Mini HNs

[Adrian Adam Durlester <durleste...>]

My opinion on this subject remains unchanged. Focusing on the establishment
of Mini-Hava Nashiras detracts from the main event, and does not put the
focus on where it should be: our obligation to bring back to our communities
what we learn at Hava Nashira. Although these mini-Hava Nashiras claim as
their purpose the education and training of songleaders who cannot come to
the "main event" I believe the purpose is somewhat more selfish. We all have
that post-Hava Nashira high, we get back to our communities, and we run into
that post Hava Nashira let down of real world scenarios that are nothing
like it. We express our frustration for this by wishing for more get
togethers where those of us with like minds and hearts can share-for after
all, that is what would really happen at a mini-Hava Nashira-peers with
peers.  It is my humble opinion that this is ultimately an avoidance tactic
from having to take on the challenge of changing the realities of our
congregations/workplaces/etc. and making them places that are more like Hava
Nashira in spirit, environment, etc.

There would certainly be some value in regional songleader training
workshops. I am not sure the time is yet ripe for that. This community (of
Jewish song leaders) is much smaller than it looks, and the existing Hava
Nashira is big enough, or can be big enough to serve a large percentage of
that community. Let's allow our post Hava Nashira highs to play themselves
out a bit, step back, and then take another good, long, hard look at the
idea of mini-Hava Nashiras and see what we are really talking about, why we
want them, what purpose they would serve, who they would serve, and how.

Let's turn our focus now, as I suggested in my earlier message, to what Hava
Nashira is like, what we learned there, and start sharing some of that on
the list.

Always the gadfly,

Adrian A. Durlester
Owner-Hanashir


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian A. Durlester  -  durleste (at) earthlink(dot)net
http://home.earthlink.net/~durleste/
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Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions)
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