Cantor Robert Lieberman and his wife, Rabbi Vicki Lieberman, donated $500,000 to the Zamir Choral Foundation, a nonprofit focused on promoting Jewish choral music, to create a first-of-its-kind institute to train conductors of Jewish choirs, the organization told eJewishPhilanthropy.

“When I was a teen, some of my most cherished memories are of singing Shabbat services with my cantor and synagogue choir,” Rabbi Vicki Lieberman said in a statement. “It is an honor to now help Zamir Choral Foundation engage the next generation of conductors who will enliven the rich heritage of Jewish choral music and inspire, educate and nurture their congregations and audiences.”

The Jewish Choral Conducting Institute, which will have its first meeting on Sunday, will train a cohort of 12-15 Lazar Fellows, named in honor of the founder and director of the foundation, Matthew Lazar. 

“The conductor integrates music and text, with mastery, precision, and excellence, creating inspiring and transformative musical moments. The Institute will provide the specialized, intensive training needed to make all this possible,” Lazar said in a statement. 

The Zamir Choral Foundation operates a multitiered international choir network. This includes: eight chapters of a preparatory program for preteens; 36 chapters of HaZamir, a choir for teenagers; Zamir Noded, for young adults; and the Zamir Chorale, for adults. The foundation also hosts the North American Jewish Choral Festival and commissions new Jewish choral music through its Mandell-Rosen Fund.

Lazar described the new institute as creating a “pipeline of talent” for Jewish choral leaders.

The participants come from the United States and Israel and will take part in “in-person retreats and workshops, monthly online and in one-on-one mentoring sessions with Maestro Lazar and guest presenters,” the organization said. Upon completion of the program, they will receive a certificate in Jewish choral conducting, as well as assistance finding places to work afterward.

“By auditioning and training the next generation of conductors, under the leadership of Maestro Lazar, the future of Jewish choral music and its impact on Jewish literacy into the next generation will not only be secured but expanded throughout the United States and Israel,” Robert Lieberman said in a statement.