Films about cantors to debut
By Sophia Fischer sfischer@theacorn.com

Yossele Rosenblatt

Some of the cantors considered among the greatest will make their onscreen West Coast debuts at 3 p.m. Sun., April 22 at Temple Beth Haverim in Agoura Hills.

"Great Cantors of the Golden Age" and "Great Cantors in Cinema" showcase some of the rarest and finest performances of traditional Eastern European cantorial art from 1927 to 1956.

"To be able to have some of the greatest cantors of all time appearing at our synagogue in the Conejo Valley is very exciting," said Beth Haverim Cantor Kenny Ellis. "In this generation there aren't enough real hazzanut (cantors) we're hearing in synagogues today."

The first film includes highlights from Yiddish filmmaker Joseph Seiden's 1931 film "The Voice of Israel," with performances by Adolph Katchko, Yossele Rosenblatt, David Roitman, Joseph Shlisky and Mordechai Hershman.

"Great Cantors in Cinema" includes Rosenblatt, Hershman, Moishe Oysher and Liebele Waldman. Seven newly restored cantorial pieces from rare film footage never seen before are "Kol Nidre" by Katchko and "ViY'rushalayim Ircho" by Moshe Koussevitsky.

Digitally restored in DVD format, the films were produced by Cantor Murray Simon of Princeton, N.J. and rereleased earlier this year by the National Center for Jewish Film, based in Massachusetts. Simon will attend the Beth Haverim screening for a discussion about the films.

Ellis met Simon at a cantors' convention and urged him to bring the films to Agoura Hills.

"It's important for us to keep these voices alive," Ellis said. "To hear these greats who are not alive anymore is just amazing."

The screening is part of the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival being held at various locations in Los Angeles from April 21-26. Among the other films are "O Jerusalem," "Dear Mr. President" and "Steel Toes."

Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the door. For information, call Beth Haverim at (818) 991-7111 or visit the film festival site at the website www.lajfilmfest.org.