Baal Koreh

My name is Faraj Samra and I was born in Damascus, Syria. My family moved to the United States when I was ten. During my schooling in Syria, reading the Torah was stressed and taught extensively. When I first came to the USA, I went to Ateret Torah for elementary school and I learned Ta'amim with Rabbi Maslaton on Friday afternoons. Because of my dad's encouragement, I began reading the Torah portions on Mondays and Thursdays in shul. Initially I used to read the Torah in Shevet Ahim but later began reading during the week at Ahi Ezer synagogue. Additionally, I used to regularly read the Torah at Shaare Zion. The Rabbi there encouraged me to read more often and I began to read in the Torah in the Shaare Zion annex every other week. After that I moved to read at Ahi Ezer of Avenue X and began reading the Torah on a weekly basis. From 2004 to 2011 I was the Baal Koreh for the Main Shabbat minyan at Bnai Yosef shul. In 2011, I moved to Mikdash Eliyahu synagogue.

Hazzanut

Music and hazzanut has been a big part of my life from a young age because of my father. My first exposure to hazzanut was at the Sepharadic Lebanese Congregation as part of the choir led by Hazzan Ari Ovadiah. The choir met weekly and we performed various pizmonin at the shul. Additionally, on a few occasions, we had the opportunity to sing in front of the Chief Rabbi of Israel. I learned a lot of hazzanut from Hazzan Menachem Mustacchi and David Shiro over the years and especially in the Bakashot classes at Shaare Zion. During college I studied Hazzanut at the Belz School of Music at Yeshiva University under the guidance of Hazzan Moshe Tessone and other cantors. Additionally, I had the privilege of learning from esteemed Hazzan Raphael Elnadav. Initially a baal Koreh at Bnai Yosef, I later became the hazzan during the summer and on the high holidays. When Mikdash Eliyahu Synagogue opened its doors in September of  2011, I became the Hazzan there and it has been a tremendous opportunity for learning and growth.