CANTOR DEBORAH L. HARTMAN, EMERITA
Cantor Deborah Hartman is the first cantor to have served in The Temple’s long and storied history, having served as our cantor since 1998 and prior to that, as The Temple’s cantorial soloist for 11 years. Upon Deborah’s retirement in 2022, The Temple Board voted unanimously to bestow upon her the title of Cantor Emerita. Since then, Cantor Hartman has maintained an office at The Temple and has continued to play a vital role in Temple life.
Cantor Hartman has been a member of the American Conference of Cantors (ACC) since 1998 and has held various leadership positions including serving on its Executive Board, and Membership and Nominations committees. In 2019 she was chosen to be one of the chairs of the ACC annual convention and had a hand in organizing, programming, planning, conducting, and performing for cantors from all over North America as they convened in Atlanta.
During Cantor Hartman’s tenure at The Temple, she participated in numerous programs including interfaith luncheons, community healing services, women's seders, respite care programming, and Atlanta Reform choir concerts. Cantor Hartman was active in the Reform community on a national level as well. She was given the honor of chanting Torah during the 50th Anniversary Jubilee Convention of the ACC held in NYC during the summer of 2003. In November 2005, Cantor Hartman joined with Rabbi Elyse Frishman, Rabbi Ken Chasen, and Cantor Don Croll, as part of the clergy team leading Shabbat worship at the Union for Reform Judaism National biennial in front of a congregation of 5,000 worshipers.
Other career highlights include collaboration with the music team and choirs of the internationally known Ebenezer Baptist Church as together they prepared worship for The Temple’s annual Martin Luther King Shabbat. Cantor Hartman is equally proud of teaching, overseeing, and participating in Shabbat worship services for well over 2,000 b’nei mitzvah students, young and old alike!
Cantor Hartman received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Ithaca College, and her Cantorial Certification from Hebrew Union College. Before life at The Temple, Deborah taught general music in the public school system of Homer, NY and later became an instructor of vocal studies at Western Kentucky University, Illinois Wesleyan University, and Mercer University/Atlanta.
Cantor Hartman is married to Sanford Hartman and together they have 5 children and 10 grandchildren.
