JUDA APPEL, 1889 - 1960
Juda Appel was born in Ieud, Hungary. His cantorial career began at age 8 as a boy soprano, nicknamed “Yudele Sopran.” As a youth, he sang with many famous cantors. As an adult he was a tenor, known for his falsetto and coloratura. He was a choir leader and also studied in yeshiva. Although he received semicha (rabbinic ordination) from well known rabbis, he chose to be a cantor. After his service in the army in World War I, he served as a cantor in leading congregations in Romania and Hungary, and also gave concerts. He moved to the United States in 1922.
Cantor Appel held positions in Brooklyn, NY, when he first arrived in the United States, and later served in prominent synagogues in Montreal, Mexico City, Philadelphia, Trenton, Wilkes-Barre, Cleveland, New York City, and led High Holiday services in the Lamport auditorium at Yeshiva University for two years.
He was active in the Mizrachi and in the Jewish Ministers Cantors Association of America.
Sources:
- “Hazan Yudele Apel.” Agudas̀ ha-Ḥazonim di-Ameriḳah ṿe-Ḳanadah, Zunṭog dem 3ṭen Februar, 1924. [The History of Hazzanuth]. New York: Jewish Ministers Cantors Association of America, 1924, p. 104 (in Yiddish)
- “Hazan Yehudah Appel.” 50 yoriger yoyvl zshurnal : lekoved dem goldenem yubileum fun dem Ḥazonim farband [50th Anniversary Journal] / [editor] Joseph Feuer. New York: Jewish Ministers Cantors Association of America, 1947. No pagination (in Yiddish)
- Appel, Gersion. "The Sheliah Tzibbur in Halakhah and Jewish Tradition." Journal of Jewish Music and Liturgy, vol. III, no. 1 (1979-1980): 2
- Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary News. “Children of Cantor Juda and Ziporah Appel support Yeshiva University’s Belz School Library Reference Collection,” 1/29/98