Perhaps the World's First Female Cantor - Betty Robbins

In 1955, the newly formed Reform Congregation, Temple Avodah in Oceanside, NY needed a Cantor for the HIgh Holidays. Betty Robbins was hired and was reported, by the New York Times, as "Perhaps First in Jewish History".

The NY Times article continued with "“A spokesman for the School of Sacred Music of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion said she might well be the first woman cantor in 5,000 years of Jewish history.”

This historic recording was made by Victor J. (Vic) Lourie, the choir master at Temple Avodah at the time and made available to us by his son Ira.