[HANASHIR:8738] Re: Re Yom HaAtzmut

[Meris Ruzow <meris...>]

Friends:  I am looking for some titles to use for Yom HaAtzmut that would
especially appeal to 4th grade - 8th.  I teach in a day school, so a lot of
hebrew is no problem.  The thing is, I want to know what ISRAELIS sing for
this holiday.   More contemporary stuff.   Please give titles and composers
if you know them.  You know,  Naomi Shemer and that genre.   I already do
Lach Yerushalayim and all the ones we have in our books.  Just wondering if
there 's a few really good tunes I'm not using.  Thanks!
A zissen Pesach to you all...........
Meris Ruzow
meris (at) nycap(dot)rr(dot)com

-----Original Message-----
From: LSalvay (at) aol(dot)com <LSalvay (at) aol(dot)com>
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Wednesday, March 28, 2001 6:27 PM
Subject: [HANASHIR:8682] Re: Teaching Chad Gadya


Adam et al,
Regarding the meaning of Chad Gadya -- yes, it is elusive, and no, I would
not begin to expect preschoolers (or even elementary schoolers) to
comprehend
its symbolism. But it's a first step -- teaching it to "the son who does not
know how to ask," as someone suggested. And, if it inspires questioning,
then
it has fulfilled its purpose at the Seder.

According to "A Family Haggadah II" by Shoshana Silberman (KAR-BEN COPIES,
1997) and corroborated by other annotated haggadot, the song's meaning is as
follows:

"Chad Gadya is an allegory describing Israel's history. The kid is Israel,
purchased with 2 zuzim, the 2 tablets of the law. Next is a list of Israel's
oppressors: the cat is Assyria; the dog, Babylonia; the stick, Persia; the
fire, Greece; the water, Rome; the ox, the Saracens; the butcher, the
Crusaders; the Angel of Death, the Ottomans. But the song ends with an
expression of hope, that the Holy One will bring peace and eternal life to
the people of Israel."

In short, I explain the song to my students (of any age) as meaning that God
is powerful over even the most powerful person or thing on earth. And it is
God's ultimate power that has enabled the Jews to survive, even after all
these other oppressors have been "swallowed up." (And isn't that the story
of
Pesach, after all?)

Meanwhile, I want to express my thanks to all of you who responded with such
thoughtful and supportive comments on the merits of teaching Chad Gadya to
young children. It's truly wonderful to know that as Jewish music teachers
and songleaders, we're "all in this together," and that what we do and how
we
do it (and how we think about it) can bolster the efforts of our peers
across
the country (and around the world.)

However, I must tell you that the director of the JCC preschool called me
today to tell me that she polled the veteran teachers at the school, and
they
all felt that Chad Gadya was inappropriate for preschoolers. Therefore, I
have been asked to cease teaching it (although I will teach it this Sunday
at
Religious School at my synagogue, just as I have done for the last 12 years
with no negative reactions.)  Needless to say, I'm more than a little
dismayed -- but if it's pablum they want, I guess I'm obligated to provide
it. (And I wonder how much longer I'll be teaching at this preschool...)

Thanks again to all,
Linda Salvay
Prairie Village, KS
(metro Kansas City)




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