[HANASHIR:14360] Re: Another Hatikvah question

[rahel <rahel...>]

At 12:03 PM 5/20/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Gail, Rahel and others --
>Thank you for responding. I actually received some emails offlist by folks 
>who thought I needed my head screwed on straight. Those who have responded 
>seem to be largely unappreciative of the question. And no one has 
>responded to my actual query, which was how Jewish teachers deal with this 
>type of question as it comes up...


I disagree. I think you have received some responses that have addressed 
the question. On the other hand, it seems that we need to have more active 
discussions on the subject in order to find a more complete line of action. 
If I might veer off in another direction, though not off topic, I have 
similar issues just with singing (and teaching) in Hebrew.  I sing often in 
Hebrew - out in the general public - and find that (and I take the risk of 
making a very general blanket statement here) more NON-Jews are interested 
in Hebrew than are Jews.

Just as we are struggling with the issues of whether to sing the anthem as 
it is sung in Israel or not, or whether to sing the anthem at all, I find 
myself in a similar struggle just to get the students, and their parents, 
and the congregation to sing in Hebrew - be it liturgical or secular music.

It feels almost as if because we might have been forced as children to 
learn Hebrew, go to Sunday school  etc. - which is apparently completely 
inconvenient for most students AND their parents, then as adults we need to 
somehow continue this feeling of discontent and avoid the Hebrew language - 
and thus also Israel - and anything related to those subjects - at all costs.

I realize that it is always easier, more relevant and more meaningful to 
sing lyrics that you can understand and pronounce. But Hebrew really is NOT 
a foreign language to Jews. Why must we keep it at such a distance from our 
regular lives? Why must it remain only relevant to prayers and blessings? 
Why do I so often find myself in such a struggle when I try to keep Hebrew 
alive by using it, teaching it and singing it?

What kinds of experiences have you had?

Rahel