Leib Tropper is a rabbi who has spent several years teaching in Israel. Prior to teaching abroad and establishing the Kol Yaakov Torah Center in Monsey, New York, Leib Tropper studied at the Rabbi Jacob Joseph School and the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia.

1. DISTINGUISHING THE
ROLES OF A RABBI AND
CANTOR
By Leib Tropper

2. Introduction
 Leib Tropper is a rabbi who has spent several years teaching
in Israel. Prior to teaching abroad and establishing the Kol
Yaakov Torah Center in Monsey, New York, Leib Tropper
studied at the Rabbi Jacob Joseph School and the Talmudical
Yeshiva of Philadelphia.
The rabbi and cantor are the two primary figures in the
Hebrew synagogue. While they can perform some of the
same functions, there are also several notable differences.
The rabbi is charged with a variety of pastoral duties, ranging
from leading a congregation in prayer to consulting with
individual members of the synagogue during moments of
spiritual or personal crisis. Perhaps the rabbi’s most important
job is holding a Beit Din, or rabbinical court, in order to
approve the conversion of a new Jewish follower.

3. Rabbi and Cantor
 Cantors, on the other hand, are specifically
trained in the musical arts associated with a
reading. The position of cantor was established
more than two centuries ago when the general
congregation did not have readily available
access to prayer books. While followers of the
Jewish faith are, on average, more educated than
they were in the past, cantors still hold a number
of important roles as members of the clergy.
Cantors are often responsible for helping young
members of the congregation prepare for their Bar
or Bat Mitzvah, for example, and regularly take on
important duties during various life events.