Yitzhak Hankin was raised in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, son of Russian and Polish immigrant families His earliest Jewish education was with his grandfather, Reb Shmuel Hankin z’l and his musical grandmother Rivka Etkin Hankin z’l. He was the child soloist in the Shaare Torah choir under Cantor Jacob Lefkowitz z’l. He studied cello with Alan Sher and moved to Oregon, where he continued his studies with Prof. Robert Hladky at the University of Oregon. He was a member of the Eugene Symphony Orchestra when he first met Reb Shlomo Carlebach z’l at a concert at the University of Oregon.in 1974. Yitzhak played cello with Reb Shlomo at the World Symposium on Humanity in 1976, and many times after that in concerts throughout the Northwest. In 1977 he married Shonna Husbands in a ceremony conducted by Reb Shlomo. Yitzhak studied to be a Hazzan and received Baal Tefilah Smicha from Reb Shlomo in 1984. When taking his oral exam for the Cantors Assembly in Los Angeles in 1986, the examining Cantors were very touched by the ordination Yitzhak had received from Reb Shlomo and they spoke of him with high praise referring to Reb Shlomo as a genius. Yitzhak has served as cantor at Temple Beth Israel and since receiving his rabbinic ordination from Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi in July of 1987, also served as one of the congregation’s rabbis. Yitzhak was greatly inspired by the visionary work of Reb Zalman and pursued the development of ecthical-kashrut with colleagues through ALEPH :Alliance for Jewish Renewal and OHALA : Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal. He performed for many years with Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfield z’l and together they performed many concerts across the United States. Yitzhak was the musical director of KITOV music ensemble and recorded “Gathering the Sparks” and “KITOV LIVE” Yitzhak has recorded a solo CD of his original compositions, “Treasure Each Day” and “Dancing Through Eden,” a compilation of music for Erev Shabbat sung at Temple Beth Israel. Reb Shlomo’s music along with compositions by Reb Yitzhak and Reb Aryeh serve as the foundation for the music at Temple Beth Israel in Eugene, Oregon, where Yitzhak serves as the senior rabbi.