Opening day at Eisner Camp (2013)
Cantor Vladimir Lapin is the inaugural holder of the Cantor Sarah J. Sager Chair in Cantorial Music at Congregation Mishkan Or (formerly Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple) in Beachwood, Ohio. At Mishkan Or, he leads weekly, Holy Day and lifecycle services, oversees the b’nei mitzvah program, teaches adults and children, and provides pastoral care to the community.
An accomplished vocalist, Cantor Lapin has performed in sacred and secular concerts across North America, Israel, and Europe and collaborated with a wide range of artists. Recent highlights include serving as the featured soloist in Ernest Bloch’s Sacred Service with the Kent State University Orchestra and Choir and as Cultural Consultant for Cleveland Play House’s 2025 production of Fiddler on the Roof.
Beyond the synagogue, Cantor Lapin is active in the wider Jewish community. He has served on the Executive Board of the American Conference of Cantors (ACC) since 2019, is a member of the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) Alumni Council, and serves on the board of the Charlotte Goldberg Community Mikvah in Cleveland Heights, OH.
His writing on Jewish life, worship, music, and contemporary issues has appeared in The Cleveland Plain Dealer, eJewishPhilanthropy, Sun Press, The Times of Israel, and Playbill.com.
Cantor Lapin earned his cantorial ordination and master’s degree in Sacred Music from the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music at HUC-JIR. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Public Relations from Temple University and a graduate diploma in Vocal Performance from Mannes College of Music at The New School in New York City. Before entering the cantorate, he worked in public relations in Philadelphia and New York, supporting clients and brands including Yamaha, Toyota, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and Siemens.
Before coming to Cleveland, Cantor Lapin served as cantor at Temple Beth-El of Great Neck, New York, from 2016 to 2020. During his cantorial training, he served at B’nai Jeshurun-Barnert Temple in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, and Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) in New York City. He also completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, with a focus on mental health and intensive care.
Cantor Lapin is married to Rabbi Elle Muhlbaum, and together they are proud parents of two children.