Hazzan Larry Goller graduated from the Cantors Institute (now the H.L. Miller Cantorial School) of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, receiving a diploma in Hazzanut and a Masters degree in Sacred Music, as well as a Masters degree in Jewish Education from the Seminary’s Graduate School. Hazzan Goller was born in Brooklyn and attended yeshivot and day schools in Brooklyn and the Bronx. His undergraduate years were spent at the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania.
Hazzan Goller has had an extensive full-time cantorial career, plus diverse, professional experience outside the Jewish world. He spent 17 years as Cantor at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, a flagship Conservative synagogue in the Chicago area. His major areas of focus have included teaching, especially synagogue skills, to a broad spectrum of synagogue membership, ages 8-80, and encouraging and supporting participation in synagogue services in a variety of ways. Previous pulpits have included Congregation Shaare Zedek in New York City and Congregation B’nai Israel in Millburn, NJ.
Before “hearing his call” to the Cantorate, Hazzan Goller worked in the corporate world as a computer analyst and consultant; his last position was as Assistant Vice-President at Prudential Securities on Wall Street. He was also active in UJA-Federation of New York and was Associate Chair of their Leadership Development Division. He has served as Cantor-in-Residence at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and an instructor at the annual North American Jewish Choral Festival, held in recent years in Stamford, CT.
Hazzan Goller is currently serving as a Chaplain at St. Francis Hospital here in Roslyn. He completed a Residency in Clinical Pastoral Education at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL, and has served as chaplain for several hospitals in the Chicago area, as well as for Tikvah: Jewish Chaplaincy Initiative. He has achieved the status of Board Certified Chaplain, receiving professional certification from Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains.
Hazzan Goller has three children: Amalia (Mali), Davida, and Julia. He enjoys watching sports, playing tennis, skiing, ice skating, reading, and cooking.
Support Hazzan Larry Goller by placing an AD in his honor.
Evan Spector made his Shelter Rock Jewish Center debut in 2003 when he attended their nursery school. After graduating their pre-K, Evan went on to attend the Solomon Schechter Day School from K-12. He was in school on the weekdays and regularly attended minyan on Shabbat.
From graduating high school, Evan attended Binghamton university where he was determined to continue his Jewish life away from home. Evan became an active member in Hillel and Chabad. Through his involvement he worked to engage conversations to bridge awareness and respect with other religious groups on campus. In 2023, Evan graduated with a major in Biochemistry. He intends to pursue a career in research and technology.
Currently, Evan has opted to take a gap year and intends to pursue graduate school in the fall. During his spare time, Evan can be found at Shelter Rock Jewish Center assisting his community in anyway he can.