[HANASHIR:4802] Re: T,T]

[Andy Curry <acurry...>]

Dear Adrian,

Kol hakavod.  Well said.

I suspect the reason that the "liberal" movements of Judaism are the most
anally-retentive about credentials is that their members are the most
invested in the European academic model in their own lives.  This trend can
be traced back to Haskala ("the Enlightenment") of the 18th and 19th
centuries.  It is a trend which has served us well in economic and social
well-being (beyond the shtetl, anyway), but we have lost something too.

In our "pre-liberal" tradition, the basic requirements for serving as
chazan were that you have a good reputation and a pleasing voice.  You
learned how to deliver the prayers from another chazan in your community.
The basic requirement for a rabbi was that you know the law.  You studied
with rabbis and, when you demonstrated your mastery of the Gemara, you
received smicha.

We should acknowledge that this led to some problems; for example, a
Galitzianer would feel lost in a Litvak shul because the prayers might be
chanted so differently.

Then, along came enlightenment, reform, choirs, and organs.  They brought
Sulzer and Lewandowski, who wrote down music so that the choirs could sing
and the organists could organ.  Well, then, you had to read music and know
German, which meant ultimately that you had to go to college.

So, it's a double-edged sword.  But it is sad to think that a Shlomo
Carlebach would not be "qualified" to serve as a cantor in many synagogues!

Andy

At 01:03 PM 1/6/00 -0600, you wrote:
>Although I have the greatest respect for those who have received their
>ordination from HUC, I cannot left unsaid my feelings on this issue.
>
>Somewhere along the way, liberal Judaism mistakenly adopted the model of
>modern-day academia as its standard for training rabbis, cantors and
>educators. 

*******************************
Andy Curry
CellNet Data Systems
11146 Thompson Ave
Lenexa KS 66219
Office: 913-312-4739
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E-Mail: acurry (at) cellnet(dot)com
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