[HANASHIR:16342] Copyrighted Prayer Books

[Freedabet <Freedabet...>]

I don't agree with such a strict interpretation.  They certainly have copyright 
protection with respect to the layout of the pages, and photocopying the pages 
is certainly not right, but, the prayers themselves in Hebrew are not 
copyrightable.  It is perhaps a little less clear when they have made minor 
changes to the text, but I can't imagine any publisher trying to enforce 
copyright to the 'imahot' additions to the amidah, for example.  

And, with regard to translations, there is also 'nothing new under the sun.'  
It would be irresponsible to issue a 'new' translation of the bible which did 
not consider and use many of the same words as the major translations currently 
in use, most of which are copyrighted works.

Michael


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: adrian (at) durlester(dot)com 
  To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org 
  Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2003 8:02 AM
  Subject: [HANASHIR:16279] RE: New Chanukah music online




  Robin:

  JPS, the UAHC(URJ) and UCSJ, the CCAR and RA hold copyrights on their
  respective prayer books--so if there are copies of the prayers from them
  online, they're illegal! The traditional text from the traditional siddurim,
  in a non-specific published edition, or done by an individual, is probably
  safe to use.

  (Remember that the Reform and Conservative prayerbooks change some of the
  original Hebrew text, so these new editions of the traditional prayers would
  be, in effect, copyright protected.)

  Nevertheless....

  Daniel Mack's Service/Song Archive has been on the web and linked from the
  Hava Nashira site for years and years.

  http://www.netspace.org/~dmacks/shira/

  He uses RTf files.

  Using MS Word for Hebrew with full nikkudot is often not the best way--there
  are many unpredictablities with the spacing of the vowels and letters from
  font to font, and depending on your printer driver (you must usually tell
  your printer driver to send bit images to the printer and not fonts.)
  Ultimately, I think text in either PDF or Davkawriter format will prove more
  useful than MS Word format.

  Other sites with online text from the Siddur:

  Jordan Wanger's site:
  http://siddur.webjew.org/

  Here is a traditional Kabbalat Shabbat service available as individual PDF
  files
  http://www.aishdas.org/siddur.shtml

  Owners of Davkawriter can get complete siddurim and machzorim for use with
  Davkawriter.

  I believe the UJ and USCJ have plans to eventually make their siddurim
  available onbline (for fee or subscription or some other controlled method.)

  There are probably other sources online as well. By revealing them here, we
  may eventually be dooming them to oblivion if they contain and copyrighted
  materials!

  Adrian

  Adrian A. Durlester, MTS
  E-mail: adrian (at) durlester(dot)com  www.durlester.com
  Director of Education & Congregational Life, Bethesda Jewish Congregation,
  Bethesda, MD
  www.bethesdajewish.com
  Co-Director, Hazamir/JTAI Choir of Greater DC
  Past Conf Chair, CAJE 27, August 4-8, 2002, Trinity University, San Antonio,
  TX
  List Owner, hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Jewish Songleaders/Performers List
  www.ehavanashira.org
  Co-Owner, l-torah (at) shamash(dot)org; Liberal Torah Discussion List


  -----Original Message-----
  From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
shamash(dot)org] On
  Behalf Of SELINGER (at) cua(dot)edu
  Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 7:02 PM
  To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
  Subject: [HANASHIR:16277] New Chanukah music online


  1. Gordon Lustig has written a new "Chanukah Rap" which you can find online
  at:

   http://www.hotshabbat.com/GLustig-chanukahrap-leadsheet2.pdf

  This leadsheet contains sheet music and lyrics. Thanks, Gordon!

  2. One online resource I'd like to find is a collection of traditional
  prayers written out in Hebrew text (with vowels!) and ready to cut-and-paste
  directly into an MSWord songsheet. Does anyone know where such a resource
  could be found online?

  3. More web statistics...Totshabbat.com has had visits from 25 countries
  over the last two weeks. There were nearly 800 distinct visitors.
  Most popular downloads:

     Mi Y'maleil (doot-doot) performed by Kol B'Seder
         This Night - Marge Eiseman
         Around the Candles, 5 brothers, Light candles- all by Marcie Mirkin
         Hanerot Halalu- performed by Robin Selinger
         Shalom Shabbat Shalom and Children's Sh'ma - Carol Boyd Leon
         Shabbat Blessings- Karen Daniel
         When You Give a Little Ahavah - Judy Farber
         Letters on the Dreidel -- Andi Joseph
         Snack Blessing - Joel Simon
         Mi Sheh Tov Lo - Rahel

  Please note, this list only includes audio files residing on my own
  webspace, so it doesn't count all the many, many songs I've linked from
  artist homepages and online retailers all over the web.

  4. Public health reminders... Flu has hit my synagogue community, and our
  annual inter-generational sing-along at the Hebrew Home was cancelled
  because too many of the elderly residents are ill. Think about reasonable
  precautions a songleader can take to protect yourself and your community.

  Singers are at extra risk of catching colds and flu in this season when
  we're frequently working a lot and don't get much rest. Wash your hands
  often, especially before/after working with kids and before meals. Use
  hot water and lots of soap.

  DON'T pass pieces of challah or other foods hand-to-hand around the room (as
  we often do after services at the kiddush...) Use a plate or a tray. If you
  want to be extra careful, get some disposable plastic gloves from the
  synagogue kitchen before handling food, or use tongs instead of fingers.

  Avoid crowding too many people in a small space and make sure there's
  plenty of ventilation.

  Please don't laugh about this stuff... in college I went on an extended
  European summer tour with my choir, and because we passed water bottles
  around and shared food a lot, at some point the entire alto section got sick
  at the same time.

  -Robin Selinger
  robin (at) totshabbat(dot)com








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a service of Hebrew College, which offers online courses and an
online MA in Jewish Studies, http://hebrewcollege.edu/online/

To unsubscribe email listproc (at) shamash(dot)org and have your message read:
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