Cantor Benjamin Matis, tenor, is a native Long Islander and serves as Spiritual Leader (Kol-Bo) for Agudath Achim Congregation in Altoona, PA. He is passionate about the traditional role of the Hazzan. Not only as Shliach Tsibbur, but also as a Teacher, Pastor and Mentor to the community in which he serves. An accomplished educator, Cantor Matis excels at individualizing his teaching plan to each class whether that be Liturgy, Bible, Jewish History or B’nai Mitzvah students. He has long believed that fostering positive Jewish experiences will promote participation in the community.

As a performer, Cantor Matis has sung such operatic roles as Martin in The Promised Land, and Rodolfo in La Boheme, as well as such operetta roles as in The Merry Widow and the title role Folksbeine National Yiddish Theater's production of Bar Kochba. He has been a featured soloist at the Cantors Assembly National Conventions in Toronto and New York City, and has served as guest cantor in Toronto, Detroit, Columbus, Boynton Beach and Boca Raton Florida as well as Warsaw, Poland. Cantor Matis is also a published scholar of Polish Jewry, his first article in POLIN volume 27 on Reform Judaism in the Kingdom of Poland; he is co-editor of Polin volume 32 on Jewish Musical Life in the Polish Lands. Cantor Matis is married to Stefanie Stolzenberg and is the father of Jacob and Shoshana.