[HANASHIR:16599] RE: Need Music for a Celebrating the Sadness Program

[Meris Ruzow <meris...>]

Adrian - What a wonderful topic actually!    Off the top of my head
without putting much thought or research into this, I can't help but
bring up 2 of Doug Cotler's pieces -- in both you can have the families
(mainly the parents, let's face it and older kids) sing the chorus with
you, and you can sing them the verse.   Let's not forget that especially
with something slower; and with a sad theme, let's remember that
kids/parents don't have to sing the WHOLE thing!  They also like to
LISTEN!  They also need to hug!    So I would sing "Rose in December"
because all they have to sing is "If you remember............" etc.
The other song is "Adonai Natan, Adonai LaKach, y'hi shem Adonai
mevorach........ and again, that's very singable for whomever decides to
sing.   But I have found some kids just put their arms over their
friends, etc. and start swaying which is almost even more touching.    

I would suggest, however, that you end the program with a song of
support, of family/friends loving and being there for eachother (maybe a
verse or two of Cantor Wally's "Al Tifrosh.")  If you explain the
meaning of the song first, and again, teach them the chorus........
voila!  I'm sure there's lots of other great songs, but again, first cup
of coffee here................... Please let us know how this goes.  I
think it's a wonderful subject.
Meris

Meris (at) nycap(dot)rr(dot)com


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
shamash(dot)org] On
Behalf Of Adrian Durlester
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 10:20 PM
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
Subject: [HANASHIR:16595] Need Music for a Celebrating the Sadness
Program

OK, here's an interesting request for assistance. I created a series of
monthly Family programs for the school this year. This weekend, I am
doing a
short Family/student program for Grades K-whatever. 

Well, as always, having a penchant for going from New York to D.C. by
way of
China, I saddled myself with a challenging topic. The theme is
"Celebrating
the Sadness" and I am going to be teaching, in very abbreviated form,
about
the reasons and value in having "holidays" and rituals  that commemorate
sad
events, and, ultimately, about the value to us as individuals in
remembering
the sad as well as the good in our own lives. (The key that got me this
particular topic, my working to make each monthly family program relate
to
the time at hand, is the fact that it is Tevet, which early on has the
sad
commemoration of Asara b'Tevet, and, like Cheshvan, has no celebratory
holidays. In Cheshvan, I did a Shabbat-based program, using the lesson
that
Cheshvan is not really without holidays, as it has the best holiday of
all 4
times-Shabbat. So I figured this time around I would tackle the issue of
"sad" holidays and remembrances head on.)

I am managing to find suitable materials to put this program together,
but I
am really struggling for some music that works with the theme, and is
family
friendly. So I'm turning to this wonderful community for assistance,
something that oddly, I don't do as often as I probably should, being
its
founder and moderator!

If your response is worth sharing with the whole list, by all means do
so.
But if you think it might not be all that useful to others, simply write
me
off list at adrian (at) durlester(dot)com(dot)

B'vracha,

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


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