Cantor David Montefiore sings Cantor Yisroel Schorr’s ‘Birchat Kohanim’

Cantor David Montefiore sings Cantor Yisroel Schorr’s ‘Birchat Kohanim’
with the Progressive Shaarey Zedek Choir - Samuel Jaffe, Director - Brooklyn, New York.

Israel Schorr 1886 - April 9, 1935 was a prominent cantor during the Golden Age of Hazzanut.
Born in Khyriv, the Polish region of Galicia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to a Hassidic family. Schorr began his career as a boy, singing soprano in the courts of various Hassidic masters, notably the Rebbe - Grand Rabbi of Rymanow. In 1904, Schorr replaced his distant relative Hazzan Boruch Schorr as the official Cantor for the Rebbe of Rymanów.

During World War I, Schorr served in the Imperial army of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After the war, he took various cantorial posts in central and eastern Europe, including Brno in Czechoslovakia, Kraków in Poland, and a brief stint in Zürich, Switzerland. With help from Congressman Sol Bloom of Chicago, Schorr emigrated to the United States in 1924 with an artist visa to accept a position in Chicago. He later served in positions in New York City. Some of his family still live in New York, and in Boston, Massachusetts. Schorr also performed frequently, with the Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt.

Apart from performing the traditional pieces of the Jewish liturgy, Schorr also wrote liturgical pieces. He introduced improvisational lines, many of which were later adopted by other prominent cantors. His best-known piece in this style is Sheyibone Beis HaMikdosh, which was modified by the renowned Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky.

The Priestly Blessing, Hebrew: ברכת כהנים; birkat kohanim, also known in rabbinic literature as raising of the hands - nesiat kapayim or rising to the platform - aliyah ledukhan or dukhanen.
The blessing is given from the bimah, before the ark and is recited by Kohanim who are descendants of Aaron. The text of the blessing is found in Numbers 6:23–27.
After the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the practice continued in synagogues universally and today in most Jewish communities. Kohanim bless the people in the synagogue during services.