Erica Jan (Riki) Lippitz and Marla Rosenfeld Barugel were the first two female

hazzan A ''hazzan'' (; , lit. Hazan) or ''chazzan'' ( he, חַזָּן , plural ; Yiddish ''khazn''; Ladino ''Hasan'') is a Jewish musician or precentor trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer. In English, this pr ...

s (also called cantors) ordained in

Conservative Judaism Conservative Judaism, known as Masorti Judaism outside North America, is a Jewish religious movement which regards the authority of ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions as coming primarily from its people and community through the generatio ...

. Their ordination was held in 1987, two years after the first woman was ordained a Conservative rabbi. Lippitz and Barugel were ordained at the same time by the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. After her ordination, Lippitz served for 34 years as cantor of Oheb Shalom in South Orange, New Jersey. She was also the director and co-founder of the Kol Dodi choir, director of Oheb Shalom's adult and children's choirs, and a member of the folk-singing group ''Beged Kefet'', which performs nationally and has made three recordings. She was a cofounder, with Cantor Perry Fine, of the JTS Cantorial Alumni Association's Shir Joy Choral Festival. In 2005 she sang at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...

. Prior to becoming a cantor, Lippitz earned a B.A. from the University of Michigan, as well as a Masters in Jewish Communal Service from Brandeis University. She had also served as the director of

Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Cathol ...

Hillel Hillel ( he, links=no, הלל, lit=praise) is a Jewish masculine given name and a surname. It may refer to: Given name * Hillel the Elder (110 BC–10 AD), Babylonian sage, scholar, and Jewish leader * Hillel, son of Gamaliel III (3rd century), ...

. When she entered the Seminary, she did not believe graduating as a Hazzan would be possible. By the time she graduated, she was one of eleven accomplished women in the program, all of whom went on to serve congregations of note. Cantor Lippitz was recognized numerous times by the Cantors Assembly of the Conservative movement, receiving the Yehudah Mandel Humanitarian Award (2013), the Hazzan Moshe Nathanson Award for Conducting (2018), and the Yuval Award (2018).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lippitz, Erica Women hazzans Living people American Jews Brandeis University alumni University of Michigan alumni Year of birth missing (living people)