Moshe Nathanson


Moshe Nathanson was a Canadian musicologist, composer, and cantor who is known for promoting Jewish and Palestinian folk music. Nathanson's most notable work is Zamru Lo and the Hava Nagila.

Biography

Early life and education

Nathanson was born on August 10, 1899, in Jerusalem, the son of Rabbi Nachum Hirsh Nathanson and Rosa Nathanson. He attended a heder school. When Nathanson was ten he was sent to study at Bet Sefer Lemell an elementary school in Jerusalem. The school choir was run by Abraham Zvi Idelsohn challenged his students to select words for a nigun and create a modern Hebrew song. It cited that a twelve year old Nathanson suggested, "Zeh hayom asah Adonai; nagila v’nismekha vo" inspiring the famous Hava Nagila.
Nathanson left Jerusalem and immigrated to Quebec, Canada on September 7, 1920, where he later began to attend McGill University in 1922 where he pursued a law degree but later transferred to Juilliard School of Music to pursue his passion for music.

Career

Nathanson began his career in 1924 when he joined The Society for the Advancement of Judaism as their cantor during the tenure of Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan. partook in many educational programs to promote Israeli folk and worked for The Bureau of Jewish Education and focused on teaching Jewish youth about their culture and heritage through song and worked as the musical director of The Kvutzah and Camp Achva.

Personal life

Moshe married Zipora Bor on July 1, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York, with whom he had three children: Deena Starr, Naomi Brettler, and Yaron Nathanson . On February 24, 1948 Moshe Nathanson died at his home on 15 West 86th Street, in Manhattan. He was buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery alongside his wife Zipora who predeceased him.