Re: Singing Jewish music in church

[LynnCGiff <LynnCGiff...>]

OK, Brian,
Thanks sooooo much for another "holier than thou" post.
I teach comparative religion to Jewish 7th and 8th graders who live in an over
whelmingly Christian community. Every other year I take my class to series of
churches in the area. Some a "good" experiences with friendly open
congregations who welcome the kids and validate their Jewishness. Some are
"not so good" experiences where the service is strange (speaking in tongues
HAS happened) or where the minister /congregation had obviously no knowledge
of Judaism. I've been doing this for over ten years and our experience has
ALWAYS been that this is a good and valid way to teach Jewish kids who they
are and how to hold their own place in a predominately non-Jewish environment.
These kids end the year with a really solid foundation in what their peers
believe and where those beliefs do or do not fit with Judaism. This has proved
to be an invaluable way to "missionary proof" these kids.

As for singing in a church if they pay me - who cares? I have no trouble
differentiating between praying and performing.

Lynn Gifford
Fargo, ND
Where one finds oneself at a LOT of funerals, weddings, christenings,
confirmations etc. etc. and it is a GOOD thing to know how to behave.