THE MEMORIAL BOOK OF PÁPA JEWRY - JewishGen

BAALEY T'FILAH
By chief chazan Károly Löwy, London
Chief chazan Lazar Löwy
Grandfather was the first chazan in my life and my most highly valued teacher of
chazanut. This is how I remember him: a patriarchal figure, with a flying grey beard, his features
possessing an air of noble simplicity, typical of Rembrandt’s portraits of rabbis in Amsterdam.
He had a natural tenor voice with a very special ring. He was a master of coloratura as well,
sounding like pearls.
I always spent school holidays in my grandparents’ home and usually stayed with them
for the High Holy Days. My grandfather never gave me lessons in chazanut, yet I learnt from him
more than from my subsequent teachers. Listening to his performances, to his interpretations of
prayer texts was the best training possible. The synagogue of Pápa was an awe-inspiring building,
and there were not many provincial communities that could boast of having something as
majestic as that. It was built in the style of cathedrals, with a double line of columns and many
arches.
When my grandfather was leading the service, his voice seemed to echo from all the
corners of the temple, although he never had a choir to accompany him. His melodious voice and
correct rhythm created such perfect harmony that his audience felt it was listening to several
voices simultaneously.
He served the Pápa community for 40 years and in 1931, the Hungarian Royal Ministry of
Education and Culture sent him a letter acknowledging his long and faithful service to the Pápa
community. The "chief chazan", as he was affectionately called, was one of the most popular
people in town. When on a Shabbat or a holiday afternoon he put on his white waistcoat with the
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