hazzan

A hazzan (; Hebrew: [χaˈzan], lit. 'hazan') or chazzan (Hebrew: חַזָּן, romanized: ḥazzān, plural ḥazzānim; Yiddish: חזן, romanized: khazn; Ladino: חזן, romanized: hasan) is a Jewish musician or precentor trained in the vocal arts who leads the congregation in songful Jewish prayer. In English, a hazzan is often referred to as a cantor, a term also used in Christianity. An individual leading a Jewish congregation in public prayer is also called a sh'liaḥ tzibbur (Hebrew: שליח ציבור, lit. 'messenger of the public'). Any person is called a sh'liach tzibbur while leading prayer. However, the term hazzan more commonly refers to someone with formal specialized training in leading prayers or who is appointed to lead prayers regularly in a given synagogue without a formally trained hazzan.