Avitall Gerstetter Explained

Avitall Gerstetter (Hebrew: אביטל גרסטטר; born 1972 [1] [2]) is the first female hazzan (cantor) in Jewish Renewal and the first female cantor in Germany.[3] [4]

Early life

Gerstetter was born into a Jewish family in 1972. Her father is a convert to Judaism.[5]

Career

Gerstetter was ordained in 2002.[6] [7] She served as a cantor in Berlin together with cantor Mimi Sheffer and Rabbi Daniela Thau; this was the first time after the Holocaust that women had led the services of the High Holy Days.[8] She served until August 2022 as cantor in the Oranienburger Straße Synagogue and in the Hüttenweg Synagogue in Berlin, and has created several CDs. In August 2022 she published a letter in Die Welt, stating that converts to Judaism in Germany pose a threat to Jewish communities nationwide. The following week she was fired from her position in the Berlin Jewish Community.[5]

Awards

In 2007 Avitall was awarded the title of ‘Ambassador for Tolerance’ by the Bündnis für Demokratie und Toleranz of the German government.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Institute of Sacred Music | Colloquium Journal . Yale.edu . 2005-07-08 . 2012-04-13 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130201102614/http://www.yale.edu/ism/colloq_journal/vol5/bohlman5.html . 2013-02-01 .
  2. Jewish Music in the Age of Revival . Philip V. . Bohlman . Institute of Sacred Music: Colloquium Journal . 5 . Autumn 2008 . 2021-03-15.
  3. Web site: Programmes | Crossing Continents | Europe | Jewish Berlin rises again - with Russian help . BBC News . 2000-11-15 . 2012-04-13.
  4. News: Musik ist transzendental, Interview with Avitall Gerstetter . Philipp . Gessler . de . Die Tageszeitung: Taz . 2005-06-06 . 28 . Vor sieben Jahren schrieb sie Geschichte: Avitall Gerstetter wurde die erste deutsche Kantorin, angestellt bei der Jüdischen Gemeinde ihrer Heimatstadt Berlin. . She made history seven years ago: Avitall Gerstetter became the first German female cantor to be employed by the Jewish community in her hometown of Berlin. .
  5. Web site: Are too many Germans converting to Judaism? The debate is roiling Germany's Jewish community. . 6 September 2022 . . 2023-02-11.
  6. Web site: alephalumni . Alephalumni.homestead.com . 2012-04-13.
  7. Web site: Avitall Gerstetter - Jewish Community of Berlin . Jg-berlin.org . 2012-04-13.
  8. Web site: Jüdische Nachrichten . Jewish Women - Rabbi on the Margin . Hagalil.com . 2012-04-13.
  9. Web site: Berliner Jugendforum -: Häuser und Demokratie . Polli-magazin.de . 2012-04-13 .

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