November 2021

November 2021
Alexandra Fox

(BS, Music, ’13)

Q & A:

• What was your favorite class, who was your favorite professor, or what is your fondest memory of Hofstra?
  My favorite memory from Hofstra is going on tour with Chamber Singers. Traveling around the East Coast with a group of incredibly talented singers and musicians, under the direction of Dr. David Fryling, was such a treat. Performing the same pieces night after night really allowed us to home in on precision as a group in a way that rehearsing once a week throughout the rest of the year did not.
• What was your first job after graduating from Hofstra, and what was the most valuable thing learned in that position?
  Directly after graduating from Hofstra, I attended cantorial school at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, which is the seminary for Reform Judaism located in the West Village. Because it’s a five-year program, I didn’t actually assume my first full-time job until July 2018, where I served as the cantor at a Reform congregation in Northern California. That position taught me so many things, the most important of which was self-advocacy.
• What is your field of specialty, and how did you come to work in the industry?
  I am a Reform cantor – I am a full-fledged member of the clergy and am legally able to do everything that a rabbi does. While the music and liturgy are the focal point of my training, my responsibilities span widely across almost all of synagogue and Jewish life. Many people think that a cantor’s sole responsibility is to sing the prayers during the Shabbat (Sabbath) and holiday services; in actuality, though, that is only about 5% of my week-to-week job. When I’m not leading services, you can find me teaching children and adults of all ages, providing pastoral care, officiating life-cycle events, composing music, producing the next big service ... the possibilities are endless! Being a cantor has been my dream since I was a little girl, so there was really never anything else. I’m so grateful for the music education I received at Hofstra that set me up for success in the next stage of my schooling and, ultimately, my career.
• What advice would you give Hofstra students?
  Take advantage of as many professional and educational opportunities as you can get – college is YOUR time to be busy and fill your life with all kinds of experiences before entering the real world! And make sure you take the time to stop and smell the tulips. :-)
• In one word, how would you describe Hofstra?
  Special!
• How has your position at Har Sinai – Oheb Shalom Congregation changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
  Drastically! Like most other organizations, synagogue doors closed when the pandemic hit, but we had to continue to provide fulfilling experiences for our congregants. At first, we tried our best to move everything we were already doing to a virtual platform. As the weeks and months carried on, we shifted our mindset and instead focused on how we could best use the virtual platform to create new and meaningful experiences. Throughout it all, the most crucial part has been to continue to create a sense of community, even with everyone in their own homes.
• How did your passion for music begin?
  It is in my DNA! I was born into a musical family, so my parents started me on piano lessons when I was 4 years old. When I had my first exposure to synagogue music in kindergarten, I was immediately captivated. I haven’t turned back since!
• What is the most rewarding part of your job?
  Sitting with people as they take their final breaths. Being able to hold the weight of that moment in a meaningful light – and particularly holding the emotions of the person’s loved ones – is among the holiest and most beautiful moments I experience.
• Who was the person who most influenced you, and how?
  My childhood cantor, Stephen Dubov z"l. From a very young age, he inspired me become completely enthralled with liturgical music and just being Jewish in general. When I was about 8 years old, he told me that I could one day become a cantor, and it has been my biggest dream ever since.
• When did you learn to play instruments, like guitar and piano?
  I started playing piano when I was 4 years old! I didn’t pick up a guitar until my senior year of college, and I only did so because I knew I’d eventually need that skill for my career.