Hazzan Samuel Nechemia passed on July 6, 2021, the 26th of Tammuz.  Sam is survived by his niece, Nurit Gamal of Los Angeles, and very many devoted friends in Sephardic Portland. 

Sam served as the loyal hazzan (prayer leader, cantor) for more than 30 years to Portland's original Sephardic synagogue, Congregation Ahavath Achim.

He was born in December of 1943 in Jerusalem, Israel, the son of Kurdish immigrants. He also helped found and served as hazzan for the Sephardic community of Vancouver, British Columbia.  His hauntingly beautiful Sephardic cantorials combined with his culinary expertise in the preparation and presentation of Middle Eastern foods made him a local catering favorite at weddings, bar mitzvahs and many other life cycle events. Memories of his beautiful voice and cherished friendships with so many in Portland's greater Jewish community will be remembered always. As Sam so often said, "We do not bid farewell but l'itraot (see you later)."

Ahavath Achim gathered a minyan for funeral services at the Kesser Cemetery on July 7.