Rabbi Howard Buechler
The Dix Hills Jewish Center is delighted and proud to be led by Rabbi Howard Buechler. His inspiring creativity, dynamic presence, and engaging devotion to our synagogue and community are hallmarks of his Rabbinic leadership since 1992. Rabbi Buechler and his wife Laura are the proud parents of Rabbi Yael married to Dr. Yair Kramer , Aviva married to Sam Mendelson, Hillel married to Jaclyn Frankel, Rabbi Eliezer married to Tamar Ossip, and Noam married to Linda Cohen. Proud Saba (grandfather) to Lev & Nadav, Liana, Rose, Kobi & Eitan!
Having received his Master’s Degree, Rabbinic Ordination and a Doctorate of Divinity from the Jewish Theological Seminary, Rabbi Buechler continues to create innovative family education programs and award winning and engaging holiday celebrations at the Dix Hills Jewish Center. His Jewish study sessions at the synagogue year round attract many and are compelling Jewish educational adventures. Rabbi Buechler has also developed an avid following for his annual Jewish/Israel film festivals. The compassion, intellect and wit with which he engages our community is a constant warm and welcoming presence at the Dix Hills Jewish Center.
Rabbi Buechler is a past President of the Suffolk Board of Rabbis and the Rabbinic Assembly of Nassau-Suffolk-Queens and serves on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Education Project. He has founded or co-founded many remarkable Jewish institutions in Suffolk County ranging from the SHMA Hebrew High School to the Suffolk Mikveh. He created J-Team, the innovative Jewish Teen Leadership cohort at the Dix Hills Jewish Center.
Rabbi Buechler also has a passion for Jewish travel. He has traveled extensively with Rabbinic missions around the globe from Morocco to Belarus and Estonia and Hungary. He has had the privilege of visiting Israel more than seventy times. Rabbi Buechler has also visited and documented over 250 synagogues in Europe in his travels. In addition, he has led magical and memorable congregational trips to visit Jewish sites and sights ranging from Switzerland to the Czech Republic and Austria to Poland and France, sparking and deepening the engaging connection to Israel and Jewish communities world-wide.
An avid reader, Rabbi Buechler and his Shabbat book reviews are most noteworthy. His Judaica collection and private library are also powerful testimony to his devotion to study and our sacred texts.
You are invited to meet Rabbi Buechler 24/6 in person or by contacting him at (631) 499-6644 or at rabbibuechler@gmail.com. Join him and our congregation in joyous prayers and celebrations!
Cantor Alexandre Schinazi
Cantor Alexandre Schinazi has made it his mission to inspire and touch people through his voice and our sacred Jewish texts and melodies, seeking to bring emotion and spirituality by means of our musical tradition by which he is so deeply moved.
His background brings together Science and Art, math and music, engineering, nature, logic and religion, a fusion of nationalities and cultures, with a firm belief in the power of dialogue and coexistence. After having lived in 3 countries, he moved to Dix Hills, New York, in January 2024 with his wife, Denise, their daughter, Liora, and son, Ilan.
Cantor Alex has been involved with Jewish liturgical music since a very early age. He took his first steps in White Plains, New York, where he began leading prayers at school (Solomon Schechter School of Westchester) and in synagogue (Temple Israel Center) under the training of Cantor Jacob Mendelson, among other teachers. Mesmerized by the sacred chants of the Siddur and Machzor and the deep, moving melody of the Haftorah, he felt a growing connection to our religious musical traditions and a strong desire to pray, sing, lead, and inspire others.
Over the years, Cantor Schinazi’s passion for Hazzanut led him to study and learn with several masters, gradually intertwining various influences to develop his own cantorial style, balancing traditional Nusach with modern melodies through a voice simultaneously soothing and strong. His guiding principle and main characteristic as a Cantor is his Kavanah – intention – which he tries to pass on to his students.
After moving to Brazil with his family in 2002, Cantor Alex graduated as an Environmental Engineer and worked for many years in the field of energy efficiency, developing a leadership role in the global effort to halt climate change through actions and policy. He has done this alongside his ever-growing role as a Hazzan.
In São Paulo, Brazil, Cantor Schinazi has been for the past years a Hazzan at CIP-SP (Congregação Israelita Paulista), the largest Jewish community in South America, leading prayers, preparing students for their Bnei Mitzvah celebrations, bringing joy to numerous Wedding ceremonies, and accompanying families in all types of life cycle events. He has also had the honor of conducting High Holy Day prayer services several times at the Lapa Shul, in São Paulo, and at Congregation Etz Hayim, in Arlington, Virginia. Over the years, Cantor Alex has been invited to sing or speak at numerous Jewish music concerts, festivals, and events.
Jewish education is an important part of Cantor Alex’s mission as a Hazzan. He loves teaching Trope (the music of our sacred texts), conducting choirs, and helping students and their families prepare for their Bnei Mitzvah. He has always loved working with and being around children and has studies Jewish Music Education online at Zamir (Argentina).
You are invited to meet Cantor Schinazi by contacting him at cantoralexschinazi@gmail.
Join him and our congregation in joyous prayers and celebrations!