Cantor Jonathan L. Friedmann, Ph.D. is Professor of Jewish Music History , WASC Academic Liaison Officer, and Director of Institutional Research at the Academy for Jewish Religion, California. He is also Community Leader & Education Director at Adat Chaverim – Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, Los Angeles, and Cantor of Vintage Westwood Horizons, Los Angeles.

Specializations:

Thesis Title:
SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF SYNAGOGUE SONG:
A Durkhimian approach (2010)

Abstract:
This thesis applies sociologist Émile Durkheim’s understanding of ceremonial ritual to synagogue music. Durkheim observed that religious ceremonies serve disciplinary, cohesive, revitalizing, and euphoric functions within religious communities. Drawing upon musical examples from different composers, regions, periods, rites, and services, the study demonstrates how Jewish sacred music performs these functions.