Sol Zim

Last updated
Sol Zim
Birth nameSolomon Zimelman
Born (1939-08-17) August 17, 1939 (age 84)
Occupation(s) cantor
Website www.solzim.com

Sol Zim (born Solomon Zimelman on August 17, 1939) is an American cantor. He lives in Queens, New York.

Contents

Sol Zim is known for his classic Jewish songs. He is considered to be one of the most important Jewish cantors. [1] Sol Zim has been featured in The New York Times, [2] Daily News, [3] The Chicago Tribune [4] and newspapers from Brazil, [5] South Africa [6] and the United Kingdom. [7]

Notable works

In 1960, he performed with the Jewish Minister Cantor Association at Madison Square Garden. [8] In the late 1970s, many Jewish rock operas were produced, David Superstar, one of the most important was composed by Sol Zim. [9] It is said that this is the first Jewish rock opera. It was performed one night at the Hollis Hills Jewish Center in 1974. He also was part of a Jewish group that performed in front of the Pope John Paul II, being the first time in history that such a large group of Jewish clergy men officially met with a Pope. [10]

Zim composed the commonly used rendition of the Prayer for the Welfare of the State of Israel in 1988, which was popularized by chief cantor of the Israeli Defense Forces Shai Abramson as a tribute to fallen soldiers. [11]

Sol Zim is Professor of Jewish Music in New York at the Academy for Jewish Religion. He has been featured on books about Jewish music like "And You Shall Know Us By The Trail Of Our Vinyl". [12] He has also written books on Jewish music. [13]

In 1992, the Academy for Jewish Religion of New York added a Cantorial Program directed by Kenneth Cohen, which was further developed by Sol Zim and Ram’n Tasat.

Education

Sol Zim graduated at the Jewish Theological Seminary Cantorial Institute, and he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music. Zim studied with other musicians as Kurt Baum, Julius Rudel, Samuel Weisser, and others. [14]

Family

Sol Zim is the descendant of five generations of cantors. [15] Zim's father, Samuel Zimelman, served as cantor of the Hochschule Synagogue in Łomazy, Poland, and Congregation Shaarey Tphiloh in Portland, Maine. [16] Zim's brother, Paul Zim, has served as cantor for B'nai Jeshurun in Manhattan. [16] Zim's other brother, Sidney Zim, was the rabbi at Flatbush Jewish Center in Brooklyn. [17]

Awards

Discography

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References

  1. Slobin, Mark. "Jewish Music". The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. pp. 933–945.
  2. "Capturing The Spirit of Cantoral Tradition". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  3. "Lighting the Way". Daily News. Retrieved 4 December 2002.
  4. "Temple of Inspiration". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  5. "CIP e o Departamento da Juventude presentaram mães com muita música e show de Sol Zim". Sol Zim. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  6. "Cantor-entretainer Zim "unforgettable"". The Argus. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  7. "Sol Zim superstar sings!". Manchester Jewish Gazette. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  8. "The Cantors Union rocks Madison Square Garden". Idelsohn Society. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  9. Slobin, Mark. "Jewish Music". The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. pp. 933–945.
  10. "Pope John Paul II". ColombiaLink. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  11. Lockwood, Jeremiah (2023). Golden Ages: Hasidic Singers and Cantorial Revival in the Digital Era. University of California Press. pp. 94–95. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  12. "Tracking Jewish History Through Vinyl Albums". NPR. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  13. "Books by Sol Zim". Abe Books. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  14. "Sol Zim". Idelsohn Society. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  15. "Superstar of David(Guest Bloggers: The "jews on winyl" project)". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  16. 1 2 "Samuel Zimelman, Long a Cantor And Father of 2 Leading Cantors". The New York Times. July 7, 1980. p. D13.
  17. "Temple Lists Music By Zimel Brothers". The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York). May 24, 1967. p. 6.
  18. "8th Annual European Cantors Convention, London". European Cantors Association. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  19. Zim, Sol (August 16, 1974). Shabbat Rock: An Original Friday Evening Rock . Zimray Enterprises Inc.
  20. Zim, Sol (February 13, 1978). Joy of Shabbos: A Family Singalong. Zimray Enterprises Inc.
  21. Zim Sol (October 1, 1979). Chanukah: A Children's Sing Along . Zimray Enterprises.
  22. Zim, Sol (February 13, 1986). Family Celebration. Zimray Enterprises Inc.
  23. "About Sol Zim and the Capetown City Hall Concert" (PDF). Recorded Sound Archives. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  24. Zim, Sol (March 31, 1997). Passover Seder: A Passover Sing-Along . Zimray Enterprises Inc.
  25. Zim, Sol. The Joy of Israel: Jewish-Israeli Ballads.
  26. Zim, Sol. The Joy Of Cantorial Prayer . Zimray Enterprises Inc.
  27. Zim, Sol (2013). Cantor Sol Zim Sings Avinu Shebashamayim: A Prayer for the State of Israel, and Much More. Zimray Enterprises Inc.
  28. Zim, Sol. Jewish Memories of Papa . Zimray Enterprises Inc.
  29. Zim, Sol. Greatest Yiddish Memories . Zimray Enterprises Inc.
  30. Zim, Sol. The Joy of Israel: Jewish-Israeli Ballads . Zimray Enterprises Inc.
  31. Zim, Sol. America's Best Loved Jewish Singer Sings . 'Zimray Enterprises Inc.
  32. Zim, Sol. Sings Jewish Memories . Zimray Enterprises Inc.