| Personal data | |
|---|---|
| Surname | Kandler |
| Name | Simon |
| Birth year | 1901 |
| Birth place | Libau |
| Death year | 2001 |
| Death month | 8 |
| Death day | 7 |
| Death place | New York |
| Sex | M |
Kandler Simon (1901, Libau – 7 August 2001, New York) — ḥazzan (chief cantor in the synagogue).
From the age of six, Simon Kandler sang in the choir of the Choral Synagogue (“Chor-shul”) in Libau. He studied at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin. In 1923, he arrived in Boston on the steamer Carmenia — one of the last ships to leave Liverpool for the United States before the change in immigration laws in January 1924.
From 1923 to 1939, he worked as a men’s clothing salesman while also performing in radio and theatre productions. In 1933, he won the vocal section of the Boston competition for stage singers and pianists.
In 1941, Simon Kandler was invited to the South Brooklyn Jewish Community Centre (later Temple Emeth), where in 1948 he became permanent cantor. During the Second World War, he served as assistant chaplain in the U.S. Army.
In July 2000, Simon Kandler was named Honorary Cantor at Temple Emeth. From 1945, he was an active member of the Boston Association of Jewish Cantors and one of the founders of the American Cantors’ Assembly. In February 1998, he received an honorary doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary.