Review of A Cantor's Tale (2005) by Reuven S — 05 Jan 2014

A moving and heartwarming retrospective on the story of Cantor Jackie Mendelson, his childhood, and how growing up in Boro Park Brooklyn in the '50s and '60s impacted his love for cantorial music resulting in his decision to become a Cantor and to share his love for the musical tradition with everyone he encounters along the way.

One gets here a nostalgic look back to the days when cantorial music (chazzanus) was the sole form of entertainment for the immigrant generation; and how this music served as a link between the generations providing hope and comfort in difficult times, as well as giving voice to the spiritual aspirations and yearnings of a people.

Along the way Cantor Mendelson pulls everyone he encounters into the world of chazzanus and gets them (us) to sing with him. Just the footage of the various shop keepers, deli workers and passers by (along with such famous personalities as Jackie Mason and Alan Dershowitz) singing along with Mendelson is worth the price of admission.

..or purchase... as the case may be. This is not only the story of an individual or a generation, but rather of the soul of the Jewish people through the lens of the great tradition of (Eastern European) cantorial music and its implication for the future direction of American Jewish life.