Rabbi David Paskin

Installed at Temple Beth Abraham

By Susie Davidson

Advocate Correspondent

This past Saturday, Rabbi David Paskin, or Rabbi David as he is known by his congregants, was installed at Temple Beth Abraham. Spiritual Leader of the Canton Temple for four years, he received his ordination last month from the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York.  

An accomplished singer/songwriter musician with his band Rock Tov, Paskin’s areas of specialty have been Jewish music and education, from Orthodox to secular. He has taught for many years at various Greater Boston area religious schools and has served as Music and Judaic Director of Camp Grossman in Westwood as well as Judaic Studies Coordinator and Rosh Ruach of the Rashi School in Newton.

With Rock Tov, Paskin has produced three albums of contemporary, original Jewish music; their fourth recording is imminent. He resides in Sharon with his wife Heather and daughter Dalia. 

“Since the time of my Bar Mitzvah at 13,“ he says, “Judaism has been an integral part of my life. I was active in United Synagogue Youth, the Conservative youth movement, Jewish overnight and day camps, and taught in religious schools in my home town of St. Louis, MO. At Brandeis University, I became President of Hillel and graduated with a major in Near Eastern Judaic Studies and a minor in Peace and Conflict Resolution studies.”

The methodical and far-reaching scholar and thinker’s senior thesis, entitled "The Search for the Sacred: Is Holiness a State of Space, Time or Mind?" is in the publication process.

Like any artist, his band is his passion. A guitarist, he writes and sings all the songs. “We’ve performed our contemporary Jewish music around the country,” he says with pride. “Our motto is that we leave everyone with music on their lips, Torah on their minds, and spirit in their hearts.”

Yet a deeply tragic line underscores the persona of the inspirational leader so beloved by his congregants. His daughter, Liat Chanina Paskin, lived barely two years before she succumbed on April 8 of this year to a rare and very aggressive brain tumor which was diagnosed at 21 months of age.

Past Temple President Joan Schottenfeld recalls the moment when Paskin first told her of the results of the MRI. “Listening to his calming words,” she says, “I wondered that he should be reassuring me rather than the other way around. That was the first glimmer I had of his deep, strong belief, his sure understanding of G-d."

Indeed, Rabbi David was a level-headed voice of reason during that terrible time. "You know Joni,” he said as she attempted reassurance and optimism, “this is serious and might not have the end we would wish." Then, he pointed to a poem on his wall, which spoke of sandy footprints and G-d carrying us through our worst trials, which he said gave him strength.

“Our Rabbi,” recalls Schottenfeld, “comforted us and told us that there was no one to blame, and only G-d to thank for the blessing of his daughter's short, bright life. And we listened through our gasping tears and told each other that perhaps there was mercy and design and a belief born of Liat's final, joyous smile.”

At the May 19 Eighth annual Ride for Research, seven riders in Liati's Light Brigade, including Paskin, Lisa Kessel, Jack Shapiro, Gary Brodsky, Marci Hill, and David Triompo, raised over $2,500 for the Brain Tumor Society. The group has also raised $3200 to purchase a queen size hospital bed for the Palliative Care Fund Fund, which supports the Comfort Corner on the Oncology floor of the Children's Hospital, where Liati spent her last night. A Rock Tov tribute album to Liati will be out by the new Jewish year, with all proceeds going directly to the Liat Chanina Foundation.

Checks to support the Foundation and the work of the Brain Tumor Society can be made out to TBTS Ride for Research, PMB #16, 18 Washington Street, Canton, MA 02021.