Cantor Shira Lissek is the Senior Cantor of Temple Israel in Charlotte and a nationally recognized voice in contemporary Jewish music. Before coming to Charlotte, she served as Associate Cantor of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City, one of the most influential musical and liturgical centers of American Judaism.
Her artistry seamlessly blends tradition and innovation — honoring centuries of Jewish musical heritage while giving new voice to its evolving expression. A passionate advocate for new sacred music, she is known for commissioning, premiering and recording works that bridge Jewish tradition with contemporary musical language. Her albums include Ani Maamin: A Voice for Humanity and P’tach Libi: Open My Heart.
Her performances have graced Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, the Kimmel Center and Seattle Opera. In Charlotte, she is a proud artistic partner of the Charlotte Symphony, performing at the Knight Theater, the Carolina Theatre and Temple Israel.
A dedicated educator and conductor, she founded TI Teens Rock and TI Kids Sing, inspiring and empowering the next generation of young Jewish musicians. She is a founding member of the North Carolina Jewish Clergy Association and serves on the board of the Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center at Queens University.
Grounded in heritage and guided by a belief in music’s power to unite, heal and uplift, she is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music (M.M.) and Indiana University (B.M.), and the proud mother of Reuben and Maayan.
