Cantor Moshe Handel - Shomo Vatismach Zion

Moshe Handel was born in Dvinsk. Latvia. Coming to New York as a young man, he found employment first with the Municipal Bank of Pitkin Ave. and later with Bank of the United States at 13th Ave. and 47th street in Borough Park section of brooklyn. As a bank teller, among his depositors where such cantorial luminaries as Mordechai Hershman and Zavel Kwartin. and after 1926, Kwartin's successor, Benjamin Levite. Caught up in the ferver of hazzanut, like many others of that time period, Handel studied, as an avocation, several of the records of Kwartin and Roitman, singing these recitatives at gatherings of close friends. Overheard one day by a then prominent music teacher. Professor Bach, Handel was promised a glorious career if he could commit himself to serious study for a period of one year. Naturally reluctant about making such a serious decision , Handel determined to let the matter ride until suche time as he had the opportunity to confer once again with his depositer, Cantor Levite. A there next meeting. Cantor Levite listened almost incredulously to Handel's story. He couldn't readily determine as to whether the diligent young teller had indeed talent. to resolve the matter Cantor Levite requested that Handel come to his house and sing a few selections. On a Saturday night shortly therafter, Handel sang for cantor Levite, and his choirmaster, Herman Zalis, a former pupil of the famed Nowakowsky. The two listened, not guite beliving that they where hearing in terms of hazzanic, musical and vocal ability a primitive, undeveloped but potentialy great talent. Accordingly Zalis resolved to teach handel on a gratis basis. After these initial lessons, primarily in the area of solfreggio, as well as lessons with Cantor Joshua Lind. Handel continued his studies, through the intervention of Mordechai Hershman, with the Cantor/Composer Mendel Shapiro.