Celebrating Cantor Barbara Ostfeld and 50 Years of Women in the Cantorate

Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., Rabbi Sally Priesand ’72, Cantor Barbara Ostfeld ’75, and Cantor Jill Abramson ’02, together at Founders’ Day.

50 years ago, Cantor Barbara Ostfeld ’75 made history when she became the first woman ordained as a cantor. The achievement brought new meaning and richness to sacred music and paved the way for new generations of spiritual leaders who have built on her foundation.

On March 5th hundreds of those leaders gathered at Hebrew Union College to celebrate Cantor Ostfeld and her achievements at Founders’ Day marking the 50th anniversary of women in the cantorate.

The standing room only crowd gathered in her honor included faculty, students, alumni, and other distinguished guests, including more than 70 Hebrew Union College-ordained cantors who were mentored by Cantor Ostfeld.

The day was filled with soul-stirring melodies from Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music students, alumni and faculty members Professor Joyce Rosenzweig, Cantor Benjie Ellen Schiller ’87, Cantor Josh Breitzer ’11, Cantor Jill Abramson ’02, Elana Arian and Ivan Barenboim, as well as Cantors Ellen Dreskin ’86 and Becky Mann ’23. Deep prayer and powerful reflections from President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., Cantor Abramson, and Cantor Ostfeld herself highlighted the profound contributions of women in shaping Jewish musical and religious leadership.

Noting the life changing impact Cantor Ostfeld had on so many in attendance, Cantor Jill Abramson, Director of the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music noted remarked, “You have enabled us, you have enabled me, to harvest joy from your artistry and the path you have widened for the generations that have followed.”

Cantor Barbara Ostfeld ’75 holds hands and shares a moment with Cantor Jill Abramson ’02 and Rabbi David Adelson, ’99, D.Min. ’16, New York Dean.

After a rousing standing ovation from a full sanctuary, Cantor Ostfeld delivered an inspiring, funny, and pointed commentary about her pioneering journey and the challenges and triumphs that have shaped the last five decades not just for women, but for all Jewish spiritual leaders who have to fight for their rightful place alongside the historical heterosexual male patriarchy.

“Yesterday’s Jewish men made up the notion that women and others could not merit divine love and had to settle for divine acquaintanceship,” said Cantor Ostfeld.

Current cantorial students and Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music faculty honor Cantor Barbara Ostfeld ’75.

“The enlightened among today’s men, gay and straight, non-binary, are here standing next to us women,” she continued. “We’ve jointly brought litigation, a din Torah, not against God, but against that unwavering grip of Jewish law as written. When Rabbi Sally Priesand was ordained in 1972, and I followed in 1975, we prevailed in our din Torah. We brought this Jewish world another step closer to the enlightenment, the enlightenment process, that is our Reform north star.”

President Rehfeld celebrated the significance of Cantor Ostfeld’s achievement and the lasting impact it has had on Jewish worship and beyond.

“The ignorance and prejudices of the age were and still are projected upon you and others who came after, creating barriers that other colleagues did not have to overcome,” he said of Cantor Ostfeld in his remarks. “And yet you not only persisted, you flourished. And with your flourishing, you strengthened our movement, our people, and our world.”

President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. and Cantor Barbara Ostfeld ’75.

Movement partners, including the American Conference of Cantors and president Cantor Seth Warner ’01, Women of Reform Judaism CEO Rabbi Liz Hirsch ‘15, and pioneer Rabbi Sally Priesand ’72 joined the celebration of the groundbreakers who paved the way and the future of women in the cantorate.

“I completely took for granted that I would be able to go to Cantorial School one day,” said Ilana Mulcahy, fourth-year cantorial student, who co-led the service with Leah Sherin, fourth-year rabbinical student. Mulcahy continued, “It is because of a few tenancious people, some of whom are in this room today, that I walked through doors that were already open. Your determination was our redemption.”

After a celebratory lunch, attendees experienced the dynamic and forward-focused learning environment by joining afternoon classes. Offerings included “Improvisation and Integration” with Elana Arian and Cantor Jack Mendelson ‘70, a “Master Class” with Cantor Azi Schwartz, and deep dives into High Holy Day repertoire with Cantor Dan Mutlu ‘08 focusing on Rosh Hashanah, and Cantor Josh Breitzer ‘11 and Cantor Jonathan Comisar ‘00 looking at Yom Kippur.

“Founders Day at Hebrew Union College is a time for us to reflect, honor and celebrate, those who founded this institution. Foundations are for building things, and we recognize that any founder is a builder of something new,” observed President Rehfeld in his remarks.

From its founding to the ordination of Cantor Ostfeld, to the unique moral dilemmas we face today, building something new from our traditions and the foundations laid by those who came before continues to be a driving passion of HUC’s faculty, staff, alumni and students.

—–

This event was part of a larger campaign to honor 50 years of women in the Cantorate, and the legacy of Cantor Ostfeld. To invest in the future of the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music and another 50 years of lifting all our voices, contact Ilana Goldberg, igoldberg@huc.edu or 212-824-2207 or visit huc.edu/dfssm-giving.