[HANASHIR:14507] Reflections on HN 2003 and past memories

[LPKAROL <LPKAROL...>]

Dear Friends,
     The spirit of Hava Nashira 2003 is still hovering around me and inside 
me, along with the enthusisasm and memories of the three other years I have 
attended.   While each year has its own highlights, tone and "personality,"  
the 
relationships and knowledge seem to build from one time to the next.   
Friendships from before become more established and new friendships form as 
well.   I 
know I will see some of you at CAJE and the UAHC Biennial, where we will 
acknowledge being part of this  network, or, better yet, family, of Jewish 
singers 
and musicians.  
       Some of the new melodies are lingering in my head, and I was able to 
share with my wife Rhonda and son Adam the recordings of Theodore Bikel singing 
"Am Yisrael Chai" and "If I were a Rich Man."    From the appearance of 
"Worf's adoptive father" to some very meaningful sharing during worship to the 
use 
of the new prayerbook as a community to simply uniting our voices in an always 
impressive chorus, Hava Nashira continues to be a gift.   It is significant 
whether we are sharing our thoughts, ideas and feelings in person or in 
cyberspace. 
        The cumulative experience of two songwriting workshops at HN, the 
first with Craig Taubman and Danny Maseng in 1999 and the session this year 
with 
Dan Nichols, serves as an inspiration to many of us to try to create new 
Jewish music.  I remarked to Dan, after our discussion last week, that it is 
impressive to see how so many people are creating Jewish music now.   I thought 
back 
to 1970, when I was at National Torah Corps at Kutz, when Michael Isaacson 
was the main composer in residence and not many other singers were yet 
composing 
new Jewish music.  I remember singing a song I wrote (one of those songs that 
teenagers create) for Michael I. and he told me to keep on composing.   A few 
years later, a certain singer came to my college campus (Univ of Illinois in 
Champaign-Urbana) and, after hearing a song of mine at a Havdalah with our 
Hillel Choir, told me to sing the song at one point during her performance 
(thank 
you for that, Debbie Friedman). I thought about those moments in the last few 
days and realized their connection to the encouragement offered in the 
songrwriting elective and in other contexts at HN.  In many ways, we are each 
other's "cheerleaders" for creativity and sharing our music.  
       A CD of my own music is nearing completion and you will hear when it 
is ready.  In the meantime, I wish everyone who is part of this network in 
Oconomowoc and/or in cyberspace a chag samayach and many unique and memorable 
musical moments in the year to come!
L'shalom,
Larry Karol
"The only rabbi in Topeka, Kansas"