Read Barbara’s comprehensive profile in the Jewish women’s Archive | Shelve/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women: Barbara Ostfeld.

In Brief

Barbara Ostfeld grew up with a fascination for music. From a young age she played piano and harpsichord and sang in her temple’s choir. After attending summer camp as a teenager, Ostfeld became more interested in Jewish religion and community. She applied to the cantorial program at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where she was the only woman in the program and faced challenges as a result. At age 22, she became the first ordained female cantor, and she served several synagogues in New Jersey and New York throughout her career, contributing to Jewish education and synagogue community in her role. Ostfeld is a writer as well, having written poetry, feminist essays, and reflections on her cantorial work and becoming a trailblazer for female religious leaders.