There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources. The Jewish prayer services have their own entry; the prayers in these services are collected in a prayerbook known as the siddur.
The person leading the congregation in public prayers is called the cantor, or sometimes called the sheliach tzibbur (Hebrew for "emissary of the congregation"). Pre-modern Jewish law restricts the role to Jewish males over the age of 13; but today all types of Judaism except for Orthodox Judaism allow women over the age of 12 to have this role as well . See also: Cantor in Reform Judaism.
In theory, any lay person can be a sheliach tzibbur; most synagogue-attending Jews will serve in this role every now and again. In practice, those with the best voice and the most knowledge of the prayers serve much more often.
But all these moderations of the rule disappeared on holidays; then an especially worthy hazzan was demanded, one whose life was absolutely irreproachable, who was generally popular, and who was endowed with an expressive delivery. Even a person who had once litigated in a non-Jewish court, instead of to a Jewish court, in a disputed question could not act as hazzan on those days, unless he had previously done penance. However many authorities were lenient in this regard and as long as a cantor was "merutzeh l'kehal" desired by the congregation, he was permitted to lead the prayers even on the holiest of days.
Today, a hazzan, particularly in more formal (usually not Orthodox) synagogues, is likely to have academic credentials, most often a degree in Music or in Sacred Music, sometimes a degree in Music Education or in Jewish Religious Education or a related discipline. The Doctor of Music degree is sometimes awarded to honour a hazzan.
Although traditionally a hazzan was always a man, today a woman can be a hazzan (also called a cantor) in all types of Judaism except for Orthodox Judaism . In 1955 Betty Robbins, born in Greece, became the world's first female cantor when she was appointed cantor of the Reform Congregation of Temple Avodah in Oceanside, New York, in July . Barbara Ostfeld-Horowitz became the first female cantor to be ordained in Reform Judaism in 1975 , and Erica Lipitz and Marla Rosenfeld Barugel became the first female cantors in Conservative Judaism in 1987 . The Cantors Assembly, a professional organization of cantors associated with Conservative Judaism, did not allow women to join until 1990 . Sharon Hordes became the first cantor of either sex (and therefore, since she was female, the first female cantor) in Reconstructionist Judaism in 2002 . Avitall Gerstetter, who lives in Germany, became the first female cantor in Jewish Renewal (and the first female cantor in Germany) in 2002. Susan Wehle became the first American female cantor in Jewish Renewal in 2004 ; however she died in 2009 . Three female Jewish Renewal cantors have been ordained after Susan Wehle's ordination- a German woman (born in Holland) named Yalda Rebling who was ordained in 2007 , an American woman named Michal Rubin who was ordained in 2010, and an American woman named Abbe Lyons who was ordained in 2010 . In 2001 Deborah Davis became the first cantor of either sex (and therefore, since she was female, the first female cantor) in Humanistic Judaism; however, Humanistic Judaism has since stopped graduating cantors .
In 2009 Tannoz Bahremand Foruzanfar, who was born in Iran, became the first Persian woman to be ordained as a cantor in the United States .
As of 2007, the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, which is the main seminary for Reform Judaism, had ordained 184 women cantors.
In an interesting turn of events, the United States government recognized cantors as the first Jewish clergy, even before rabbis were recognized - as a congregation could be organized and led by a committee of Jewish "laymen," who would not have the expertise in liturgy a hazzan would have, newly forming congregations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries sometimes hired a hazzan for a synagogue (and made sure that a kosher butcher was established in the neighborhood) for some time before setting about hiring a rabbi, seeing the hazzan (and the butcher) as a more immediate need. The hazzan therefore solemnized marriages and otherwise represented the congregation in the eyes of civil authorities.
In the United States, many hazzanim supplement their ministry by also earning certification as and working as mohels, for bris ceremonies.
In the USA there are three major organizations for professionally trained hazzanim, one from each of the major Jewish denominations.
American Conference of Cantors - Reform Judaism Cantors Assembly - Conservative Judaism Cantorial Council of America - Orthodox Judaism
The curriculum for students in these programs generally include, but are not limited to:
In the Post World War II period, prominent cantors were Moshe Koussevitzky, David Werdyger, Richard Tucker and Abraham Lopes Cardozo (1914–2006). Operatic tenor Jan Peerce, whose cantorial recordings were highly regarded, was never a cantor by profession but he often cantored during the high holidays.
Popular contemporary cantors include Naftali Hershtik, Joseph Malovany, Shmuel Barzilai, Yitzchok Meir Helfgot, Ari Klein, Benzion Miller and Alberto Mizrahi.
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