 Aaron Copland celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at Baith Israel Anshei Emes in 1913 . The Copland family was active in the synagogue ; his father Harris became treasurer and chairman of the Talmud Torah in 1905 , had helped purchase the current building , served as president of the congregation from 1907 to 1910 , and was made a life trustee in 1936 . Aaron 's brother Ralph served as superintendent of the Sunday School . Goldfarb was instrumental in assisting Aaron Copland in his early musical career . While still in high school , Aaron had approached Goldfarb for his support in studying music : Aaron 's father wanted him to enter the legal profession . Goldfarb engineered an agreement whereby Aaron would study music for two or three years , and , if that did not work out , then study law . In his memoirs , Copland would later describe Goldfarb as " a composer of liturgical music and the possessor of a fine baritone voice ... a sensitive human being and an effective leader of the congregation " . 
