In My Own Voice

<p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(68 68 68 1)>In My Own Voice</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(68 68 68 1)> tells the trailblazing story of Barbara Ostfeld the first woman ordained as a cantor. As a schoolgirl Barbara loved singing loudly and with spirit but she was mocked for her singing by her classmates. This didn't happen when she sang in her synagogue's children's choir and Barbara reveled in her freedom to sing choir solos at Temple services. When it was time for her to apply to colleges Barbara asked her cantor what seminary he had attended explaining that she wanted to become a synagogue cantor. He laughed at her telling her not to apply and saying that the seminary would not accept her because she was a girl. And even when the seminary's registrar told her that no girl ever had even applied for admission Barbara applied anyway and was admitted. But when she entered her first chorus class at college the teacher said There are no women's parts so just mouth the words. Yet Barbara persisted in finding her own voice at the seminary and in 1975 became the first woman ordained as a cantor in 3000 years of Jewish history; today female cantors sing in hundreds of synagogues around the world.</span></p>