Avitall Gerstetter

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]

Avitalli Gerstetter (2019)

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.[7] 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]

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References
  1. "Institute of Sacred Music | Colloquium Journal". Yale.edu. 2005-07-08. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  2. Bohlman, Philip V. (Autumn 2008). "Jewish Music in the Age of Revival" (PDF). Institute of Sacred Music: Colloquium Journal. 5. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  3. "Programmes | Crossing Continents | Europe | Jewish Berlin rises again - with Russian help". BBC News. 2000-11-15. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  4. Gessler, Philipp (2005-06-06). "Musik ist transzendental, Interview with Avitall Gerstetter". TAZ.de (in German). 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. "Are too many Germans converting to Judaism? The debate is roiling Germany's Jewish community". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  6. "alephalumni". Alephalumni.homestead.com. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  7. "Avitall Gerstetter - Jewish Community of Berlin". Jg-berlin.org. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  8. Jüdische Nachrichten. "Jewish Women - Rabbi on the Margin". Hagalil.com. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  9. "Berliner Jugendforum -: Häuser und Demokratie". Polli-magazin.de. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
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