[HANASHIR:14234] Re: comments on noise

[rahel <rahel...>]

At 03:15 PM 5/8/2003 -0400, Golda18 (at) aol(dot)com wrote:
>In a message dated 5/8/2003 10:50:08 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
>Danielkare (at) aol(dot)com write
>Although I don't perform, I have noticed this when I've read Torah or 
>Haftarah in Temple.  I can often hear the clergy on the bimah or the 
>people in the 5th row chatting away.  And I had a toddler once walk up the 
>steps on one side of the bimah and off the other side as I was leyning.
>Gail Nalven


Shalom,

I have noticed this too. I believe that people talk during Torah reading 
for two reasons:

1. They don't know Hebrew, don't understand a word, and therefore see no 
sense in listening - they take this as a time out .

2. They were not taught much about Torah, have no clue why we even open the 
darn thing, let alone read from it, - have no real respect for our basic 
traditions....


Okay - this following my last email - I know I'm being quite harsh. I also 
realize I am changing the subject somewhat. However, I have taught here in 
NH now for almost 4 years. I have taught all ages, including adults, in 
Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox shul's, and at Jewish camps. 
Unfortunately, the above has been my experience. No doubt, in communities 
with larger Jewish populations, there is more awareness of Jewish culture, 
heritage and traditions - one would hope.

I have been teaching Hebrew for two years now - to grades 4-7 and to 
adults. Many American Jews depend on transliteration, and then 
memorization, in order to repeat the prayers each week. I have had debates 
with a few people in my own synagogue about the importance of teaching 
Hebrew - MODERN SPOKEN Hebrew AND script reading and writing, in addition 
to block (print). In my arena, the general feeling is that only Prayer book 
Hebrew is relevant and necessary for the congregants to learn. Script is 
irrelevant and useless to American Jews.

As director of the Hebrew dept. in my shul, I have turned this all around. 
We now study BOTH block reading and script reading and writing. We study 
BOTH modern conversational Hebrew and prayers relevant to our service. I 
have found a textbook with workbook that covers all this very well - Shaar 
Kriyah - put out by Ktav. In my school, we conduct an hour long service 
each week as part of the new curriculum. It also includes singing - and 
when Jewish holidays (ALL OF THEM) come around - I make sure the children 
learn at least three holiday songs IN HEBREW!!! Dances, too.Since mid-year, 
I no longer have the need to lead the services. The students are leading. 
And the younger students listen even better to the older students when they 
lead. I can't believe the seriousness of the students when we come around 
to the Misheberach and the Kaddish. They never cease to amaze me as they 
call out the names of loved ones - human and animal - and also include the 
names of some congregants they don't even know! Additionally by this time 
of the year, it is the Bnei Mitzvah students who are actually reading their 
Torah portions as part of the class service. We take the Torah out of the 
ark, walk with it in procession, and have it in view as the students read 
their portions. Those who are not yet ready are required to write, and read 
out loud, short essays about the importance of Torah in their lives!

My great dream is that these children, and adults, will gain knowledge, and 
more importantly, RESPECT for their amazing Jewish culture, heritage and 
for Israel, the Hebrew language and the TORAH!! The hardest part of all of 
this is Kavannah - how to instill sincere and profound intention into the 
students. I feel that in many ways somehow this is happening.

Additionally, as songleader, I invite everyone to join in - come to 
rehearsals and learn the repertoire, make a band/chorus and perform with us 
at outside of shul gigs. We have produced a CD of the temple service. Every 
member has one. The kids are required to listen and learn from it for 
class! Our present "band" (www.geocities.com/bneishalom)  - hope you don't 
mind the plug - is comprised of congregants aged from 13 to 53 - if 
younger, or older students want to join, I wouldn't turn them away. this 
band has been invited to perform at Interfaith gatherings, festivals, 
coffeehouses, shul events and more. We sing only Jewish repertoire - of all 
kinds - in English and Hebrew. It's a powerful experience for us and the 
audiences.

If all of the above efforts succeed, then my hope is that we will end up 
with an involved singing, reading, and joyous and proud Jewish congregation 
who will see the importance of Torah in their lives. Congregants will 
listen intently when Torah is being read, and will not talk during prayers 
and will sing along with the songs. There will no longer be noise - there 
will a JOYOUS noise!

Meris - at your request, I will do my best to send (in another email) - the 
top 5 holiday songs for as many holidays as I can.

I would also like to remind you of a wonderful resource for educators:

Adi and Esti Sulkin are Israeli folklorists and educators. They have 
produced numerous volumes of songbooks with audio recordings - in the WEE 
SING style - that include individual packets for each holiday as well as 
general interest songs, fingerplays, stories. Their booklets are available 
with English translation and transliteration in addition to the Hebrew. I 
use this resource at each holiday. I have been using it for at least ten 
years or more.

Tara Productions (Velvel Pasternak) puts out great materials - songbooks on 
Chassidic, Israeli, Holidays and more. The Jewish Fake Book is a great 
resource. These, together with Sulkin, Shireinu & Manginot (for the 
American Jews), and the Gates of Prayer (I think that's what it's called?) 
should keep you well supplied for every feast, celebration and service!

If you give out song sheets to your audience/congregation, it also helps 
get them involved in listening and singing, instead of talking!!!

Sincerely,

Rahel



"It is a great mitzvah to be happy all the time." - Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
"The Holy One, blessed be He, will be the Head of the dance circle of the 
tzaddikim in time to come."
- Yerushalmi Succah, Lulav veAravah and Vayikra Rabbah 11 end

www.geocities.com/rahelmusic, www.geocities.com/bneishalom