Chazan Eli Abt O”H, Chazan at Yeshurun from 1959 to 1964, passed away last week.
Rev. ELI ABT Born 1929. Chazan.
He was born in Berlin. Eli qualified in architecture at Witwatersrand University (BArch) after spending two years in Israel. In 1952, he succeeded Rev. Simcha Kusevitsky as Reader at the Greenside Congregation, Johannesburg, where he stayed until 1955. He was appointed at the Beth Hamidrash Hagadol, Leeds, in September 1955, but stayed for a short spell. He then was appointed Reader at the Yeshurun Synagogue, Fernhurst Gardens, Edgware. He had a tenor voice and sang in many chazanut concerts. He was often the guest cantor at Selichot services. He pursued his architectural career, and was elected FRIBA. An autobiographical article appeared in 2019 in the Jewish Chronicle.
Jolles Encyclopaedia of British Cantors, Chazanim, Ministers and Synagogue Musicians, published by the European Cantors Association
