Yes. An ordained cantor is clergy and can lead services and officiate at religious ceremonies, including b’nai mitzvah, weddings, funerals and baby namings. In many congregations the cantor leads these ceremonies alongside the rabbi, and when there’s no rabbi, the cantor often leads on their own.
What cantors do
- Lead worship services and chant from the Torah
- Train girls and boys for their bar and bat mitzvah and lead the service
- Officiate at weddings, funerals and baby namings
- Visit the sick and offer pastoral care
- Teach adult education and inspire the congregation through music
For weddings, check the law where the ceremony takes place. Some states and cities require clergy to register before officiating.
How JSLI prepares cantors for this
JSLI cantorial students join our rabbinical students in lifecycle Master Classes on officiating at Jewish and interfaith weddings, funerals, b’nai mitzvah and baby namings, along with pastoral counseling. Graduates are ordained as Cantor and Spiritual Leader, ready to serve the full life of a community. See Are Cantors Ordained? and the Cantorial School page.