In this episode of The Jewish futurism Lab, host Mike Wirth sits down with his cousin, Cantor Hollis Schachner, to explore her future vision of cantors, community, and creativity. Hollis is a longtime spiritual leader and artist at Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland, Massachusetts, and her journey from musical theater and jazz into a life of prayer, song, and community offers a vivid window into Jewish spiritual futures.
Hollis shares stories of the mentors, teachers, and communities that helped shape her cantorate journey, and how their influence continues to echo in the way she leads today. She dives into her hopes for the next generation at Shir Tikva, what she wants to see flourishing in her community, and how she understands the evolving role of the cantor in a time of changing Jewish life.
Together, they reflect on their beloved grandparents, Nana and Poppy, whose presence formed a shared family backbone for their Jewish identities and creative work. Throughout the conversation, Hollis shares the experiments, quiet measures of success, and emerging questions that guide her as she helps compose the “future song” of cantors and Jewish spiritual leadership.
If you care about Jewish futurism and the real humans who are composing the next chapters of Jewish communal life, this episode will give you a heartfelt and thoughtful listen.