Selected text
Before the war, when we had our great festivals, Rosh Hashanah for example, meaning New Year, they always engaged a famous cantor from Bucharest, Varad [short for Nagyvarad], Kolozsvar, who was praying and who conducted the whole liturgy, thus the prayer sounded great.
These cantors are usually opera singers, so they must have a good voice. On these occasions religious Jews came to that synagogue too to listen to the cantor. Still there were many Jews in those times, the seats in the synagogue were numbered, and one could buy a place.
During autumn festivals you had to give cash for a seat, you couldn’t get in just like that, up there were seats for women, and down for men. Hasidim too engaged many times cantors in the great synagogue. If not, there was a chazzan who could pray well, and had a good voice. But there wasn’t any opera singer, any cantor. Festivals were very beautiful once. On the Day of Atonement the ‘Kannedra’ [Kol Nidre] started in the evening was so beautiful, it was very nice once.
These cantors are usually opera singers, so they must have a good voice. On these occasions religious Jews came to that synagogue too to listen to the cantor. Still there were many Jews in those times, the seats in the synagogue were numbered, and one could buy a place.
During autumn festivals you had to give cash for a seat, you couldn’t get in just like that, up there were seats for women, and down for men. Hasidim too engaged many times cantors in the great synagogue. If not, there was a chazzan who could pray well, and had a good voice. But there wasn’t any opera singer, any cantor. Festivals were very beautiful once. On the Day of Atonement the ‘Kannedra’ [Kol Nidre] started in the evening was so beautiful, it was very nice once.
Period
Location
Maramarossziget
Romania
Interview
Golda Salamon