Re: Hava Nashira 1998

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Rich:  I agree with you about the both the postives and the negatives.  The
positives were absolutely incredible, and included the quality of the
singing, the faculty, and the "campers".  I could have used more time to
just chill.  I know that our leaders had tons that they were anxious to
impart to us and not much time to do it, but I would gladly have traded a
bit of that learning for more time in which to process it.  Sitting inside
all day was probably not good for anyone either;  and I think the faculty
was overworked.

Still and all, Hava Nashira was one of the most exciting experiences I've
ever had.
Emily

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> From: Rich Glauber <rglauber (at) interlog(dot)com>
> To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> Subject: Re: Hava Nashira 1998 
> Date: Monday, June 08, 1998 7:36 AM
> 
> Hi folks,
> 
> Since I had to leave on the first van to the airport, I didn't get the
> chance to be part of the closing activity, and therefore didn't get a
> chance to hear from many of you as to your thoughts and impressions of
the
> conference.  Even though there was quite a bit of conversation throughout
> the week as to the strengths and weaknesses of the event, I (and I'm sure
> many others) would be interested to see what people's perspectives were.
> 
> I was not one of those who felt it was "overwhelmingly positive".  I felt
> that there were many positive elements to the proceedings, not the least
of
> which was the warmth, talent, and openness of the participants.  I feel
> very fortunate to be colleagues with you all, and I am excited to be part
> of an international community of like minded, musical friends.
> 
> Highlights:  The sounds we created were unbelievably beautiful.  I've
never
> had the chance to be around so many beautiful voices, beautiful
> harmonizers, and beautiful music.  There were some powerful musical
> vibrations in the air every day, and it was almost an embarassment of
> riches.  What a sound!
> 
> A major highlight from my perspective was the after hours jamming the
> brought many people together for some excellent sessions.  One open mic
> night Adrian was on piano, I was on accordion, Josh was on mandolin,
Andrew
> was on percussion and we were like the "house band" for a beautiful
series
> of impromptu performances by folks like Karen Daniel, Jess Gold, David
> Jaffe, Rick and I wish I could remember everyone's name...  It was
> extremely fun and a great way to connect.
> 
> Other nights were more raucous, there was one evening in the Lodge where
we
> jammed into the late night, singin baby boomer hits with all ages... What
a
> trip!  Yeah that was especially nice to have musicians in their early
> twenties and younger, jamming with some of us (shall we say) more
> "chronilogically challenged" folks.  It's so important to bridge that
gap,
> and we really did it.
> 
> Many of the "prepared" classes were excellent, and it was very helpful to
> receive the benefit of learning from such excellent teachers.
> 
> But before I bore you all with positives, let me share about the two
areas
> where I feel we missed the mark.  The first is an opinion that I know was
> shared by many of the participants, and that is the over programming of
the
> conference and the resultant lack of time for informal, small group
> learning and sharing.  This is a serious problem, because it reflects a
> mind set that really must change.  What that type of programming implies
is
> that we participants are to be in "receptor mode" for the vast majority
of
> the time, and that we are to receive the insights from the "experts" in
> order to further our education.  I strongly disagree with this model as
the
> dominant paradigm for what should happen at HN.  Personally I got much
more
> out of the smaller group sharings, scheduled and unscheduled, in which
> people with common goals were able to share their various strategies,
> tunes, activities and ideas with eachother.  This type of programming
> happened in spite of the schedule, rather than because of it.
> 
> Secondly, I was amazed at the complete lack of physicality at this event.
> I mean think about it.  Here we have close to a hundred Jewish musicians
> coming together for five days of community in a beautiful lakeside
setting
> in rural Wisconsin, in early June no less.  Somehow we have been lulled
> into a model of thinking that "spirituality" equates with a group of
> stationary people sitting or occassionally standing around a guitarist
> making beautiful soaring harmonies.  There was such an over abundance of
> that type situation that it nearly crossed over into absurdity for me.
> Don't get me wrong, I think some of the music was exceptionally
uplifting,
> but it's only one slice of the entire gamut of possibilities for group
> davening and interacting.
> 
> How could we not dance, not be outdoors in the gorgeous weather, not find
a
> way to relate with more than just our voices and guitars?  I believe that
> we have to find a way to bring something physical into the equation.  It
> could be group dancing, it could be walking through the grass, it could
be
> Yoga, or morning exercise or something else, but it is needed.  People
> often talk about the Shechina, the feminine aspect of God that has been
> separated from us, and how we are searching to become whole again.  I
> believe that the shechina is in our bodies, and the more we bring
movement
> and physicality into our worship and our communal life, the more whole we
> become.
> 
> Thanks for listening,
> 
> Rich Glauber (the somewhat obnoxious guy with the red, white and blue
> accordion)