A ḥazzanit (Hebrew: חזנית, plural חזנות, ḥazzanot) or chazante (Yiddish: חזנטע)[1] is a female hazzan.
Traditionally, Jewish law prohibited women from leading prayer services in the synagogue.
Notable chazantes in the mid 20th century include Betty Simonoff, Liviya Taychil, Sabina Kurtzweil, Sophie Kurtzer, Perele Feyg, Jean Gornish and Freydele Oysher.
both the Reform and Conservative movements have allowed women to lead services.
Betty Robbins was possibly the first female cantor in 1955,[3] though Barbara Ostfeld-Horowitz is usually given that distinction since her investiture at the Hebrew Union College in 1975.