Re: Teens and Jewish Music, Where's the Ruach, etc.

[Carol Delton <carold...>]

Josh has a very good point about integrating Jewish music in the
curriculum, and also about what it means to make Jewish music part of
the atmosphere within the family and within the community. 

I'm the music specialist in a Sunday morning music program that really
works.  Without going into all the components, the main point is that
the students' needs are addressed with at least half of the music I
teach being related to either other parts of the curriculum (mostly
backing up the Hebrew and Tefillah curriculum) or to the music that is
sung in services.  Our students seem to thrive on building a repertoire
that is familiar, and that they can use outside of our Shirah sessions. 
It's wonderful to come back to pieces we know well, add a harmony,
understand the words better, learn another verse or simply sing more
beautifully. Whenever possible, I look for holiday-related material that
also has a place in Shabbat services or on other occasions--for example,
teaching Yismechu HaShamayim and Eretz Zavat Chalav around Tu B'Shvat.

Singing the liturgy is also a primary way for me to express my own
Judaism, and I'm sure this has an impact on the way I teach.  I'm not
much for gimmicks, and I don't jump around much, but I am definitely
have a sense of passion and purpose about the material and I think that
ultimately comes through to the kids across the grade levels.