Becoming a cantor in a Catholic church is an option for any singer, regardless of that singer's own religion. Indeed, two of my friends who are paid cantors in Catholic churches are both non-Catholics.
Jewish cantors - or (C)hazzanim - however, are expected to be observant Jews. The cantor is a liturgical singer, the _shliach tzibbur (congregational messenger) who leads the sung synagogue (or temple) service - but this is where his/her similarity with the Catholic cantor ends. For one thing, the Catholic cantor's job is essentially limited to the Mass(es) he/she is responsible for singing. The Jewish cantor, on the other hand, is actually considered a member of the Jewish clergy, and a religious/spiritual role model for the congregation. For this reasons, cantors are not just expected to be trained musicians, but to attend special cantorial schools (e.g., the H.L. Miller Cantorial School at the Jewish Theological Seminary, for Conservative cantors; the Hebrew Union College School of Sacred Music, for Reform cantors), where they improve their Hebrew, learn about Jewish history and rabbinic literature as well as the Jewish musical tradition (sacred and secular). In addition, most cantors write some of their own music, as well as singing traditional chants.
Some small Reform congregations have even expanded their cantor's role to include childhood religious education and counseling - functions, in fact, traditionally performed by rabbis - rather than hiring a rabbi (the rabbi - a word that literally means "teacher" - has no scripturally-denoted liturgical role, unlike priests in the Christian tradition; the rabbi's liturgical role is purely traditional).
So yes, becoming a Jewish cantor is an option for a singer...if she or he happens to be a serious Jew who wishes to devote herself/himself to a liturgical career.
KM ===== My NEIL SHICOFF Website: http://www.radix.net/~dalila/shicoff/shicoff.html
My Website: http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
----- I sing hymns with my spirit, but I also sing hymns with my mind. - 1 Corinthians 14:15
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