Inspiring Conversations with Cantor Josh Goldberg of Congregation Micah

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cantor Josh Goldberg

Cantor Josh, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Dallas, TX where I got involved with music, theatre, and faith from a young age. I started performing in musical theatre as a young child, eventually going to a performing arts high school (Booker T Washington HSPVA), where I immersed myself in the arts. For a while I wanted to be a Broadway performer, until one summer I went to a Broadway theatre intensive (Broadway Theatre Project), and realized I was far more interested in singing songs from my own perspective rather than as a character in a show. So, I started writing my own music, playing in various bands, recording, arranging, etc. During this time I was always involved in music at my synagogue (Temple Emanu-el, Dallas) as a social and creative outlet, but never thought about it in terms of my career.

Eventually when it came time to go to college, it seemed I had a choice—either apply for classical music conservatories or jazz departments. While I had appreciation for both of those genres, I didn’t see myself as an opera singer or a jazz musician. The gates opened up for me when I heard about a new program in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California specifically for popular music. I was lucky enough to be one of the few people who got into the program, where I got to study with amazing teachers such as Melissa Manchester, Patrice Rushen, Lamont Dozier (may be rest in peace), Andrea Stolpe, Chris Sampson, and more. My classmates were all top notch performers and musicians. After college, I had a lot of skills, but wasn’t exactly sure what my path was going to be. I had an extended period where I felt frozen and depressed. I wasn’t sure I could succeed in the music business, but I didn’t have any other plans. I was afraid to try and afraid to fail. As I tried to work through this fear, I started incorporating my Jewish background with my music, and things started flowing. I wrote a whole album worth of songs in a few weeks, which I then fundraised for and recorded, using some of the best studio musicians in Los Angeles. Soon the phone started ringing from other artists who wanted me to produce their Jewish music. My record label/production company, Kosher Style Records, was born and now has been the musical home to dozens of artists from all over the US. Fast forward a few years later, I went to Cantorial School (Academy for Jewish Religion, California) to further my studies in Judaism and music, and became an ordained Cantor. My first full-time pulpit ended up being here, in Nashville, at Congregation Micah, where I just started my third year on the pulpit.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not exactly. Looking back, I don’t think I would have predicted this path for myself. As a teenager I had dreams of playing sold-out stadium concerts and being on tour all the time. Now I find myself in a full time job (I would say 9-5 but in reality its 24/7), on the pulpit, preaching, teaching, making hospital visits, doing pastoral care, sitting in board meetings.

But I wouldn’t change a thing. I get to make music every day, while being an integral part of a sacred community. I feel that I can make a big difference in people’s lives with music and spirituality. I get to be by people’s bedsides and gravesides, officiating weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs and baby namings. Every day is different. I still record, produce, and perform music, but it’s now with even more purpose. Every time I get on the mic I think, “How can I make a difference in someone’s life today?”

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Congregation Micah is a Reform Synagogue in Brentwood, TN, nestled in between Forest Hills and Franklin. We have over 500 families who call us their spiritual home. I work with two wonderful Rabbis, Flip and Laurie Rice, who also happen to be a married couple. Together we lead the congregation along with a small (and wonderful) staff and a board of lay leadership. We have a preschool, a religious school, and offer services every Shabbat. We also have a cemetery on our campus. We truly serve our members from birth to earth.

Many of our families are interfaith, so we try to make it as warm, inviting, and inclusive as possible. And of course, the music in our services is very joyful.

One of my big focuses has been engaging millennials, an often underserved population in our line of work. I created a program called Micah-Nections (yes, it’s punny) which has attracted 20 and 30 something’s from all over middle Tennessee. We are a suburban synagogue, so nobody thought I could get 75+ young Jews to leave East Nashville and come to Brentwood for Shabbat, but it’s happening!

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Clergy like to have fun too!
We’re just people too. We don’t have any direct “access” to God that anyone else doesn’t have. We are just conduits to help other people have spiritual experiences and get in touch with the divine. If they want. (As Jewish clergy, we don’t proselytize. In fact, traditionally you would have to ask a Rabbi three times before they would agree to let you convert. It’s not something we take lightly!)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.congregationmicah.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micahnashville
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CongregationMicah
• Other: https://joshgoldbergmusic.com/