About Hazzan Linda Sue Sohn
Thank you for your interest!
Read on to learn about Hazzan Linda Sue Sohn.
Hazzan Linda Sue Sohn was ordained as a Hazzan (cantor)
and graduated with a Master of Jewish Education degree
from Hebrew College
in June 2011.
While still in graduate school, she cultivated her passion for
serving the goals of students with special needs by earning
her Certificate in Jewish Special Education,
which included a year-long internship
at Etgar L'Noar (now
Gateways: Access to Jewish Education).
Expanding on what she learned there, she developed
a set of structured teaching techniques and materials.
She wrote a series of computer programs (drawing on her
25 years experience as a software engineer) to automate the
formatting of all the Torah and Haftarah texts with the goal
of making them available to teachers everywhere and
individuals with either neuro-typical or neuro-atypical learning styles.
The culmination
of these efforts is reflected in this web-site in the
Cantillation Café,
the free texts for download
and in the
product line for sale.
Cantorial Experience
2024-present, Cantor
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- Temple Aliyah, Needham, MA
- • Cantorial officiant at all services
- • Teach B'Mitzvah students and adult students in all aspects of participating in religious services
2015-2017, Cantor-in-Residence
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- Temple Aliyah, Needham, MA
- • Cantorial officiant at all B'Mitzvah services
- • Prepared B'mitzvah students
2012-2017, Cantor / Spiritual Leader,
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Temple Emanuel, Marlborough, MA
2017, High Holy Day Cantor
-
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Congregation Beth Israel, Lawrence, MA
2007-2014, Professional Torah Reader,
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- Temple Beth Sholom, Framingham, MA
2011, High Holy Day Assistant Cantor
-
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The Jewish Fellowship of Hemlock Farms, Lord's Valley, PA
2007-2010, High Holy Day Cantorial Intern
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Temple Emanu-El, Providence, RI (2007-2010)
- • Led Preliminary, Shaharit Services and Minchah on
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (2007-2011).
- • Member of 9-person professional choir (2008-2010).
1999-2017, Sheliach Tzibbur, Torah / Haftarah Reader
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Temple Israel, Portsmouth, NH (April, 2012)
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Anshei Chesed of Cape Cod, Hyannis, MA (2004-2005)
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Hebrew Senior Life, 100 Centre St., Brookline, MA (summer, 2011)
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Temple Ahavat Achim, Gloucester, MA (2005-2006)
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Temple Beth Torah, Holliston, MA (1999-2005)
Teaching Experience
2006 - Present, Congregational Educator
-
- Collective responsibilities at the synagogues listed below:
- • Taught both neuro-typical and neuro-atypical individuals
(autism, developmental delays, dyslexia, ADHD,
specific learning disabilities).
- • Created a personal web-site for each student from
cantor-supplied and personal recordings to aid students with
studying.
- • Created specially formatted easier-to-read
prayers, blessings, and
biblical readings.
- • Helped students prepare Divrei Torah.
- • Remediated Hebrew reading skills for students.
- • Taught novice cantillation skills with
Keshet Te'amim flash cards and
on-line resources.
-
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Temple Aliyah, Needham, MA (2013-Present)
- B'nei Mitzvah Tutor (2013-present),
- Darshan Tutor (2013-2017),
- Classroom Cantillation Teacher (2013-2017),
- Special Needs & Enrichment Hebrew Teacher (ongoing)
-
Congregation Shalom, Chelmsford, MA (2022-Present)
- B'nei Mitzvah Tutor
-
Beth El Temple Center, Belmont, MA (2012-2015)
- Special Needs Hebrew Tutor
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Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley, MA (2006-2013)
- Special Needs B'nei Mitzvah Tutor,
- Classroom Hebrew Teacher
-
Temple Emanuel, Marlborough, MA (2012-2013)
- B'nei Mitzvah Tutor
-
Congregation B'nai Torah, Sudbury, MA
(2010-2013)
- B'nei Mitzvah Tutor
-
Congregation Beth Sholom, Framingham, MA
(2011-2012)
- Adult B'not Mitzvah Classrooom Teacher for 13 women (ages 40-80)
2000 - Present, Private Jewish Educator
-
• Provide Hebrew reading and B'nei Mitzvah skill support
to individuals with special needs (autism, Downs Syndrome,
developmental delays, dyslexia, ADHD, specific learning disabilities).
2010, Fall Semester, Teacher's Assistant,
Hebrew College, Newton, MA
- • Ran Chanting Skills Lab for Dr. Joshua Jacobson's class in
Cantillation Theory and Torah Chant.
2004-2009, Special Needs B'nei Mitzvah Tutor,
Gateways-Access To Jewish Education, Newton, MA
- • Tutored behaviorally and educationally challenged students.
- • Conducted weekly in-class Torah service (2006-2007).
- • Created new transliterations and updated all
Gateways Siddurim (2006).
- • Helped re-design a specialized set of flash cards designed
by Marion Green to assist new Hebrew readers, especially those with
developmental and learning differences.
Education
-
Hebrew College, Newton, MA
- • Cantorial Ordination, 2011
- • Master of Jewish Education, 2011
-
- Thesis Topic:
-
New Orthographic Methods for Teaching Novice Hebrew Readers
- • Certificate in Jewish Special Education, 2006
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Salem State University, Salem, MA
- • Massachusetts Teaching Certificate in Secondary School Mathematics, 1978
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- Windham College, Putney, VT
- • B.A. in Math & Linguistics, 1976
Awards
- Cecelia and Harry Needle Fund Award (2011)
- Hebrew College, Newton, MA
-
- • for an outstanding student in the Cantor-Educator Program.
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- Dr. Albert and Dorothy Holzman Prize (2010)
- Hebrew College, Newton, MA
-
- • for innovative materials in Jewish Education.
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- Anonymously donated $30,000 two-year Jewish Special
Education Fellowship (2007)
- Hebrew College, Newton, MA
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- • for Master of Jewish Education students with a focus on Jewish Special Education.
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- Frances Kling Scholarship (2006)
- Hebrew College, Newton, MA
-
- • for recognition of commitment
and continued studies in Jewish Education.
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Nancy Lurie Marks Foundation Scholarship (2004)
- Hebrew College, Newton, MA
-
- • for students attending courses
in Jewish Special Education at Hebrew College in 2004-2005.
