Ravitz, Shelomo
RAVITZ, SHELOMO
RAVITZ, SHELOMO (c. 1886–1980), ?azzan and composer. Born in Novogrudok, Russia, Ravitz studied music from the age of 15 and received his diploma in Vienna. He officiated in various European communities, including Riga, and in Johannesburg before moving to Ere? Israel in 1932. He became ?azzan of the Ohel Shem Synagogue in Tel Aviv and his reputation spread through his singing together with his own choir, at the weekly oneg shabbat organized there by ?.N. *Bialik. He subsequently became ?azzan of the Tel Aviv Great Synagogue, where his expressive, yet unexaggerated, style of singing brought him admiration and popularity. As director of the Selah Seminary for ?azzanim, Ravitz was the teacher of many present-day ?azzanim.
His compositions and arrangements of traditional melodies were published in Yalkut Zemirot (1954) and Kol Yisrael, 2 vols. (1964), edited by M.S. Geshuri. Ravitz also edited the music section in each volume of Y.L. Baruch and Y.T. Levinsky (eds.), Sefer ha-Mo'adim, 8 vols. (1946–67), which serves as a popular source of Jewish musical tradition in Israeli homes and schools.
bibliography:
M.S. Geshuri (ed.), Kol Yisrael, 1 (1954), xxii–xxv; idem, in: Dukhan, 3 (1962), 31–38; Yedi'ot ha-Makhon ha-Yisre'eli le-Musikah Datit, 5 (1963), 23–25; S. Samet, in: Haaretz (April 10, 1970), 18.
[David M.L. Olivestone]