Temple Israel Music Professionals

Cantor Hayley kobilinsky

Cantor Hayley Kobilinsky has served the Temple Israel of Northern Westchester community since 2023, and is delighted to expand her role as Senior Cantor/Educator. Cantor Kobilinsky expresses deep fulfillment from sharing with others what she loves about Judaism, whether it is our musical traditions, the texts we have inherited, or the many other aspects of our cultural heritage.  Although she plays multiple instruments, you will most often see her with a guitar in hand as she leads us in song. She loves weaving together Jewish music from all eras, regions, and traditions, as part of Temple Israel's musical team. 

After receiving a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University while also attending The Juilliard School of Music, Cantor Kobilinsky decided to combine her love for music and Judaism by becoming a Cantor. She received a Master of Sacred Music degree followed by Ordination as a Cantor from Hebrew Union College in 2005. Cantor Kobilinsky formerly served as Student Cantor of East End Temple in New York City, and Cantor of Congregation B‘nai Yisrael in Westchester. She also served as an adjunct professor at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and the President of Kol Hazzanim, Westchester's Cantors' organization. More recently, Cantor Kobilinsky served as the Spiritual Leader of Chavurat Tikvah of Mid-Westchester, where she also led and was the primary teacher in the religious school program. 

Over her career, Cantor Kobilinsky has worked with approximately 600 b’nei mitzvah students.  Cantor Kobilinsky is a polyglot who has studied 5 foreign languages including Yiddish, and is also a Soferet STaM (a scribe who can write and repair Torah scrolls, megillot, etc.). She has even performed repairs on one of Temple Israel's own Torah scrolls! Cantor Kobilinsky lives in Bedford Hills with her husband, Benjamin Poserow, and their son, Samuel.

rabbi/cantor sklar

Rabbi/Cantor Dan Sklar serves Temple Israel as Rabbi, Cantor, and Assistant Director of Education. Dan grew up in Northbrook, IL and earned a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin Conservatory in 1994. He was ordained as cantor from the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in 2006, and as a rabbi again from Hebrew Union College in 2008. After ordination, Dan went on to serve Westchester Reform Temple (Scarsdale, NY, 2006-2012) and Temple Israel (Westport, CT, 2012-2020). He also worked as a hospice chaplain with Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield County, CT (2021-2024).

Dan's creative pursuits include writing and music composition He was a Hebrew consultant for the Coen Brothers’ film, A Serious Man, and a rabbinic consultant on an episode of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. In 2022, he had an opportunity to appear in an Equity production of the Jewish-themed musical Falsettoland (Marvin) with his son Ari (Jason) at Music Theatre Connecticut, for which they both won a Connecticut Critics Circle award.

Dan is a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the American Conference of Cantors. He is married to Rabbi/Cantor Shirah Sklar, who serves as senior rabbi of Temple Shalom in Norwalk, CT. The Sklars live in Westport with their children Ari, Isaac and Jonah.

Eddie Pleasant, Choir Director

Edward Pleasant, baritone, is recognized as one of the most versatile performers of his generation. Critically acclaimed in both opera and musical theater, he has distinguished himself as a gifted actor with brilliant comic timing and a luscious baritone voice.  Eddie first came to Temple Israel in 1991, and he has been a fixture during the High Holy Days at Temple Israel ever since.  He first served as bass soloist in the professional quartet and then, in 2008, he was asked to take the helm of the adult choir, Hallel B’Shir. Under his masterful leadership, Hallel B'Shir has become one of the finest synagogue choirs in the country.  Since 2019, Hallel B'Shir has enjoyed the distinction of being the only synagogue choir to perform at the annual North American Jewish Choral Festival.  Eddie has also taught workshops and interest sessions during the festival as well.  Along with his duties with the adult choir, Eddie enjoys working with other vocal ensembles at Temple Israel, including the Brotherhood Choir.    

Dina Pruzhansky, Accompanist and composer in residence

Our accompanist Dina Pruzhansky is a NYC based, award-winning composer, pianist, and educator. Born in the former USSR and Israeli-raised, Ms. Pruzhansky enjoys a diverse international career in various genres, ranging from classical to musical theater and from liturgy to cabaret. As a composer-performer, she has been featured in many of New York's renowned music venues, such as Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall, Bargemusic, Le Poisson Rouge, Symphony Space, The Kosciuszko Foundation, YIVO, Opera America Center, and others. Her music has been broadcast on WQXR in an exclusive 'Young Artist' program with the renowned host Robert Sherman. Following the successful premiere of her original Hebrew opera SHULAMIT  in 2014, additional production was enabled by popular demand in 2016. The opera was also presented in part at the Aspen Music Festival 2019. An alumna of the BMI Advanced Musical Theater Workshop, Ms.Pruzhansky was nominated for the Fred Ebb Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre writing and was selected as a finalist for the 2019 NY Musical Theater festival with her musical for children CENTRAL PARK. She has served as a liturgy composer-in-residence at TINW and Temple Shalom, Dallas. A passionate educator, Ms. Pruzhansky is the author of the ‘I Can Play Chopin’ series — a collection of easy piano arrangements for beginners. She currently serves as a faculty member at the 92^nd Street Y School of Music, NYC.