Naftali Herstik, whose resonant tenor and elegant interpretations of Jewish liturgical music made him one of the most influential cantors of his time, died on Sept. 1 at his home in Ra’anana, Israel. He was 77.

Known for his silken-voiced tenor, Mr. Herstik had an extraordinary range of three octaves, comfortable in deep bass, the high-C register or falsetto. Equally important was his gift for conveying the emotions of solemn prayers. They were often appeals to the Lord for mercy and sustenance — a sensibility infused by his upbringing as the son of Holocaust survivors — or joyous expressions of gratitude for the biblical miracles.

Starting in his late teens, he served as the cantor at a succession of Israeli synagogues and then worked for seven years at the prestigious Finchley United Synagogue in London. He returned to Israel in 1979 to take a position as the cantor of the Heichal Shlomo Synagogue in Jerusalem. When a new sanctuary, which became the Great Synagogue, was built next door in 1982, he was appointed its cantor.

After retiring from the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem in 2012, Mr. Herstik traveled nine times to Russia to lead prayers for the High Holy Days at the Chorale Synagogue in Moscow.