[HANASHIR:6783] help!

[Shira Kline <shirlalala...>]

Hey yall, its shira here with a big problem, I need your wordly advice.
I was inspired to ask you by a recent email quoting Debbie Friedman
about singing secular music at retreats.  Well, earlier this year I was
asked to perform in New Orleans at the Federation for, I think, a
private dinner.  The people who hired me have hired me before to
songlead for a women's spirituality retreat in Mississippi.  It was an
incredible event.  There I played nothing but Jewish music along the
theme of spirituality, I played for services, etc...  I sent them a demo
tape recently with only Jewish music, Carlebach and niggunim.  I have a
band that I was planning to bring to New Orleans and we only play Jewish
music.  Then after receiving my demo, she e-mailed me saying the theme
for the night would be "I am women."  No problem right?  But then she
said "we don't want very much Jewish music, just minimal Hebrew (almost
everything i do is in Hebrew) and we want you to sing music written by
Jewish women like Bette Midler and Barbara Streisand"!!!!
I was wondering if anyone wouldn't mind giving me some suggestions on
how to handle this professionally.  The gig is in october.  I don't want
to sing Bette and Barbara's music, it is very far from my own.  The
other memebers in my band also would have no idea what to do with it.
Help!
Love, Shira

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