As we prepare for Shabbat and approach Tisha B’Av, we share this musical tribute to Cantor Schwartz’s mentor and teacher, Cantor Naftali Herstik z”l, whose first yahrzeit we mark this month.

Cantor Herstik’s voice filled the Jerusalem Great Synagogue with sacred beauty for over three decades, and his gentle soul brought peace and depth to every prayer he sang. Cantor Schwartz writes: “he was my teacher, my guide, and like a father to me. In this video, I sing Avot—the opening blessing of the Amidah—in the style and spirit of the man who shaped how I understand hazzanut and Jewish prayer.”

Avot is a blessing about legacy and memory, a perfect way to honor someone whose legacy lives through the voices and hearts of his students. May his memory always be a blessing.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and a meaningful Tisha B’Av.

Music of Cantor Naftali Herstik
Arrangement: Raymond Goldstein, commissioned by the PAS Music Center
Music Director: David Enlow
Audio Editor: Oli Jung
Video Editor: Tami Shaham
Video: Oscar Acevedo, Terrell Simms, Justin Goodman, Erik van Batavia