Andrew Byrne seeks a Jewish musical tradition in New York: April 2009

Shearith Israel Synagogue Central Park West and 70th Street.

On returning to Central synagogue last week, Rabbi Wolff said that he had not liked to comment on my absence – which is perfect etiquette. I usually spend a month in New York at this time of year since ‘discovering’ the Big Apple almost 20 years ago. My grandfather visited in 1922 and wrote effusively about his impressions (see blog). Despite not being Jewish I have been extended a welcome in Australia's pre-eminent synagogue as vocal enthusiast where I attend on Fridays as a rule and on other services as an exception.

It appears that I was away at the same time as Chazzan Shimon Farkas, a happy coincidence as his contribution to the Central services is unique and monumental. The shule is fortunate to have Rabbi Yehuda Niasoff whose vocal, musical and other talents are also remarkable. Including the large and professional male choir, there is no team like this in Manhattan, at least not that I could find even on close enquiry over several years.

Central Synagogue is an immensely beautiful modern building and its congregation and community spirit, especially the children, make it an appealing place to return to. The acoustics are near perfect in this hall of 2000 seats. For these reasons I believe all Sydney-siders, Jewish or otherwise, should consider attending a service here. It should also be on the list of things for tourists to Sydney to do if they have any interest in Judaica.

I was told that few Manhattan shules have choirs any more, at least for regular shabbos services. Some say that a choir makes the congregation less likely to sing themselves – and I found some evidence of that on this visit although it is clearly not the case at Central.

I attended three shules during my month in Manhattan. Shearith Israel twice – and the Sephardis are a world apart – if a recognisable one. Their rabbis wear headgear rather like Greek Orthodox priests: tall black cylindrical affairs with flat tops. The three clergy read and chanted from a centrally placed, raised bimah facing the ark. There is no drosha in Kabbalat Shabbat which I think is the old tradition anyway. Their chazzan (who I believe is also the mohel) and choir sang from the upstairs gallery of their enormous and beautiful shule building on 70th and Central Park West (just a block from my apartment). The tunes from the unseen singers were nearly all different in their tradition yet the chazzanut was glorious and uplifting on both occasions.

Park East Synagogue Shabbos morning service was a high point vocally with previous Central maestro Russell Ger conducting Yitzak Meir Helfgot and a professional choir of 6 men. I had to pinch myself to realise that I was there, hearing such a great cantor (not perfect, though, as he sometimes seems to push a little beyond even his own capabilities), a professional choir and an Aussie conductor. As the maestro and chazzan switched places towards the end, Russell sang the penultimate song himself as a solo, much to the delight of the congregation. I saw people craning their necks to see who was now singing, so different was Russell’s mellifluous strong baritone from the chazzan’s high, dry tenor. Unfortunately, their ‘bimah’ is adjacent to the ark so some vocalism is wasted to the front wall, curtains, etc. The choir sat in an arc on ‘stage right’, allowing their voices to project into the hall right up to the final Adon olam. This is a marathon 3 hour session for all the participants – equal to most any grand opera or musical.

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An address was given in the middle of the morning service by an Israeli army general Gershon Hacohen. He spoke in good English about the vexed issue of accusations of excess collateral damage in the recent Gaza incursions. By chance I was sitting right next to an IDF veteran who was also visiting New York. His copious eyebrows and facial expressions revealed his discomfort at some of what the general had to say. We spoke about seeing things from different perspectives, American and Israeli. Unlike some newspapers in the west, the Israeli press is very frank its criticism of some aspects of war, even when the most serious efforts are obviously taken to prevent excess collateral damage. I read that there are present investigations into the excesses of some individual soldiers … but I was surprised to hear these things discussed in a house of worship.

The Carlebach Congregation is a tiny but very famous shule on 79th St near Riverside Drive. It was well attended on a Friday night with enthusiastic singing, clapping and panel bashing with a cantor who had written his own new melody for some part of the service. By chance I sat next to a man who remembered me from the opera as he worked in the box office at Lincoln Center! He was intrigued about my goyish attendance, Australia, Bondi, opera, etc and ask lots of questions – when I really just wanted to concentrate on the service. Does that sound like a kvetch? At least he was pleasant and forthcoming. In Lecha dodi at least half the men danced in a chain around the bimah – such as it was – a tiny platform at the front. The shul building is like two narrow tram-cars with a metal fence dividing men from women. I met the current Carlebach chazzan named Yehuda who said “so what” when I confessed to cross-denomination straying.
Like Central, the Carlebach now has transliterated Artscroll siddurim available while both Shearith Israel and Park East are considering them according to their helpful staff. Each is an orthodox kehillah.

Next time in New York I may try the large temple Emanu-El on 5th Avenue near Central Park South. As for Sydney shule descriptions, I keep a diary, but this is far too verbose, subjective and detailed to be of interest for normal readers. I sometimes send snippets to friends and congregants both to check my own ‘recall’ as well as spread the word about these extraordinary vestigal institutions. I always ask that these notes not be forwarded since people’s privacy needs to be respected – even if attending a house of worship is essentially a public thing to do.

Photos and more details on request.

Notes by Andrew Byrne ..