Rabbi
Rabbi
A Rabbi is a legal scholar who is responsible for all affairs of civil and family laws as well as religious concerns such as the structuring of religious service and dietary laws within the Jewish Religious Community. The multi-annual education takes place at a rabbinical college (Yeshiva); scholars graduate with a rabbinical diploma (Semikhah). Many rabbis additionally complete a secular study.
Cantor
Cantor
The cantor (Hazzan) leads the congregation in religious service and ceremonies. Prerequisites are a good voice (mostly tenor or baritone) and training in liturgical chanting (Hazzanut) which includes a specific singing technique. A cantor needs to be familiar with liturgical chants and prayer melodies – traditional as well as those customary in their community. Cantors frequently direct the synagogue’s choir. In small communities they often also fulfil the functions of a Shochet and a religious teacher.
Religious teacher
Religious teacher
The religious teacher (Melamed) instructs Jewish children - in traditional communities only boys – in Hebrew, the bible and rabbinic literature, Jewish law and Jewish history. Within the Jewish Religious Community of St. Pölten, class took place at public schools and was supervised by rabbis.
Shochet
Shochet
The Shochet (Jewish religious slaughterer) is responsible for the ritual slaughter of meat and fowl as well as its further treatment in accordance with the Jewish dietary laws (Kashrut). He inspects the ritual purity of animals and confers or denies right to consume them. The Shochet either ran his own butchery or co-operated with a Christian butcher. In communities with far-flung members as was the case with St. Pölten, he also butchered ritually in private homes.