Dr Amalia Kedem National Library of Israel

Rafi Barnett Jerusalem

Re-Collection: The Life and Work of Hazzan Zalman Pollak (1901-1985) as seen through the collection of his music at the NLI

Dr Kedem will present the unique and somewhat tragic story of Zalman Pollak, a 20th century Hazzan, who dedicated his life – between Central Europe and Palestine-Israel – to preserve and transmit the various manifestations of Ashkenazi Tefillah but has never gained recognition beyond his students. Many aspects of this story stem from the special collection of music manuscripts, personal documents and newspaper clippings, alongside recordings of Pollak and of his students, that are kept in the National Library of Israel. 

She will be joined by Rafi Barnett (a Baal Tefillah in Johannesburg, Israel and America) who will discuss aspects of Pollak’s style, and by Cantor Benjamin Muller, Antwerp (formerly in Montreal and Johannesburg) who will share his memories of Pollak the teacher.

Dr. Amalia Kedem is a staff member in the Music Department and Sound Archive at The National Library of Israel since 2008. Her main academic interests are the research and documentation of Israeli and Ashkenazi liturgical traditions. Her PhD in musicology is from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.