Cantor Gershon Sirota

חזן גרשון סירוטה

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Cantor Gershon-Yitskhok Leibovich Sirota (1874–1943) Often called the “Jewish Caruso,” Sirota’s rich tenor voice helped define the Golden Age of Chazzanus. He began his career in Odessa, later serving eight years as cantor of the Shtatshul (State Synagogue) in Vilna, where he began a lifelong collaboration with choirmaster Leo Lowe. In 1907, he became the cantor of the prestigious Tłomackie Street Synagogue in Warsaw, a role that solidified his reputation as one of Europe’s greatest liturgical artists. Sirota’s performances were not limited to the synagogue. He toured widely, singing before Jewish and non-Jewish audiences across Europe and even in Carnegie Hall to a sold-out crowd. The earliest Jewish recordings ever produced were those of Gershon Sirota and Zavel Kwartin — preserving their voices for generations. Tragically, Sirota’s life ended in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Nazi occupation of Poland. He perished during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943, but his voice — powerful, emotive, and timeless — continues to inspire still today.