Clergy

Cantor Ivor Yitzchak Lichterman was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. He was nurtured for the Cantorate by his father, the late Cantor Jakub Lichterman, one of Europe’s most prominent pre-War Hazzanim, who was the last Cantor of Warsaw, Poland’s famous Nozyk Synagogue.

Cantor Lichterman officiated as a youth Cantor in many South African synagogues. At the age of 18 he was appointed Assistant-Cantor to South Africa’s largest congregation, the Green & Sea Point Synagogue in Cape Town. In l976 he immigrated to the United States to pursue graduate Judaic studies at New York’s Yeshiva University. He served as Cantor in Westbury and Hewlett on Long Island, and at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford, Connecticut. In 1991 he was appointed to Congregation Anshei Israel in Tucson, Arizona, where he served for 20 years and was honored after 18 years of outstanding service to the community. In 2011 he received a call to become Hazzan at Congregation B’nai Israel in Sylvania, Ohio, where he currently serves as senior clergy.

Cantor Lichterman graduated BA Honours cum laude from the University of Cape Town. He has diplomas in Commercial Art and Hebrew Teaching and is a certified mohel, having performed some 800 britot to date. He has photographed hundreds of world synagogues which he hopes to publish. He has released three recordings, two with his brother, the distinguished Cantor Joel Lichterman. In 1987 Ivor appeared with the Connecticut Opera Production of Verdi’s Nabucco.

In 1997 the brothers led a mission to their father’s Nozyk Synagogue in Warsaw, where they officiated Shabbat services in what was an emotional highlight of their lives. This theme continued when they were again invited to officiate at Nozyk Synagogue for the opening ceremony of the Cantors Assembly’s 2009 mission to Poland. This event culminated in the acclaimed movie “100 Voices” which features the two brothers amongst other Cantors of Polish background.

Cantor Lichterman was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2018 in recognition of his contributions to the Cantorate. He has made numerous concert and TV appearances and has been a widely sought guest speaker, Hazzan and scholar in residence. 

Ivor is married to Jan and they have 3 children; Mayron who is married to Jenna, Ari married to Hayley, and Jackie who is married to Alex. They have eight grandsons and one granddaughter that are the delight of their lives.