George Wald

Cantor George Wald passed away peacefully at the Carlton Senior Living Center in Sacramento on August 6, 2024, just a few months shy of his 100th birthday on October 29th. He is survived by his son, Benjamin, and daughter, Shelly, and their spouses, Pamela and Sara, who offered constant loving support and care of their father and father-in-law. George was heartbroken when his beloved wife of 72 years, Esther-Lee, passed away three years ago though did his best to persevere and live every day afterwards as best as possible. Esther-Lee and George were the best of friends and shared an intense and equal admiration for one another. Theirs was a relationship full of humor, vibrancy and integrity.



George is lovingly remembered as a kind and generous man who wanted others to feel good in his presence. He carried a positive attitude about life into his last days and relished sharing stories and memories of his lifetime with those around him. Also, George was always drawn to people from all walks of life since he was a youngster. He was born into a working-class religious family in Hartford, CT who had settled there amongst a close-knit extended clan of relatives who had immigrated to America from Russia. George was a popular and a charismatic presence at Weaver High School and became president of his class. He was athletic and set a track record for the 100-yard dash.



At an early age George displayed a love of Cantorial music and in 1948 he enrolled in the inaugural class of the Hebrew Union School of Sacred Music in New York, which was the first class of cantors ever trained in a school on American soil. George met his beloved Esther-Lee in 1949 in Hartford while on Passover break from school and they married later that year, on Christmas Eve. He served as Cantor of Temple Beth Shalom in Manchester, CT after which the family located to Sacramento, and he served as the Cantor of Mosaic Law Congregation for many years. The Walds lived in Israel for a year in the early 60's when George took a sabbatical year from his congregation. Cantor Wald was awarded honorary Doctor of Music degrees from Hebrew Union College School of Sacred Music (1998) and the Jewish Theological Seminary (2008). As well, George and Esther-Lee lived in Israel for 15 years following his retirement. George's sense of adventure fueled his and Esther-Lee's desire to travel and live in Israel, as well the family's move to California to relocate from the East coast.



Cantor Wald served as an inspiration for many of his students, congregants and friends over the decades. He encouraged those he cared for to tap into their talents and passions and move forward in their lives. He loved chanting and singing, and his voice was soulful. George enjoyed schmoozing, reading and studying, travelling, gardening, bicycling, cooking and painting. He loved his life and all his loved ones, and the people he met that enriched his days.