Rabbi Malachi Kanfer became the Rabbi at Kehillat Ma’arav as of July 2026. He served the congregation as Cantor since 2023, when he relocated to California to pursue rabbinic ordination at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.
Prior to his tenure at Kehillat Ma’arav, Malachi served as Cantor at Sutton Place Synagogue in Midtown Manhattan, where he was recognized as a New York Jewish Week “36 Under 36” honoree for leading spiritually vibrant, joyful, and musically rich services.
Earlier in his career, Malachi served as Cantor and Youth Education Director at Congregation B’nai Jacob in Woodbridge, Connecticut. There, he co-founded Yahad Hebrew School — a joint program between two congregations that grew to serve 80 students — and established the New Haven chapter of Hazamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir.
Malachi has released several musical recordings, including The Music of Congregation B’nai Jacob (2016) and Sounds of Sutton Place Synagogue (2023).
He was invested as a Cantor by the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he received the Cantors Assembly Alumni Award, the Rose S. Rovine Prize in Liturgical Music, and the A.J. Weisgal Award. Malachi holds a degree from Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, where he majored in vocal performance and performed operatic roles both at Oberlin and in Italy.