sinai. She owes her choice of vocation to the mentoring she received from Cantor Irving Shulkes.
Cantor Roskin is the new sole spiritual leader of Congregation B’er Chayim in Cumberland, MD. Prior to this, she was the cantor at the 700-family Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham, Alabama for twenty years, and was the sole spiritual leader in her last year there. She served the congregation in many capacities-teaching children and adults, pastoral care, counseling, weddings, funerals, and so much more, including of course interpreting Jewish liturgy through the vast history and tradition of Jewish music. Prior to her tenure at Temple Emanu-El, Cantor Roskin served for five years at Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, NJ.
She received her Bachelor’s degree in music and religious studies at Indiana University and received her Master of Sacred Music degree at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem and New York City in 1994, where she was ordained. In 2019 she received an honorary doctorate from her seminary for 25 years of service to the Jewish People. She is a proud member of the American Conference of Cantors and is a former executive board member.
