Israel Schorr

Who was Israel Schorr?

Israel Schorr was a prominent cantor during the Golden Age of Hazzanut. Born in the Polish region of Galicia then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to a Hasidic family, Schorr began his career as a boy, singing soprano in the courts of various hassidic masters, notably the Rebbe of Rymanow.

Schorr was born in Rymanów. After serving in the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I, he took various cantorial posts in central and eastern Europe, including Brno in Czechoslovakia, Kraków in Poland and a brief stint in Zürich, Switzerland. With help from Congressman Sol Bloom of Chicago, Schorr emigrated to the United States in 1924 to accept a position in Chicago and later in New York in both Brooklyn and the Bronx. He also performed frequently, most importantly with the master cantor Yossele Rosenblatt.

Apart from performing the traditional pieces of the Jewish liturgy, Schorr also wrote liturgical pieces. He introduced improvisational lines to the pieces, many of which were later adopted by other prominent cantors. His best-known piece in this style is Sheyibone Beis HaMikdosh, which was modified by Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky.

Schorr died prematurely of a heart condition in 1935. His son, Morris Schorr, went on to become a cantor in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He was one of the founding members of the Cantor's Assembly.