Press & Awards/Honors
Recent Coverage
Kirkus Reviews | Catbird: The Ballad of Barbi Prim. Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2022. Download a PDF here.
“Changing the Sound of an Ancient Profession: Cantor Barbara Ostfeld, First Female Cantor.” Spiritually Speaking interview with Rabbi Susan Abramson. November 27, 2019.
Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb. Interview about Barbara’s new memoir Catbird: The Ballad of Barbi Prim. February 14, 2019.
Historic Coverage
“First Woman Cantor, An Alto, Invested Here.” By Irving Spiegel, New York Times, June 9, 1975.
“A Female Cantor? Two Women Who Are Bucking Tradition.” By Joan Cook, New York Times, February 22, 1971.
Interview with Mark Slobin and Louis Weingarden, Wesleyan University, 1986.
“Temple’s Cantor Is a Pioneer in Her Field: Service to Honor First Woman to Lead Jewish Congregation in Song.” By Dave Condren, The Buffalo News, March 18, 1995.
The Cantor: A Calling for Today. Documentary written and narrated by Cantor Michael Shochet and directed by Thomas Kalamar. Originally aired on Maryland Public Television. June 1994.
Awards & Honors
Debbie Friedman Award, 2019
Barbara is only the third winner since the award was established, following Theodore Bikel and Daniel Freelander. The Debbie Friedman Award is the highest musical honor of the Reform Movement.
Read the rest of the story, and Barbara’s powerful acceptance speech here.
Find a video of the ceremony and Barbara’s acceptance speech here.
Debbie Friedman Award Announcement Press Release
November 6, 2019, New York, NY – Preeminent Jewish and interfaith global leaders will receive Reform Judaism’s highest honors at the 75th URJ Biennial in Chicago, Illinois, in December 2019.
The Tri-Faith Initiative of Omaha, Nebraska, Julie Fisher and Ambassador Daniel Shapiro, and Cantor Barbara Ostfeld will receive special recognition and will be among the featured speakers at the URJ’s Biennial General Assembly, which is North America’s largest Jewish gathering, attracting some 5,000 Reform Jewish leaders over five days. The URJ is the most powerful force in North American Jewish life, representing the largest segment of the Jewish community and inspiring 1.5 million people.
“Not only do these renowned leaders personify Reform Judaism’s core values, they all identify the Reform Movement as a pivotal influence toward accomplishing their change-making work,” said URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs. “We could not be more proud or more inspired by the powerful activism and advocacy of these pioneering award-winners.”
Doctor of Music Honorary Degree, 2000
Barbara’s alma mater, Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, honored her for being a pioneer and for serving her congregations with distinction, and earning the respect and admiration of her colleagues in executive leadership positions.