Dr. J. Ritter Werner — an organ instructor at Wright State University and religion instructor at the University of Dayton who served as piano and organ accompanist at Temple Israel for more than 16 years — died at the age of 69 on Jan. 5 from complications due to chronic leukemia.

During his time at Temple Israel, Werner accompanied the choir for the High Holy Days, played during Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and for most Friday evening Shabbat services.

Werner received his Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music in 1972 and completed his post-doctoral work in organ at the Canterbury Cathedral in England. He also received a master’s degree in theological studies from United Theological Seminary, where he served as music director and lecturer in church music.

But Werner, who was not Jewish, said of Temple Israel, “I feel like I am home.”

In an interview with The Observer in 2011, he said his first taste of Jewish liturgical music came when he was in college. His organ instructor played at Rockdale Temple in Cincinnati; occasionally, Werner would substitute for his teacher.

In 1991, Werner went to Beth Abraham Synagogue during the High Holy Days to hear the music and the choir.

“When I was at Beth Abraham I was moved to tears,” he recalled. “Sometimes I helped Cantor Kopmar with the choir.”

His relationship with Temple Israel began with Rabbi P. Irving Bloom and continued until last year.

“Ritter was perhaps the best synagogue musician that I’ve worked with in my career,” said Temple Israel Senior Rabbi David M. Sofian. “He not only could play the music masterfully, he understood how music enhanced the Jewish worship experience. He made worship at Temple Israel all the more meaningful through his music. But perhaps best and most important of all, Ritter was a wonderful human being. He was a great friend and everyone who knew him at Temple Israel will miss him. I have no doubt that his memory will always be a blessing.”

— Renate Frydman & Marshall Weiss

To read the complete February 2014 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.