When you enroll at JSLI, you become part of our community- now more than one hundred fifty Rabbis and four Cantors strong. We also currently have four Cantorial students in training.
We are a vibrant, forward thinking group of Jewish professionals who are always available to help one another through our private FB chat group and our online continuing education Lunch and Learns. We offer an optimum environment for study for the modern Jewish Cantorate.
Our Cantorial program takes two full years of study after which you are Ordained as Hazzan/Cantor and of course, fully entitled to officiate at all Jewish and Interfaith Holidays Life-Cycle events.
Musical Modules of Study at the JSLI Cantorial School
There are four major musical modules of study at the JSLI Cantorial School:
- High Holidays
- Shabbat
- Weekdays
- Festivals
Each musical module must be studied until the student is proficient at leading those Services. Students are mentored online in bi-monthly classes which are held from September through June.
During classes you have the opportunity to sing and demonstrate your progress. In this way learning is low-pressure (no commute) and high-value (maximum learning in a short time).
Students proceed chronologically through the four modules of study and also enroll in all JSLI Rabbinical Life-Cycle Courses (officiating at Weddings, Funerals, B’nai Mitzvah Services and Pastoral Counseling courses.)
Our curriculum derives from our Jewish musical tradition. Each module’s “nusach” has been selected from the Cantorial text books of some of the most important Hazzanim in our Jewish liturgical music tradition. All have been chosen as beautiful and representative of our musical traditions. All of the selections have been newly recorded and match the notated music in the text books that you will purchase. Most selections are not overly complex and if you can play a melody on piano, you can pick out the notes. Even if you cannot play an instrument, you can be guided visually by the written notes.
Please note: In addition to having a lovely voice and being able to read simple music notation, you must be able to read Hebrew in a Siddur and Machzor to enroll in the Cantorial program.