Sharon Kohn

Cantor Sharon Kohn is thrilled to return to Congregation Beth Emeth as our Interim Cantor this year (2026-2027). A proud graduate of the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music at HUC-JIR, Cantor Kohn brings decades of experience to our community, including a total of 15 years on the Board of the American Conference of Cantors (ACC) and past cantorial positions at Wise Temple and HUC-JIR in Cincinnati. Having served CBE in the past, she is so glad to be back home with our congregational family.

Born and raised in Bloomington, Illinois, her hometown temple is Moses Montefiore Temple, where her parents’ passionate love for music and Judaism first inspired her. From an early age, Cantor Kohn found joy in teaching religious school and leading music. Encouraged by her childhood rabbi - who told her, "The world has enough sopranos, what it needs are cantors" - she pursued her calling to the cantorate.

Cantor Kohn has been shaped by a lifetime of building relationships, and she firmly believes that the best part of being a cantor is simply getting to sit and be present with people. She brings this deep intentionality to her work as a mentor, educator, and partner to our B'nai Mitzvah students.

Some other interests include keeping score by hand at baseball games (she's a big Kansas City Royals fan!) and crocheting, a skill she lovingly picked up while volunteering as summer camp clergy.