Renowned Cantor Rabbi Chaim Adler Dies at 87

The world of Jewish music and cantorial art is mourning the passing of Rabbi Chaim Adler, a prominent cantor, who died on Saturday night, the eve of the final day of Sukkot, at the age of 87. Adler, considered one of the leading cantors of his generation, served as the chief cantor for the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem and the Great Synagogue in Tel Aviv. He was born in Tel Aviv in 1940 and showed exceptional musical talent from a young age, beginning his career in the choir of cantor Shlomo Ratz. Adler studied at the "Chafetz Chaim" yeshiva in Kfar Saba and later at the Hebron Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He honed his cantorial skills under the tutelage of cantor Leib Glantz, emphasizing the importance of prayer text. Throughout his career, Adler served in prominent congregations globally, including in Tel Aviv, Forest Hills, New York, London, Englewood, New Jersey, and Toronto. Upon his return to Israel in the early 2000s, he was appointed chief cantor of the Great Synagogue in Tel Aviv, and in 2009, he took the same role at the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem, serving until 2015. His lyrical tenor voice and moving prayer style made him a central figure in Ashkenazi cantorial music. Adler was known for his devotion to prayer texts and heartfelt intention. He performed in numerous concerts worldwide, recorded albums of Radomsk and Modzitz Hasidic melodies, and sang "El Maleh Rachamim" at large events, including Siyum Hashas ceremonies. He received the Jerusalem Prize and the Tel Aviv-Yafo "Yakir Ha'ir" (Distinguished Citizen) award for his contributions to cantorial art and spreading the awareness of prayer. An autobiography detailing his life, "Chaim Adler: The Chief Cantor," was published in 2022. He is survived by his wife, Shoshana, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, including his son, singer and cantor Yisrael (Srulik) Adler, and grandsons, cantors Simcha and Yisrael Rotenberg.