Temple Emanuel of South Hills hired its first full-time cantor in more than 50 years. Cantor Kalix Jacobson (who uses they/them pronouns) joined Temple Emanuel at the start of July after being ordained in May at the Hebrew Union College in New York, but their path to being a cantor started with a bachelor’s in business and a friend’s tragic loss. Jacobson was often told they would make a great cantor, and while they were earning their bachelor’s degree, a close friend suddenly lost her family. Jacobson, then 19, traveled to Chicago to help her figure out the next steps. “She basically said to me, ‘You are very good at this. Have you considered ministry?’ And it was the first time I understood what people were saying when they told me I should be a cantor,” Jacobson said. “When this happened, from my vantage point, a cantor was a Jewish singer in the congregation, right? But obviously, cantors are much, much more than just music facilitators in communities.” For Jacobson, being a cantor goes beyond a desire to help people — it springs from their genetics. 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Cantor Kalix Jacobson