RABINOVICZ, PINCHAS

RABINOVICZ, PINCHAS (1947–), ḥazzan. Rabinovicz was born in Lodz, and at the age of three immigrated to Israel with his family and was educated in yeshivot. In 1968 he began to serve as a cantor in the Gevurat Yisrael Synagogue in Tel Aviv. He has appeared in concerts and on radio and television programs. In 1973 he moved to Montreal and continued his studies in music and voice development in McGill University. His voice is a lyric tenor, and he soon became famous throughout Canada and appeared in broadcasts of the Canadian Broadcasting Authority. He served as a cantor in the Beth Ora Synagogue in Montreal and was president of the Cantors' Association. In 1983 he moved to Los Angeles and was appointed chief cantor of the largest Orthodox congregation in the Western United States, Beth Jacob Synagogue of Beverly Hills. He has composed music to portions of the prayer service and ḥassidic songs. Rabinovicz's website made available many new and original compositions for downloading. (Akiva Zimmerman)