Another quick music story

[School Councils UK <Jess...>]

Here's a quick music story for you.

I got a phone call a few weeks ago from a lady who had seen one of my
singing courses advertised. She is a member of the very orthodox community
here in North West London and is a single mum with three very orthodox
children, an ll yr old girl a 2.5yr old boy and a 1 year old little girl.
She was ringing me because she is home educating her children and they
daven at home together and she is seeking ways of making the davening
sparky and enjoyable as well as traditional. I suggested a couple of Jewish
music shops but she is unemployed and on state support, and has little
sparec cash at the moment. So although not very orthodox myself I thought
I'd go round and see if I could record a couple of things for her. I felt
somewhat unqualified to do this but thought I'd give it a go. I actually
try and not do music work for free because my other job is a charity job
and not well paid but I thought I'd make an exception to my rule.

Well firstly on the day I went (yesterday),  I got three applicants for my
next singing course and another piece of free-lance work so I think G-d was
telling me something.

I go to Hendon frequently. It has a substantial Jewish community, both
ultra-orthodox and non-orthodox as well as modern orthodox. Its funny how
you can go somewhere frequently and yet be totally immune and unknowing
about political and religious intrigue of a community you have nothing to
do with.

The lady I was visiting was training for the Christian ministry 20 years
ago. She moved more and more liberal as the theology didn't sit well on her
and eventually converted to Judaism, liberal Judaism. She wasn't impressed
with this version of her conversion and so went to the ultra-orthodox. I
didn't get her whole story but she's ended up with three children and no
husband.

We started chatting about her musical needs. She told me that she got her
vision and yearning from her past life, in particular via a Christian
friend who goes all over the world working with music and Christianity. She
has never been satisfied with what she has heard. You see amongst the
ultra-orthodox community the only recorded music that is sanctioned is a
yeshiva boys choir with not so inspiring production. Her eleven year old
was present the whole time. A sweet girl, very keen on music. She loved my
guitar and kept touching it and gently strumming it (as opposed to my 2.5
yr old nephew who always attacks it vigorously exclaiming 'I am playing
very fast and very loud'). So we started looking at their siddur and I
realised that most of the songs that I know are just short snippets of
prayers which are no good for those doing whole psalms or who wants a tune
for the Shemona Esrai. I had "Live at the Dell" (DF) with me and "In Every
Generation" (KB). I played some of those and she liked them very much. She
said that her Rav would call it goyishe music and of course a woman - oy
vey. Whilst listening to Debbie there was a knock at the door. "Quickly
turn it off" she said. She was having a cupboard delivered by a very frum
man who doesn't listen to women's voices live or otherwise.

Once the man had left she took off her head covering and the little girl
took her tights off. They had been waiting all afternoon and evening in
dark tights and hair covering because they didn't know when this gentleman
would arrive and he couldn't see them without tights (their skirts were so
long that you could only see their ankles anyway).

A whole new world.

I also found out that
if you want your children to go to the right school
you have to daven in the right shool,

and not the lefty spiritual venue, yakar, which I think is a wonderful
(orthodox) synagogue.

Well in the end I recorded a few things for them including Debbies version
of 23rd psalm (Adonai Ro'i), which they were exceedingly grateful for. She
invited me over for Rosh Hashanah. How standard, those with the least give
the most.

Her daughter wanted me back soon (or was it my guitar - not quite sure).

And they all lived happily ever after?

Shanah Tovah, and much singing to you

lots of love

Jess