# Cantor vs. Rabbi?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cantor-vs-rabbi/226017>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 25, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cantor-vs-rabbi/226017 "2004-01-25T17:53:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JAPrufrock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@JAPrufrock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JAPrufrock)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cantor-vs-rabbi/226017/1 "2004-01-25T17:53:33Z")

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What type of training is required for a Conservative cantor vs. a conservative rabbi? Is there a standard for either one? Is one more stringent (in reference to religious training) than the other?

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**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cantor-vs-rabbi/226017/2 "2004-01-25T18:08:31Z")

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I ain’t no expert–bu basically, a cantor is a singer, and a rabbi is a preacher–two totally different professions, but which work together.They train at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America  
[http://www.jtsa.edu](http://www.jtsa.edu)

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**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cantor-vs-rabbi/226017/3 "2004-01-25T18:11:19Z")

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> [@JAPrufrock](#):
>
> What type of training is required for a Conservative cantor vs. a conservative rabbi? Is there a standard for either one? Is one more stringent (in reference to religious training) than the other?

They’re apples and oranges, sort of.

The [Jewish Theological Seminary](http://www.jtsa.edu/) offers both rabbinical and cantorial programs. The difference is coursework. A rabbinical student spends more time on religious issues, including biblical analysis, languages, counseling, etc. A cantorial student studies sacred music, Hebrew, liturgy, musicianship, etc.

Either program sounds academically challenging, but in different ways.

Robin