[HANASHIR:7889] Guitar-led service in Israel prevented

[Adam Griff <agg3...>]

I returned Thursday from participating in this year's Birthright Israel trip
through Hillel.  The ten days I spent in Israel were incredible.  I brought
my guitar with me and intended to help lead a Reform service Friday night.
The Reform service was held in a room in the Crowne Plaza in Jerusalem,
where we were staying.  Just a few minutes before the service was to begin,
I was informed by hotel staff that I could not play my guitar.  Apparently
the mashkiach of the hotel had threatened to revoke the hotel's kashrut
certificate if I played my guitar on Shabbat.  Not wishing to ruin the
sanctity of Shabbat, we did not protest.  The Rabbi leading the service and
I went on to lead a wonderfully spirited service which was very well
received by many students who rarely if ever attended Shabbat services.

I know that Reform services in other hotels used guitars without any
incident.  The mashkiach of the Crowne Plaza didn't seem to have any problem
with people smoking in the lobby or the bar selling drinks on Shabbat.

My own views on religious pluralism are presently in a state of confusion,
but I'm curious to the views of the people on this list.

B'Shalom,
Adam Griff

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