Date of Award

2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Marks, Susan

Area of Concentration

Religion

Abstract

Music inspires sacredness even in profane spaces. This thesis examines music’s power in creating sacred space in the context of women cantors in Reform Judaism. In the span of a few decades, the position of women in the Synagogue changed drastically. Filling the role of the cantor in the clergy contributed uniquely to this transformation due to the special impact of music in the development of authority within sacred space. In demonstrating how the power of music gives authority to women in a space where their autonomy has been missing, I focus on the authority of women cantors in their creation of sacred space. In order to establish the relationship between music and gender and to realize the influence of music in providing power to individuals, I interviewed women cantors throughout the United States. Taking the insight from the interviews, I discuss the implications of music and gender on sacred spaces within Judaism in order to solidify the concept of the authority of women cantors in creating sacred space in Reform Judaism.

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