Betty Robbins is often heralded as the first female cantor – in fact, that honor goes to Julie Rosewald. However, Robbins was the first woman to be officially designated as cantor. The Board of Trustees at Temple Avodah in Oceanside, New York unanimously appointed Robbins as their cantor in 1955.

Born to a musical family, Lillian Fuchs was a talented pianist, violinist, violist, and composer who toured the United States and Europe. Fuchs was the inspiration for some of the greatest composers of the twentieth century and was a popular teacher at the Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard, and Mannes College of Music.