[HANASHIR:11657] Re: Another opinion about sharing our music

[ehavanashira.org <adrian...>]

Chaverim:

Having lived in both large urban areas with large Jewish populations (NYC,
DC), as well as in the south and deep south (Nashville, Florida, New
Orleans, Mobile), Midwest (Elkhart, IN) and northern plains (Fargo, ND) in
communities with Jewish populations varying from miniscule to small, I do
have some sympathy for Laura's concern. I do not agree with her assessment
nor endorse her position, but life in areas with a heavy presence of
fundamentalist Xtians and Messianic Jews can greatly influence how one
perceives this issue. So I ask that we not take Laura to task for her
viewpoints without recognizing the milieu she finds herself in.

Having studied at the Divinity School at Vanderbilt Univ in Nashville, I can
say that we should not fear sharing our music with members of other
religions, and should, in fact, do as much sharing as we can in the interest
of tikkun olam. Others may very well seek to utilize our gifts against us,
and that is unfortunate. I do know that this practice is frowned upon by
most mainstream Xtian clergy and denominations. Had I gone to the local
Baptist seminary, however, I might have discovered a different point of
view.

It is also possible that through sharing our music, we might bring others to
heed the Jewish message.

Anyway, the issue for me is not what Messianic Jews do with our Jewish
music, but what we Jews do with it. Assimilation cannot be blamed on the
Xtian community nor even the Messianics, even if their tactics are
questionable. If our music is failing to get under the skin of many Jews,
enough so that they are seeking what they need elsewhere, perhaps we need to
look at where we are singing. And what we are teaching.

Debbie teaches us it's all about teaching text, and I agree. Are the songs
we're singing and writing and teaching and songleading these days focused on
the text, or more on the style, to make the pretty and appealing to the
younger crowd? I do believe that many of our songwriters really are focused
on the text, and trying to use mediums of music that they are comfortable
with and know will appeal to their peers. However, even though this may be
so, we don't seem to be succeeding as well as we could. In terms of raw
percentage, more Xtian kids know Amy Grant songs than Jewish kids know
Debbie Friedman or Dan Nichols or Rick Recht songs. Rather than worrying
about sharing our music with our co-religionists in the Xtian (and Muslim
and Buddhist and Bahai) communities,  let's see what we can learn from their
successes.

B'vracha,

Adrian



Adrian A. Durlester, M.T.S.  - adrian (at) durlester(dot)com
http://www.durlester.com/
Director of Education, Beth El Hebrew Congregation, Alexandria, VA
education(dot)director (at) bethelhebrew(dot)org
Conference Chair, CAJE 27, Aug. 4-8, 2002, Trinity Univ., San Antonio, TX
caje27chair (at) caje27(dot)org
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
shamash(dot)org
http://uahc.org/hanashir
adrian (at) ehavanashira(dot)org



 -----Original Message-----
From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
shamash(dot)org]On
Behalf Of Shirona
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 5:31 PM
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
Subject: [HANASHIR:11652] Re: Another opinion about sharing our music


  Dear Laura,

  As a music teacher/performer I'm sure you are aware of the huge number of
songs that we Jews "shnorer" from the goyyim... Our own national anthem is
(according to the scholars) a Rumanian horse and buggy song.  The Hassidim
consider it a mitzvah to take a "secular" tune, most likely from the local
non-Jews, and "make it kosher" by assigning sacred texts to it. Groups like
Schlock Rock make a living from doing exactly this.  The popular "Ein
Keloheinu" is, alas, a German drinking song....The more you delve into this
subject the more you may discover that there really is no such thing as pure
"Jewish Music"...

  The texts are a different matter - but we have no "claims" on any music.
Besides, music has a universal, unifying power - and thank G-d for that!  If
it helps us see that we're all so similar, and praying to the same G-d, we
might not be so uptight about our differences.  Have a little faith...the
"other" religions "stole" everything from us anyway - whether it's believing
in one G-d, the Sabbath, the Bible... and we're still around, right?  I'm
also concerned about assimilation - but I believe it's more because of "us"
than "them"...

  Shirona

  Our music is one of our greatest treasures and a legacy we hand down to
our children with our rituals, prayers and core JEWISH values.
  Personally, I abhor the thought of a bunch of goyim desecrating our sacred
songs.  Our songs are sacred when the melodies, words and kavanah come from
a pure Jewish neshama (soul).  You may say they respect it, but I contend
that they will still be using it for their purposes to get our children on
their path.  (Just as we have adopted some gospel works for our own
purposes).

  Assimilation is tearing away at the fabric of our people,  I do not feel
that we should be giving the world the scissors to do it with by freely
sharing our sacred music.

  Laura Solkowitz RN
  Pre-school - 6th Grade Performance Music - Hillel Day School Raleigh, NC
  Patient Educator, WakeMed Rehab Raleigh, NC

  lsolkowitz (at) aol(dot)com

  "He who has saved one life, it as if he has saved an entire world" -
Talmud