Spotlight On Sukkat Shalom’s Inspirational Choir

Kenny Lyonswright, Senior Director of Liturgical Music and Pastoral Care, brings passion and purpose to every note — and to every word he shares about the musical program at Congregation Sukkat Shalom, Wilmette.

"Music has always been integral to communal life at Sukkat Shalom — from Shabbat services to Family School T'filah, to funerals and b'mitzvah celebrations. Our programming is replete with opportunities to engage meaningfully with one another through music," Lyonswright explained.

Lyonswright believes that Sukkat Shalom's diversity — particularly the varied faith traditions of our members — shapes its distinctively wide-ranging musical identity.

On Sunday mornings, traditional melodies share space with Bill Withers and Mumford and Sons. Shabbat Services weave folk and Americana into traditional liturgy, and songs by The Beatles or John Prine are not out of place during worship.

The Great American Songbook Shabbat

The Sukkat Shalom community will host a joyful celebration of American music on Friday, May 1 at 6 p.m. The Great American Songbook Shabbat includes a live jazz ensemble and the music of Gershwin, Berlin, Arlen, and other noted composers in the evening's worship.

The evening will also be a celebration of 10 years of Kenny Lyonswright’s role as Senior Director of Liturgical Music and Pastoral Care.

The Heart of Sukkat Shalom's Musical Life

"Comprised of both volunteer members and hired singers, our choir has been a foundational part of our musical life since the congregation's founding in 1995. Its ability to adapt to any musical style is second to none, thanks to director Michael Querio's extraordinary range," Lyonswright points out.

Here, choir members share what this experience has meant to them.

Choir Voices: Supporting Our Communal Worship

Rachel Baker, a member since 2023, sees the choir as a gateway to deeper musical and spiritual engagement. "Music has always been central to my spiritual practice. Singing melodies I have heard since childhood — that generations before me have sung — does something profound to my nervous system. A sense of safety, calmness, joy, and community connection washes over me."

She is particularly excited for the upcoming Great American Songbook Shabbat, which will feature works by beloved Jewish American composers including George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Harold Arlen, among others.

Music That Moves — and Is Felt

Lynn Denton, who has sung in the choir for over 20 years alongside her husband Jim, puts it simply: "When you love music and love to sing, especially in four-part harmony, you end up giving yourself a gift. And the congregation feels it too — they tell us regularly."

Jim adds that singing while facing the congregation deepens the experience. "We see everything — tears in someone's eyes, a child resting their head on a parent's shoulder, someone just quietly listening. That is what makes us feel like we are truly contributing to the spiritual life of the service.

“For me, that enhances the experience of singing and helps us feel like we are contributing to the spiritual side of the service.” The caliber of the choir and particularly the professionals we sing with have been both inspirational and standard setting,” Jim added.

A Professional's Perspective: Music That "Nourishes and Satisfies"

Mary Ann Beatty, a professional soprano and freelance soloist for various Chicagoland religious groups, has sung with Sukkat Shalom since its founding. She recalls her first High Holydays experience: "It felt like my car was a hovercraft floating over the Edens Expressway — lifted by the joy I felt after those services."

Mary Ann has felt like a family member of the Sukkat Shalom community “since day one and I look forward to every single moment spent in prayer and singing that lies ahead.

"Sukkat Shalom reaches out with messages and music that personally and spiritually nourish and satisfy,” she added. “Being part of this community has changed me and helped me grow as a musician, a woman of faith, and a caring human being."

About Congregation Sukkat Shalom

Sukkat Shalom is a unique, innovative congregation serving diverse individuals and families within an intimate spiritual home. Its specific mission is outreach to the intermarried, the unaffiliated, and all those searching for a meaningful Jewish life. To learn more visit: www.sukkatshalom.org Located at 1001 Central Ave, Wilmette, IL, Phone: (847) 251-2675 or email sukkatshalom@sukkatshalom.org