Rebecca Garfein

Rebecca Garfein, celebrated mezzo-soprano and Cantor, has appeared in numerous concerts, cabarets and recitals throughout the United States, Israel, and Europe. In 2005, Rebecca made her Carnegie Hall debut in a benefit concert for the Folksbiene Yiddish Theater featuring the acclaimed, Mandy Patinkin.  Since 2016 until today, Rebecca has been playing the role of “Fran Drescher” in Abigail Pogrebin’s musical, Stars of David all over the United States. On  November 10, 2005 at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, Rebecca presented the concert and historic CD debut of  her album, “Golden Chants in America...Commemorating 350 years of Jewish Music, 1654-2004.” Dr. Ruth, who wrote the introduction to the CD, also introduced the historic concert.

 

A native of Tallahassee, Florida, where her father was the Rabbi, Rebecca graduated cum laude from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Houston with a degree in vocal performance and opera.  In 1993, she received her Master’s Degree in Sacred Music and Cantorial Investiture from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) and in May 2018, Rebecca received her Honorary Doctorate in Music from HUC-JIR. For 23 years, Rebecca served as Senior Cantor at Congregation Rodeph Sholom, NYC and was their first female Senior Cantor.

 

Rebecca is happily and recently married to actor, Alexander Hatzidiakos. They live in the New York City tri-state area with their two amazing ginger children, Max and Jake have two adorable rescue pups named Xena and Apollo.