[HANASHIR:8227] Kol Isha, from the inside

[LSOLKOWITZ <LSOLKOWITZ...>]

I've been following the thread of Kol Isha.  As a WOMAN who holds to this, I 
can tell you that, like any other mitzvah, it has it's own comfort zone.  I 
am the songleader for a preschool & elementary dayschool.  Keeping the 
mitzvah is challenging (as is keeping shabbat and kashrut and taharat 
ha-mishpacha) but possible.  No, I could not make a living singing Jewishly 
and keeping Kol Isha in such a small community, but in the larger communities 
it would be possible.  

In case you were wondering, no I did NOT grow up like this, in fact I was 
trained a Kutz Camp with Leon Sher back in the 80's.  But now, just like the 
other mitzvot, it has become a part of my life and who I am.  In fact, much 
as I would LOVE to attend Hava Nashira, I can't because of kashrut, shabbat 
and kol isha (since one of the requirements is performing for men).  

Although I did not see the original positing, I'd like to add that usually a 
"kol isha warning" is so that MEN who hold the mitzvah are aware that a woman 
is singing and do not attend.

Laura Solkowitz, RN
(919) 846-7081lsolkowitz (at) aol(dot)com