Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Bless are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. I wept as the Meditations on Peace began to be recited in sacred tongues, and I wept as I heard the Greek uttering from Archbishop Demetrios: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. A cold, not well lit, and uninviting place was filled with memories and memorabilia of what once was. Pope Francis told us that in this place “we weep and we throw away revenge and hatred.” The Young People’s Chorus of New York City sing “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” We wept as the escalators descended deep, deeper, and still deeper underground to reach the museum’s last level. The billowing smoke and ashes crossed the waters of Manhattan into my home in Brooklyn for months afterward.
My brain had refused to let go of the terrible smells of fires after the Towers fell. I was personally freed, during the service, from the smell of smoke that has lingered in my nostrils for the last 14 years, by the prayers uttered by my brothers and sisters from the faiths gathered together: Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian. A prayer service held in conjunction with more than 500 religious leaders from the New York City area representing most of the world’s religions and spiritual beliefs. 25 at the National 9-11 Memorial Museum World Trade Center was officially labeled “A Witness to Peace,” but will be remembered by me as a multicultural prayer service. The Multi-Religious Gathering with Pope Francis held on Sept. As the line began to move you first hear the sounds of the water flowing, and then all eyes beheld the sight of the mighty pool of never-ending, streaming waters. In the line were the families of survivors and those like myself, representatives of our faith communities. We lined up two by two in rows on Liberty Street in Manhattan to enter onto the Foot Prints grounds where the Twin Towers had once stood. “Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised” (Isaiah 9).
Cantor azi schwartz with pope francis professional#
He has released nine studio albums containing traditional and newly commissioned jewish liturgical music.ĭedicated to cultivating the next generation of cantors, Azi serves on faculty of all major cantorial schools, and serves as Treasurer for the Cantors’ Assembly, the largest professional organization for cantors.
Cantor azi schwartz with pope francis movie#
He plays the cantor’s role in Richard Gere’s movie ‘Norman’, and performs in concerts and interfaith missions around the world. During Pope Francis’ visit to New York in October 2015, Cantor Schwartz represented the Jewish people at the multi-religious service at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. In 2018, Azi was featured in a PBS special titled, “The New York Cantors,” which brought cantorial music to millions of viewers across the US and in Europe. Passionate to bring Jewish liturgy to the broader world, Azi has performed at Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, Madison Square Garden, the US Capitol Rotunda, and the Israeli Knesset. As PAS Music Center’s Director, Cantor Schwartz creates, records, and publishes new liturgical music, as well as hosts world-class guest artists for concerts and worship. This journey brought Azi to New York, where he leads Park Avenue Synagogue (PAS), the largest Conservative community in NYC and the flagship of Jewish liturgical music in North America. After graduating from Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute and studying under the top cantors in the world, Azi continued studying music with a Masters in Classical Singing and Conducting from Mannes School of Music.
His grandfather, also a cantor, inspired Azi to pursue his passion and inclination for singing and music. His craft of Jewish liturgical music has been described as emotionally moving, spiritually uplifting, and artistically dynamic.Īzi grew up in a traditional community in Israel.
Cantor Azi Schwartz is the Senior Cantor of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York, and is a world-renowned vocal performer and recording artist whose music reaches both Jewish and interfaith audiences internationally.
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