BDE: Chazzan Reb Benzion Miller, Sweet Singer of Klal Yisroel

YS GOLD 

We regret to inform you of the petirah of a Boro Park legend, a master of chazzanus and Jewish liturgy who has been enthralling Boro Park audiences—and audiences around the world—since childhood: Chazzan Benzion Miller, zichrono livracha. He was 77 years of age. 

Chazzan Miller was born into a family of chazzonim. His father was the noted mohel and chazzan Reb Aaron Miller, and multiple generations of the family sang in the Bobover courts in Eastern Europe. 

His chazzonus career began at the age of five, when he appeared as a child soloist alongside the legendary Moshe Koussevitzky who was then the cantor at Boro Park’s Congregation Beth El—a position that Miller would himself later hold. 

He studied with legends of voice and liturgy in preparation for a lifelong career—and for decades he deeply inspired audiences, primarily through his heartfelt and emotional tefillah. He was unique in his ability to infuse meaning into the words of davening so that the listeners could feel it. 

In 1981, he assumed the position of chazzan at Beth El. He would serve in this capacity until the end of his life. While his voice reverberated in Beth El, his heart was across the street… in Bobov, where his ancestors had been. 

One observer recalls the way Chazzan Miller would sing cantorial selections at the conclusion of Yamim Tovim in Bobov—to the sheer delight of the previous Bobover Rov, the Divrei Shlomo, zt”l, who would drink in every note. 

Reb Benzion also performed in concerts for audiences around the world, and had a great hand in preserving the sometimes-waning art of chazzonus. 

Reb Benzion leaves behind a beautiful Torah family which he raised in the Boro Park community—many of whom are involved in the world in the world of Jewish liturgy and music. 

The levaya will take place at 12:30 at Shomrei Hadas where mourners will bid farewell to a legend of chazzonus. To watch the Levaye live click here.

Yehi zichro Baruch.