Cantor Helman Lieber Biography 

The legacy of Cantor Helman Lieber (1904-1987) is a series of magnificently hand-written cantorial books for the complete Shabbos, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. These books are believed to reflect cantorial melodies that were heard in the synagogues of Latvia in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Cantor Helman Lieber, circa 1950’s 

Cantor Helman Lieber was born into a musical family with roots in the synagogues of Riga and Dvinsk (now Daugavpils) Latvia. Helman’s handwritten memoir states “We were five brothers, and on wintry nights, my mother would amuse us by telling stories of the old country, Dvinsk, Russia. I have learned so much from these sessions that I can describe things as if I were living there all my life. I have a sharp memory of my childhood.” 

Helman’s memoir continues “My mother (Lena) was a school teacher…and was well learned…my mother’s father was a very religious scholar…my father Ruben (1878-1955) was the son of a very learned rabbi…a musical cantorial scholar and choirmaster, and had a beautiful tenor voice.  He sang in grand choirs.” 

Ruben’s older brother Boruch (1874-1941, killed by the Nazis in the Rumbula Forest Massacre, and Ruben’s younger brother David (1891-1977), were both educated as cantors and sofers (religious scribes). Their father, Rabbi Aryeh Labe Mayer Lieber (1834-1913), was a secretary to the world renowned Rabbi Meir Simcha HaKohen of Dvinsk (1843-1926), who served as chief rabbi of mitnagdim (non-Hassidic Jews) in Dvinsk from 1883-1913.  This was told to David’s grandson Mitchell in a conversation with his grandmother Rose Lieber (wife of David).  

Helman was born in Dvinsk, Latvia on November 4, 1904.  Five days later, his father Ruben arrived in New York City. Young Helman and his mother Lena followed a year later, arriving in New York City on October 2, 1905.  Helman’s memoir states “After a stormy voyage on the good ship ‘Fatherland,” we arrived at Ellis Island where we were met by my father…he always spent a lot of time with me as I grew up, and taught me how to sing.” 

According to Helman’s memoir of what he learned from his father Ruben, “My father’s house (Ruben’s childhood home in Dvinsk) was of a very strict Orthodox manner. His father (Rabbi Aryeh Labe Mayer) and mother were always praying and conducting services in the shul. His mother (Chana Baila) would pray as good as a cantor for the women, and was highly respected. She would teach the women just like a rabbi.  And the rabbi, my grandfather, would hold sermons and explain the Torah.” 

From this information, we can assume that all three brothers, Boruch, Ruben, and David, were exposed to cantorial tradition at an early age by accompanying their father, Rabbi Aryeh Labe Mayer, to services in Dvinsk.   

Boruch’s daughter Sonia told her son Michael, that Boruch “Moved to Riga in his mid-20’s to pursue his adult career. He studied Torah scribing under the prolific Vitebsk Sofer, Berka Klubinov, and married his daughter Hanna.” 

Helman’s uncle Boruch Lieber 

Boruch later became the assistant cantor in the Gogol “Great Choral” Synagogue, the largest one in Riga, with a capacity of 1,000 people. According to Wikipedia, “This synagogue was famous throughout the city for its cantors and its choir.”  

Gogol “Great Choral” Synagogue 

Boruch’s daughter Sonia told her son Michael that Boruch was also a cantor at the Stabu Street Synagogue in Riga, which was closer to his home.  

Stabu Street Synagogue in Riga 

According to David’s daughter Mirah, “Boruch, father’s (17 year older) brother, wrote Sefer Torah; he took father at age 9 (in 1900) to sing together, and taught father to be a scribe.” Boruch’s daughter Sonia confirmed to her son Michael that Boruch would take David to sing with him, and that this was both in the Gogol “Great Choral” and Stabu synagogues of Riga.   

David Lieber came to the U.S. in 1912. Upon arrival, he lived with his brother Ruben in New York City for some time. David organized Helman and his brothers into a synagogue choir, featuring Helman as soloist and Ruben as choirmaster. They sang at High Holiday services at synagogues in the Connecticut/New York area. David later moved to Chicago, where he gave concerts with a choir (see flyer below), owned a Jewish bookstore, and tutored students from the Hebrew Theological College, to which his bookstore also sold books. By 1926 he was a Hebrew teacher in Springfield, Illinois and around 1927 he moved to Kansas City where he was cantor and first spiritual leader of Kehilith Israel synagogue, a Hebrew teacher, choir director, and religious scribe (sofer). 

