Notes from Cantor Avima

Many congregants of Adath Shalom remember very fondly Cantor Jack Korbman. I have heard many lovely stories about him over the last two years. But, I too had a Cantor Jack in my life. When I was 10 years old, a very young Cantor, fresh out of the Jewish Theological Seminary Cantors Institute (where I studied many years later), began his tenure at our synagogue. It was this Cantor who taught me Haftarah trope, Megillat Esther trope (Purim), introduced me to NUSACH and exposed us to some of the greats of Jewish choral music. He prepared me for my (Friday night) bat mitzvah (yes, this was shortly before our congregation became egalitarian). He recruited me to tutor students, starting my career as an educator. I should mention that my father was the Rabbi of this congregation in a suburb west of Boston. This Cantor Jack (or as he became known to scores of students Hazzan Jack Kessler), was quite "unorthodox" in his approach to Judaism and Jewish prayer. He had a beautiful voice and was capable of some serious classical, hazzanic  virtuosity. Yet, he had a "hippie" like air. He often rode a bike to shul. He had a laid back "Hey, man" kind of a vibe. He played guitar (not at services in those days, although we did have an organ in that synagogue). He tried to introduce "new" innovations like rock services, etc... which did not always go well with the older folks. And, yes, he was a pied piper to the teens because he spoke our language. It is his voice I still hear in my head as I daven. 

After a 20 year career serving conservative pulpits, he founded and directed the ALEPH Cantorial School of the Renewal movement. He created something called DLTI (Davenen Leadership Training Institute) meant for professionals and student Cantors alike. He influenced and inspired hundreds of students through his involvement in Aleph. Although I would not say we were "close", he was an important mentor during my formative years. I had no idea then that I would become a Cantor. I reconnected with him several times over the decades. He was very supportive to me when I was going through some big transitions in my professional life. Hazzan Jack Kessler passed away Thursday night and was buried on Sunday. There has been much grief, mourning and many beautiful words shared on social media about what how this man influenced so many. A colleague wrote a beautiful eulogy and shared it with the Cantorial community. I thought he did a really good job describing Hazzan Jack Kessler's contributions and inspiration and I share it here:  Hazzan Jack Eulogy by Matt Austerklein