Encyclopaedia of British Jewish Cantors, Chazanim, Ministers and Synagogue Musicians - Their History And Culture

In 2021 the European Cantors Association launched and published online the first comprehensive documented history of a nation’s chazanim (and their related professions) anywhere in the world. This extensive volume of British practitioners was meticulously researched and compiled over two decades by Dr Michael Jolles.

A new edition (May 2026) is now available to download free as Michael Jolles' contribution to the Jewish community, to musicians and to historians.

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Preface to the 12 May 2026 Online Edition of the Encyclopaedia by Michael Jolles

This online edition marks the fifth anniversary of both the launch of the first online edition of this Encyclopaedia in May 2021 and the publication of its printed edition (an identical, but limited, edition).

Since then, several online editions have been made available on the European Cantors Association website. I am grateful to Geraldine Auerbach, Alex Klein and Russell Grossman for facilitating this and for their encouragement.

During this quinquennium, the encyclopaedia, now sometimes referred to as the ‘Jolles Encyclopaedia’, has been visited online by hundreds of interested readers. One important cohort of readers are the family members of chazanim, some of whom have kindly helped with updates. As time elapses, there is more to record. As more information becomes available from archival and other new sources, more has been added to the text. It is an interminable process. There is always more to add.

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The text has now grown from 875 pages in 2021 to today’s 1080 pages. This current edition is over 714,400 words long. As far as I can discover, the encyclopaedia (i.e. the original printed version of 2021) is still the largest and most comprehensive printed volume in the world on the history of a nation’s cantorial / chazanic profession – in any language. 

The British chazanic profession, historically a relatively overlooked and forgotten one, along with their colleagues in parallel professions connected with the synagogue and synagogue music (see page 9), have now been acknowledged.

One may feel justifiably and uninhibitedly proud that their contribution to Jewish life in this country has now been systematically documented. This acknowledgement had been long overdue.

For my part, I am honoured to have initiated, researched, conceptualised, developed and, now – as more facts are continually being ‘born’ – let us say, ‘supplemented’ the text of the original 2021 encyclopaedia. I have enjoyed the research, and the compilation and organisation of the material. I consider myself privileged to have had, over so many years, a fascinating and minimally explored field of research, almost all to myself. I am also most fortunate to have been the recipient of David Prager and Cantor Yehuda Marx’s authoritative assistance and unremitting encouragement: to them I offer my renewed gratitude.

Finally, in the preface to a book, Moses Gaster, in 1906, wrote: “Like unto a traveller who from a storm-tossed sea has passed a harbour of safety do I render grateful thanks to Him who has brought me to the safe harbour, and has given me strength and enthusiasm to carry this work through from beginning to end”. In a similar vein, I would like to express my gratitude to the divine creator for my lifelong residence in the United Kingdom in peaceful times and for the opportunity to see the fruit of my labours realised with satisfaction.

Michael Jolles. May 2026.

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• 📩 Email DownloadJollesEncyclopaedia@cantors.eu for your download link.

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• 🖊️ To write to the editorial team of Michael Jolles, together with David Prager and Cantor Yehuda Marx suggesting additional material, amendments, photographs, discographies, references to academic sources, and links to appropriate websites, please email EditorialJollesEncyclopaedia@cantors.eu

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• 📺To watch the launch event on 6 October 2021, with distinguished guest speakers from around the world including Michael Jolles himself click here:
   

• 📖 Read the review in Musica Judaica, January 2024  here: 
   

• 📖 Read the JC Review, November 2021 here: 
   

• 📖 Read what Michael Jolles himself said about the history and compilation of his major work here:

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