Breaking Barriers in Song: A Celebration of Women in Cantorial Leadership

Washington Hebrew Congregation is blessed to have the beautiful voices of Cantors Susan Bortnick and Suzanne Hamstra filling our worship spaces each week. It’s hard to imagine services any other way, but 50 years ago, the idea of a female cantor was shocking.

On Wednesday, July 2, at 7:30 pm, you can experience a groundbreaking musical event celebrating more than just beautiful melodies, but one honoring a pivotal moment in Jewish musical history. The American Conference of Cantors (ACC) will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Cantor Barbara Ostfeld’s ordination, through a concert that promises to be both a tribute and a musical journey.

As direct beneficiaries of Ostfeld’s barrier-breaking, Cantor Bortnick said she is honored to co-chair the event along with her colleague Cantor Sydney Michaeli from Temple Rodef Shalom. “We’re not just celebrating Barbara,” she explains, “but the first generation of women for whom she opened the door.” Ostfeld will be there to sing and share vignettes from her time in cantorial school and the cantorate, along with a choir of cantors ordained before 1995 performing pieces that metaphorically represent her journey.

The concert’s second half transforms into an exploration of Jewish musical heritage. “Women cantors are not just responsible for music written by women,” Bortnick emphasizes, “but for the entire Jewish music canon.” This portion will feature an extraordinary musical timeline—from Renaissance composer Salomon Rossi to pieces written in the last five years.

When you bring this many cantors and musicians together, finding ways for everyone to perform may be the hardest task. In addition to sharing some traditional solos, the performance will include four distinct choirs, ranging from an intimate eight-person ensemble to a robust 40-person choir. Local DC, Maryland, and Virginia cantors will also have a dedicated performance, celebrating our region’s rich Jewish musical community.  In total, 80 cantors and members of the Guild of Temple Musicians will participate in the concert.

The repertoire is equally impressive. Audiences will hear everything from traditional Chazzanut (cantorial art) to choral compositions, including a brand-new piece commissioned specifically for this concert. Composer Cantor Benjie Ellen Schiller, one of the first-generation female cantors, has created a work in honor of Cantor Ostfeld with text recommendations from her pioneering colleagues.

Even as this cantorial “Eras Tour” covers centuries of Jewish music, Cantor Bortnick promises the audience will know what they’re hearing. “Etz Chaim is the text that closes the Torah service. Jack Gottlieb wrote an arrangement dedicated to Barbara Ostfeld. It has a really jazzy feel to it, so different than how we chant it at the end of services, but it’s a text that’s familiar.”

Bortnick is particularly excited about the concert’s inclusivity. “Barbara not only opened up the door for women to follow, but for people of all identities. The Cantorate is no longer just white men,” she explains. Cantors from across the last five decades will be performing during the evening. This is about “coming together across generations and identities.”

Mark your calendars. This isn’t just a concert—it’s a historical moment in American Jewish music. “Imagine 200 cantors and Guild of Temple Musicians all in one space singing together,” Cantor Bortnick remarked. “It’s going to be pretty powerful.”

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