Rabbi-Cantor Marci Vitkus hadn’t planned on becoming a Cantor, much less a Rabbi. Her career began in early childhood education. “I always wanted to be a teacher,” she said. “I stayed on that path for years and loved it.”
Twenty-three years ago, she got a call from a choir director for the Jewish Congregation of Venice (JCV). They were searching for a new Cantor. She thought, “Why not?” Vitkus auditioned and was hired that very night. “Cantorial singing wasn’t even on my radar,” she admitted. “But the opportunity came at just the right time.”
It turns out cantorial singing is in her blood. “I didn’t know it at first, but I come from a long line of cantors—17 generations!” Rabbi Marci explained that her great-aunt put together a family history, revealing her father was the 16th generation of family Cantors.
Originally from the Chicago area, Rabbi Marci attended Indiana University. After a stint teaching in Chicago, she and her husband moved to Venice, FL. She began as a part-time Cantor at the JCV, but that role grew over time.
Her journey to becoming a Rabbi was one of gradual realization. “Over the years, we had four different Rabbis at the JCV,” she said. “I had such a deep connection to the congregation, but it seemed like nobody else stayed long enough to feel the same way.” Eventually, she decided to put her name in for the role, and in June 2024, was ordained as a Rabbi through the Jewish Spiritual Leader’s Institute.
For Rabbi Marci, gratitude is central to both her life and her work. “Thankfulness is a mindset,” she said. “It’s how I try to see the world. Everything feels more positive when you look at it through the lens of gratitude.” She explained that Judaism itself is a religion of gratitude. “We’re supposed to say 100 blessings a day—that’s a reminder to appreciate everything, from what we see to what we experience.”
As Thanksgiving approaches, she reminds her congregation, “It’s okay to be grateful for what you have, even if there’s pain in the world. You can hold both emotions at once.”
Her advice for strengthening faith and connection with others is simple: “Choose joy,” she said. “Every day, we have to wake up and make the decision to choose joy. That joy comes from gratitude, no matter what else is happening around us.”