Meet Our Cantorial Soloist . . .

Michael (Mike) Robbins, a Phoenix native, received his basic Jewish education at Temple Beth Israel under Rabbi Albert Plotkin. Studying voice since his high school choir days he was one of few tenors in the Beth Israel choir for many years. For the past 22 years he has enjoyed voice lessons with Baruch Koritan, Ruth Dubinbaum, and Beverly Fletcher, with whom he is currently studying, and who brought him to Beth Ami’s attention.

Mike has had extensive community theater experiences, singing in showings of Sweeney Todd, Carousel, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, Bye Bye Birdie, and Milk and Honey at local theaters and synagogues, as well as individual One Man Broadway Shows at various assisted living centers around the valley.

He was the Featured Soloist and a member of the Beth Israel Choir for the past 18 years and has been proud to be the Cantorial Soloist at Beth Ami since 2017. Also, Mike has represented Beth Ami these last five years in community cantorial programs with Congregation Beth Israel and in interfaith Thanksgiving programs with our sister church Palo Christi. 

His philosophy on Judaism and its music is that Judaism has both a joyful and sad history. The music reflects both perspectives and is representative of both the celebrations and the memorials. He includes traditional, familiar, and some new melodies in our services and performs the songs and melodies he heard cantors sing throughout his life.

Our Cantorial Soloist looks forward to working and growing with Beth Ami Temple and perhaps at one time producing a “Cabaret Style” show for and including the congregation.

We look forward to enjoying his musical participation in our services.