Every Jew Alive Is a Miracle | Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray on Jewish Survival, Music, and Identity

About this episode

Rabbi Eyal Bitton interviews Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray about her journey as a pioneering woman cantor and the significance of Jewish identity and music.

(00:00:00) Why “Every Jew Alive Is a Miracle” | Introduction (00:02:00) What she loves about being Jewish (00:05:00) Growing up in a family of cantors and Jewish music (00:09:43) Becoming one of the first women cantors (00:12:59) Family legacy, Holocaust memory, and Jewish continuity (00:16:12) Finding a congregation that truly valued Jewish music (00:18:25) What a cantor really gives to a community (00:21:16) Tradition, new music, and serving a congregation well (00:25:03) Being a pioneer in the Conservative movement (00:27:20) Founding the Women Cantors’ Network (00:35:14) Sacred Sounds Reborn: bringing nusach to new music (00:41:27) “Rewirement,” not retirement (00:44:44) Studying with Elie Wiesel (00:52:30) “Every Jew alive is a miracle” (00:59:20) Antisemitism, courage, and speaking up (01:01:22) Advice for Jewish students facing hate on campus (01:07:17) The future of American Jewish life (01:10:26) Is Jewish music stronger today than it was 40 years ago? (01:16:20) Final reflections In this episode of Proudly Jewish: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity , Rabbi Eyal Bitton is joined by Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray — pioneering woman cantor, composer, educator, and…

People in this episode

Host: Eyal Bitton

Guest: Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray

Topics covered

• Jewish survival
• music
• identity
• Holocaust memory
• Jewish continuity
• antisemitism
• American Jewish life

Keywords

• Jewish music
• cantor
• Jewish identity
• Holocaust
• antisemitism
• Women Cantors’ Network
• Sacred Sounds Reborn

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