[HANASHIR:1846] RE: "cantor"

[Serle, Brian <BSerle...>]

I think the designation of "chazzanit" is cutesy.  Does that go with
"rabbanit" for female rabbi?  After all, isn't it enough of a sin to
have women singing on the bimah, than to add insult to injury and give
them a TITLE?

JUST KIDDING!!!!

        -----Original Message-----
        From:   Elizabeth Zoller [SMTP:LizzieZ (at) IDT(dot)NET]
        Sent:   Monday, November 23, 1998 4:56 PM
        To:     hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
        Subject:        [HANASHIR:1844] RE: "cantor"

        Does the same go for the word "chazzan?"  Is this just a literal
        translation of (ordained) cantor, or does it refer to whoever is
leading
        the singing for a service?  I have had many people refer to me
as a chazzan
        (or chazzanit), though I, too, have not actually been ordained
as a cantor.
        When people ask specifically if I am a cantor, I never hesitate
to explain
        the schooling and that one must be ordained to have that title,
that
        technically I am a cantorial soloist, but I'm curious about the
chazzan
        distinction.  Can anyone clarify?  Thanks!

        Liz