[HANASHIR:15099] Re: the whole cantor thing (ashamnu, bagadnu, katavti harbei!)

[elerner1 <elerner1...>]

Dear Erik, that was really a great posting. I just have to comment on 
what you wrote here:

erik contzius wrote:

>I believe it
>was someone else on the listserv who suggested that
>since a shaliakh tzibbur is literally a “messenger
>from the congregation,” it is ultimately the
>congregation itself which empowers an individual (or
>individuals) to serve in that capacity, and although
>one may be “legitimate” in the eyes of an institution,
>it is the congregation which makes the individual
>“legitimate” in their capacity within their
>institution.
>  
>
I think you are right and that is the way it is "supposed" to run, but 
in fact what I find is the congregation is run by the rabbi (whether or 
not he/she admits what decisions are made openly.) And the board is 
often staffed by those who makes decisions more of what the rabbi wants 
(and sometimes I'm not sure the board is well enough informed to make a 
decision) and not necessary what the congregation wants, not to mention, 
of course, that the congregation is often divided on what it wants so 
there is no middle ground. I think some Rabbi's prefer those who are not 
invested because the Rabbi has more influence if the rabbi is a 
control-freak.So Politics is the Reality. So there is NO easy answer to 
any of this. I also agree with you or maybe it was another writer posted 
about the monetary aspect---( I didn't feel the medical analogy was 
applicable in this case, but.....) a hospital wants a doctor; it has to 
hire a doctor and the doctor has to continually educated himself. A 
synagogue wants someone to lead services or teach or whatever, it does 
NOT have to hire an invested cantor which costs the institution a lot 
more. The temple can go outside the "unions" to hire someone who is not 
invested. A hospital cannot. It can hire outside the perscirbed system, 
but that hiree HAS to have an MD degree for that position and the 
hospital has to pay enough if it wants that physician.

It is wonderful the level of education one has to to do to be come a 
cantor (which makes me wonder why not go one and be a rabbi also?) and 
obviously that knowledge is necessary in many places. I still wonder, 
however, with many temples prefering to sing the same melodies every 
week, and wanting more folksy services, as far as the musical part of 
the job goes, would not a cantor get pretty bored for that matter after 
all those years of training? Ellen

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