Ensuring the legacy of the ‘Der Blinde Chazzan’ lives on

TALI FEINBERG

He was able to tell the day of the week on which a person was born just moments after being supplied with their birth date. And he did all of this, as a blind person.

Cantor Abraham Immerman, known as Abie, “Der Blinde Chazzan” or “The Man with the Computer Brain”, passed away 15 years ago at the age of 96.

During his lifetime, he had an impact on thousands of lives in and around Cape Town over 60 years. He taught Hebrew music at Herzlia, was the chazzan at various shuls, and taught hundreds of boys their barmitzvah portions.

Over 400 people came to the Gardens Shul in Cape Town last week to pay tribute to him and watch the launch of a film about him. Called Legacy of Light, it celebrates the life and times of this remarkable man.

The event was hosted by film director Lisa Chait, United Herzlia Schools and the South African Jewish Museum.

Says Chait: “I did a video interview with Cantor Immerman 20 years ago when he was at Highlands House, which is the only filmed interview ever done with him. I found the old betacam tapes in my cupboard while I was spring cleaning in December 2016, and came up with a plan to create a movie.”

Chait wondered how to keep Immerman’s legacy alive. She asked: “How can we capture and pass on the values that he modelled, such as determination, dedication, humility and a deep commitment to education and Jewish spiritual life?”

She then approached the United Herzlia Schools to partner with her and they immediately saw the potential of the project. Herzlia’s director of education, Geoff Cohen told those at the event: “In a world of instant gratification, the unsung heroes often go unacknowledged, and we hope to preserve what Cantor Immerman brought to the world. That’s why we have called this film Legacy of Light.”

The film – directed and produced by Chait, tells how Abie was born blind or lost his sight as a baby. Both of his parents died by the time he was five and he was brought up by his step-parents and family in Zastron, a small town in what was then the Orange Free State.

Despite his challenges, he was determined from an early age to become a cantor, showing raw talent and love for learning Torah at cheder. He memorised the entire Torah by heart, including its musical notes known as trop, and went on to lead many congregations around the country.

He settled in Oudtshoorn for 15 years and then moved to Cape Town where he taught hundreds, if not thousands, of barmitzvah boys and pupils for over 50 years. His first barmitzvah pupil in Cape Town, Solly Alpert, is in his 80s today and still remembers his portion word for word.

In the film, Alpert and others share their most powerful memories of Immerman, from his sense of humour to his uncanny memory. Labour lawyer and politician Michael Bagraim, quips that as a mischievous barmitzvah boy, Immerman could “see right through him”.

Rabbi Ruben Suiza marvelled at Immerman’s ability to learn. He explains that learning the Five Books of Moses and the Siddur by heart, is a mammoth task, while the musical notes are the most difficult, even for someone who can see.

The film clearly shows how the cantor rose above his disability and how it may have even been the fuel behind the fire of his remarkable talents. If one cannot see, one has to listen closer, remember more, and be in tune with the world around them.

And Cantor Immerman clearly took on these tasks. He led shul services with confidence and taught his lessons with determination and patience, yet never once had he seen the letters or words of a Torah scroll, never once a prayer book, a calendar, or the faces of the countless people whose lives he took such an interest in. And while he taught the barmitzvah boys their portions, he also showed them how to respect and learn from those who are different.

A proud man who was married and widowed twice, and had no children, Cantor Immerman was instantly recognisable on the streets of Cape Town in his smart black suit and walking with his white cane, independently navigating the roads of Vredehoek and the CBD.

In addition to his extraordinary talents, he is fondly remembered for his character, his strength, and his ability to bring out the best in everyone. “He saw what was shining from us and reflected it back to us. He led us, he loved us and he should never be forgotten,” says Chait.

With this in mind, the film was designed to be shared and used in various formats. Because it is short, it is ideal to be posted on social media, shared on Facebook, shown in a classroom or used as a resource for a school project. Anyone visiting the website can add comments, memories and photographs – “it is a living memory”, says Chait.

Legacy of Light is the inspiration behind a new assignment for Herzlia grade 8 pupils, where they have explored their own roots in an artwork competition, with the winner, Mia Flax, going to Israel with her work to be displayed at Beit Hatfutsoth.

“Legacy of Light is about preserving memory and heritage, and it is vital that our children are engaged in capturing the legacies of their families. The light of connection is one that Cantor Immerman passed on to all his pupils,” says Rebbetzin Debra Suiza (head of Jewish Life and Learning at Herzlia).

The film includes extracts of the original interview that Chait found, and the website allows one to watch a full 53-minute edited version of that interview. There is also a version of the film with Hebrew subtitles, which will be sent to Israel.

The evening included anecdotes from family members and friends. One person told how Abie met with President Bill Clinton’s aide, Arthur E Green, who was captivated by him; and how when he visited Israel at the age of 80 for the first time, he knew all the names of the 300 people who came to see him.

Cantor Immerman was apparently fond of saying he was born “on the fourth on the fourth of the fourth”. He was named after his late father, Abraham Ben Abraham and passed away shortly after his third barmitzvah in Cape Town. His legacy now lives on in this film.

* Visit www.lifestories.co.za and click on ‘Watch Interviews’ to see the film ‘Legacy of Light’ and the original interview with Cantor Abraham Immerman.