[HANASHIR:8404] Re: torn about Hava Nashira this year

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

Thanks, Jerry, for putting it so eloquently.

Appending on to Jerry's thought, I want to speak about what this list is and
why it is important, and remains so.

This list began as a way to keep those people who attended the Hava Nashira
workshops connected. It quickly outgrew that initial purpose and has become
a place where all people involved in transmitting Jewish heritage through
music can share information and connect as a community to grow and learn. We
have subscribers from every aspect of Jewish music: camp songleaders,
congregational songleaders, cantors, cantorial soloists, music directors,
music educators, rabbis, songwriters, performers, agents, publishers,
religious school directors, etc.

As the Hava Nashira workshop itself retrenches and refocuses its mission on
its original purpose to train those who teach and transmit Judaism to
children and families through music, it remains ever so important to keep
the diversity that has developed on the hanashir list. At the same time, the
community of people that the Hava Nashira workshop is now refocusing on have
there own special needs, and may very well benefit from a discussion forum
that focuses on their issues.

There are some different ways we can go about meeting these diverse needs.
The hanashir list is graciously hosted by Shamash through the courtesy of
the UAHC's agreement with them for list space. Should the hanashir list
remain as broadly focused as it is, with a new list created more narrowly
focused to what Hava Nashira is intended to focus on?   OR should it (the
hanashir list) be allowed to remain in parallel focus with the Hava nashira
workshop, through who's aegis the list was started and is hosted, and a new
list started that encompasses the broad scope that hanashir now encompasses?
And is it fair to ask the UAHC to provide the hosted space for it? Or should
we turn to one of the free services like listbot or yahoo groups (formerly
e-groups) ?

As listowner, I have no preference, but I think it is finally time to open
this issue for dialog and make some decisions.

As a teacher of music at a Jewish Day School, my work certainly falls under
the original topic range of Hava Nashira, but I can no longer attend every
year, and also freely admit that for many years now, my prime motivation for
attendance has been the "spiritual nourishment" that it provided and that
the learning had diminished somewhat. I applaud Gerry and the faculty for
striving to meet the needs of the regular returnees and the spiritual
seekers, but recognize how it has stretched and strained Hava Nashira.

I hope we "old time regulars" are willing to stay back and allow Hava
Nashira to flourish and continue to train more new people to transmit Jewish
heritage to children and families through music. But we still need our
community. I'm not as convinced as Jerry that the other programs mentioned
really fill the gap for those who attended Hava Nashira for more musically
spiritual reasons, and I encourage us all (including OSRUI and the UAHC) to
consider creating something to fill that void. And we will continue to need
this online community, now more than ever.

OK now-go and discuss.

Adrian

Adrian A. Durlester. M.T.S.
http://members.home.net/durleste/
Judaic/Ivrit and Music Teacher-Akiva School, Nashville, TN
Music & Choir Director, Congregation Micah, Nashville, TN
Editor, Bim Bam, Torah Aura Productions, Los Angeles, CA
Evening Program Chair, CAJE 26, Aug 5-9, 2001, Colorado state University.

  -----Original Message-----
  From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
shamash(dot)org]On
Behalf Of GKaye (at) aol(dot)com
  Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 8:17 AM
  To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
  Subject: [HANASHIR:8402] Re: torn about Hava Nashira this year


  Shalom to all....

  In response to the questions that Rick and others have asked, a word of
  clarification.

  Hava Nashira was created as a learning workshop for those who primarily
work
  with children in various teaching environments.