Glenn Priest
"I've seen significant changes, for
example, in the role of women. I now
go to rabbinical and cantorial conven-
tions and kiss rabbis and cantors!
Three of my cantors — two women
and one man — have married rabbis.
In his years at Temple Israel, he
has also seen many of its youngsters
go on to become cantors.
"Right now, I have a 14-year-old
who's going to be a sensational can-
tor. Also, a young man who's
graduating (HUC) this year will be
going to my old congregation in
Tulsa. One of my students was play-
ing our organ at temple when he was
11, and he'll be coming in to par-
ticipate in the concert. I try to give
young people an opportunity to per-
form and to stretch and to grow, and
I've dedicated much of my time to
working with them over the years."
He says major highlights of his
years in Detroit have included a con-
cert in the late '60s, for which he
helped bring together the three ma-
jor religious groups in the city.
"Modern Sound of Three Faiths" later
became an Action record. Another
concert was played at Orchestra Hall
last year, and represented joint efforts
of Thmple Israel and the Hartford
Memorial Baptist Church of Detroit
to raise funds for inner-city
scholarships.
"Also last year, the Guild of
Organists, representing thousands of
people, chose our congregation as the
first synagogue ever to be part of their
convention. That's a real feather in
the cap of our congregation.
"Sometimes, I call myself 'The
Most Celebrating Cantor, because
I've been involved in so many celebra-
tions over the years. The one rm most
proud of was the 25th anniversary
celebration of the State of Israel.
When I was eight, and our family, fac-
ing the possibility of extermination,
would say 'next year in Jerusalem;
knowing that was an impossible
dream. Then, on the occasion of its
25th anniversary, to be singing in the
State of Israel, with the blessing of
having my parents and my family
there . . . It was a marvelous ex-
perience."
Other major celebrations he has
participated in include the 200th an-
niversary concert of the USA in
Philadelphia, and the 175th birthday
celebration of the city of Detroit.
In his "spare" time over the years,
he has also sung the National An-
them at many Tiger games, frequent-
ly performed with the Detroit Sym-
phony Orchestra, participated in
many interracial activities in the
Detroit area, lectured at HUC and at
other colleges and in high schools,
and performed on television and
radio.
"My wife asks me when I'm going
to let up. But I'm always so excited
about what I'm doing?'
Evelyn Orbach, with a name and
face familiar to all Detroit playgoers,
manages to stay pretty busy herself.
In addition to directing most of the
operas her husband has produced at
Temple Israel and frequently nar-
rating his productions, she has work-
ed in just about every area of the per-
forming arts.
"I don't suppose I'm a typical can-
tor's wife — if there is such an
animal," she says. "I didn't grow up
in a congregational atmosphere. My
father was Orthodox (her mother died
when she was six), but we were not
regular synagogue-goers, so I learn-
ed everything I know about congrega-
tions after I met Harold. In addition
to that, I've always had my own career
and, sometimes, because of that, it's
difficult for me to be at dinners and
gatherings and things like that -
although I must say that the con-
gregation here has been quite
wonderful about (understanding)
that.
"But, in important ways, our
careers complement each other. What
he's producing, I can direct or narrate,
for instance — and he can help me.
My husband believes that the closest
thing to godliness is creativity. I
believe that too."
Evelyn Orbach began her profes-
. sional stage career as a child per-
former in her native New York, and
says she cannot remember a time
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