[HANASHIR:14881] Re: Kol Isha

[rahel <rahel...>]

Shalom Everyone,

It is nice to follow the conversation on 'Kol Isha'. Sources have already 
been cited for this Halachic ruling so I won't go there. Instead, If you 
will indulge me, I would like to share my own journey and experiences with 
this ruling. I am one of the founding members of the all-woman's orthodox 
Jewish band called "Tofa'ah". The group was founded by drummer Yona 
(Saslow) Yacabovitch in 1981 in Israel as a result of an all woman's 
concert event that was organized by Gracie Rosenblum at the Diaspora 
Yeshiva in Jerusalem. Gracie is the wife of Avraham Rosenblum, who founded 
the Diaspora Yeshiva Band and now performs as himself. Avraham's band was 
the inspiration for many others like them in the Orthodox world. Many were 
inspired by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, who did a wonderful job at returning 
Jews to their Jewish roots. But back to Tofa'ah...

I found Yona - or she found me - through a note she posted seeking women 
musicians. We got together, performed at a second Diaspora Yeshiva 
all-woman's event , and soon after that concert, we began to write and 
record music by and for women. At this writing there are six recordings in 
cassette or CD form.

We were all single women back then, and at all different stages of 
spirituality - some very religious and some hardly at all, but all 
following by the Halachic ruling of "Kol b'Isha Ervah". It was on this 
basis that the group was formed. In those days, in Israel, there were no 
avenues for artistic expression open to Orthodox women. At first we 
performed mostly for the "Anglo" community - mostly "Baalei Tshuvah" (born 
agains) - women who were attending Yeshiva's and learning the Orthodox 
Jewish approach to life and living. Therefore, the majority of our 
performances were for those who had come from open societies who knew all 
about eclectic amplified sound etc. Israeli's were only just beginning to 
partake in the rock world. And Orthodox Jews  would have no part of this. 
Anyway, after a few years, we found ourselves being interviewed and sought 
after by a curious Israeli public, television & radio, and we began to 
attract larger audiences that included more and more Orthodox women, and 
women from all walks of life, including the gay community of women.

As women, and as very conscious G-d fearing women, being a member of this 
dynamic women's band was an awesome journey. We were breaking ground in an 
evolving society that saw life in very black and white terms. This was a 
coming of age for Israeli Orthodox women who had never imagined that they, 
too, would one day find a door opened to them for artistic expression. We 
were invited into community circles that provided US with new insight into 
the beauty of being orthodox women. I felt very privileged to have had the 
opportunity to be welcomed into the Belz, Lubavitch, and other sects and 
streams of orthodox communities in Israel. Yona introduced drumming to 
young orthodox girls who, today, are forming there own bands. Today, in 
Israel, there are orthodox schools that focus on the arts. We were the 
inspiration for all of this to happen.

Writing music for women found us exploring ourselves as women, and our 
roles in, and influences on, society. We were sought out by folklorists who 
sought to define "Jewish Music" and also to define "Jewish WOMEN's Music". 
Our music sits in the Archives at the Hebrew University, and at the Rubin 
Academy of Music, both in Jerusalem. For us, we had no need to define or 
categorize our music. We were following Jewish law. What was important to 
us was that we realized that what was once viewed as a restrictive and even 
negative imposition on women, for us was just the opposite. This Jewish Law 
actually provided us with the FREEDOM to express ourselves, and our love of 
G-d, honestly and sincerely as people, as women, as Jews, as Jewish women, 
and as Orthodox Jewish women. Our music reflected Jewish and women's 
lifestyle - i.e. - mikveh, prayer, our relationship with G-d as women etc. 
I am reminded of a song written by a woman passing through in Israel back 
in the 80's. She had written a song about her feelings as a Jewish woman 
being made to pray "behind the mehitza". Her experience was much different 
than ours, whereas for her the experience was a negative and restrictive 
one. But for us, we found that while being "behind the mehitza" we 
flourished as Jews and as Jewish women. The point is that the halachic 
ruling of "Kol Isha" for us was an aid to our personal growth as women and 
to our identity as Jews.

Performing for women only was an experience all women ought to have! I have 
to admit that sometimes, in a mixed crowd, I will actually feel restricted. 
When "Tofa'ah"performed women stood up and danced ecstatically, even doing 
cartwheels and somersaults! They were able to let loose in a way that they 
could not, or would not, in a mixed crowd. Tofa'ah provided an atmosphere 
of freedom for women to express themselves both as performers and as 
listeners. There are rules applying to modesty in orthodox circles that I 
highly respect. Heck, I can truly say that if our society today would apply 
some of these rules we might be a happier and more respectful society again.

In any case, ten years into our Tofa'ah career, Yona and I decided to found 
a non-profit organization we called "Tof Miriam". For three years she and I 
almost single handed created an annual Women in the Arts National Festival 
in Israel. I believe it is still functioning today. We did a lot of work to 
get grants and then sponsored and produced concerts, art exhibitions, 
theater productions, and dance. Our goal was to give women a voice - not 
just Orthodox women, but women of all walks of life. Alice Shalvi was one 
of our greatest supporters, advisors and aid in getting this work off the 
ground, along with the Jerusalem Municipality, and many of the sponsors and 
venues that supported our efforts or offered their space at reduced rates 
to help women to be seen and heard in Israel. We sought out unknown women 
who needed help in getting their work to the public eye, and we sought out 
known women who would help focus the attention of the public at large on 
these events.

I have been writing a long time now. I will close now. I think my point in 
all of this is to say that, yes, there is a Jewish Law that says that a 
woman's voice is "ervah" - off-limits to men? seductive? naked? Jewish laws 
were made with great thought behind them. If you choose to view "Kol b'isha 
ervah" as a restriction, then you are missing an awful lot about the power, 
thought and beauty of living a Jewish life. I have learned, through my own 
personal experience of living by this particular law, that we must look 
deeper into each and every ruling. This law caused one woman - Yona - to 
think and live creatively and whole, as a woman and as a Jew. I was blessed 
to be Yona's friend and partner in crime! Together, and with a large and 
growing number of women who visited and participated in Tofa'ah over the 
years, we have happily inspired an entire generation to think differently 
about themselves as women and as Jews. Women who joined Tofa'ah then, now 
live all over the world. They are still paving the way for others to to 
open doors and windows to living a creative and full life as Jews who 
cherish their Jewish heritage. The all-women's events in Israel exist today 
because the women of Tofa'ah opened the door. They did it WITHIN the 
framework of Jewish law. I think this is awesome!

Rahel

PS - Yona, and women of Tofa'ah - please feel free to add to my commentary! 

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+