Advertisement for a performance of Cantor David Lieber in Chicago. Translation: 

Chazan David Lieber 

of New York 

Will deliver the High Holidays service, with a 

choir of 18 people, in the Wicker Park Hall, 

North Avenue and Robey Street (Chicago). 

The Chazan's address is 906 North Robey Street (now Damen Avenue) 

Tickets can be purchased in the hall. 

In a letter to David’s daughter Mirah, Helman wrote in Yiddish, “My beloved uncle (David) – I will remember him forever – he was more than an uncle to me – I sang with him and he taught me to be a Chazan. He used to place me on a bench (stool) so that they could see me – and I used to be his only soloist – my uncle used to take me along everywhere, he would never sing without me, and I was his "soloist.”  It is unreal ("impossible" in the original) to have such an endearing uncle – what can I write you – my dear cousin??  You, kids, were not in existence yet, and your Dad was my uncle and Dad as well. He was with me all the time, and I remember him and love him …"   

It is clear that Helman shared a very special relationship with his uncle David, which went beyond student and teacher. They saw each other frequently, giving David the opportunity to pass on both the cantorial tradition and sofer skills, learned from his older brother Boruch, to his young nephew Helman. 

Cantor Lieber’s “signature,” demonstrating his sofer skills

Helman Lieber (right) with his four younger brothers circa 1918 

The Lieber High Holiday Choir circa 1924 

In his memoir, Helman says, “I was a soprano soloist at the early age of six (1910) and was a “drawing card” in many concerts…I was known as ‘The Little Chazan.’  At the age of nine (1913), I was a student and soloist under supervision of the choirmaster Gershon and the great cantor Samuel Meisels at the big synagogue on 105th St. in New York City (Congregation Beth Hamidrash Hagadol of Harlem).  I continued my studies with my musical uncle Cantor David E. Lieber, who was serving as cantor and choirmaster in Pittsfield, MA. At the age of thirteen, I was the protégé of the very musical Rabbi Kahn of New London, CT.  All of my brothers sang in his choir under my father’s direction. Our family sang in succession with various cantors, including ‘Kwartin the Great.’  I was heard in various synagogues in several states.” 

The text above, written by Cantor Lieber, reads in part “Songs and compositions my own father taught us in a choir when we were boys.”

Congregation Bais Hamedrash Hagadol of Harlem on 105th Street, New York City 

Based on what he learned from a young age from his father Ruben, and from his uncle Cantor David (who learned from his brother Cantor Boruch),  one may assume that the musical arrangements in Cantor Helman Lieber’s books reflect a cantorial tradition heard in Latvia in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.    

These books total more than 1,000 pages of detailed, meticulously scripted musical notation for complete Shabbos, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur services, along with a generous number of miscellaneous selections. They were written without the benefit of a piano or organ. All Cantor Lieber had was two tuning forks and a remarkable memory of the teachings of his father and uncle David. He completed the books in the early 1960’s.   

The books were handwritten on heavy paper over the course of many years, using a method similar to that of a traditional Hebrew scribe. Cantor Lieber drew each note precisely with a calligraphy pen dipped in ink, and scraped off any mistakes with a razor blade. To the casual observer, the books almost look as if they are printed. Every cantorial run and trill passed down for several generations has been reproduced with painstaking accuracy. Sometimes there are alternative selections for the same prayer. 

Cantor Lieber started this project by drawing notes in pencil with Hebrew lettering under the musical notes, but soon switched to ink with English transliteration. Then he added Hebrew vowels to the English syllables, ensuring consistent pronunciation and making the works more approachable to those without a strong Hebrew background.  

The dedications in the books state, “To remain forever the property of my beloved daughters, (Frumie and Hannah) from me, their father, and to be treated with Holy Respect as complete cantorial books for Shabbos, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur, and to be studied; and it is my paternal wish that my descendants shall be able to make good use of my arrangements, and my Blessings will forever Bless you and I will try to have my spirit always at your shoulder and will, with Divine Help be praying for you.”