An Important Update
Cantor Kevin Margolius | Summer 2026 Sabbatical
Dear Touro Synagogue Family,
It’s our pleasure to share with you that after 15 years as a cantor, 8 of them at Touro Synagogue, Cantor Margolius will be taking a well deserved Sabbatical this summer. Cantor Margolius has served Touro Synagogue with deep commitment and excellence, and we are totally supportive of him taking the opportunity to enrich and renew himself through travel, teaching, and deep learning during the months of June, July, and August, 2026.
Our B’nei Mitzvah Program and Shabbat services rely heavily upon Cantor Margolius’ leadership, and so Summer is an ideal time for him to take his Sabbatical without much disruption to our weekly programming. Between now and the end of May, Cantor will work to prepare for his Sabbatical by ensuring that High Holiday planning and B’nei Mitzvah preparations are in a strong position and can be carried forward by the rest of the clergy and education team in his absence.
We are grateful to have a clergy team that loves Touro and seeks to invest in our community for many years, as Cantor Margolius has. We pray for a safe, energizing, and inspirational Sabbatical for him, and we look forward to welcoming Cantor home to Touro and New Orleans at the beginning of September, just in time for our beautiful High Holiday observance. It will be a wonderful reunion.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Katie Bauman
Kevin Wilkins, President
Dear Touro Synagogue Family,
I am deeply grateful to Touro for granting me the opportunity to take my first-ever sabbatical this summer as I begin my 15th year as a cantor. I am looking forward to taking time to rest, to recharge, to learn, and to grow. Before then, we have our 33rd annual Jazz Fest Shabbat service to celebrate together, and I will be working to prepare for the summer and early fall before I leave. That means especially that we will ensure our b’nei mitzvah students have consistent tutoring and support over the summer, that High Holiday musicians and rehearsals are scheduled, and that music for the High Holiday season is ready to go.
I am excited to share a few highlights of my sabbatical plan, and I look forward to sharing more about my experiences when I return. My application to join Team Fox Kilimanjaro was accepted, so in August I’ll be climbing to 19,431 feet to support Parkinson’s research (that would be 19,432 ½ feet above my home). I will also be spending time at a friend’s non-profit organization in Tanzania, visiting the Abayudaya Jewish Community in Uganda, and participating in the American Conference of Cantors Convention in Cleveland.
It is important to me to dedicate some of this time to create something for the Touro community when I return, and I am eager to see what form that takes as I explore possibilities this summer.
With gratitude and love,
Cantor Kevin Margolius