[HANASHIR:1858] Spielberg's Insult to Jewish Music

[Adrian A. Durlester <durleste...>]

To all my fellow Jewish Musicians:

Another slap in the face for Jewish musicians everywhere.

In an article in Nashville's "The Tennessean" on Thursday, it was reported
that Country and Christian musicians had recorded tie-in CDs (under direct
connection with the film's producer, Dreamworks) for the soon to be released
"Prince of Egypt," an animated adaptation of the story of Moshe Rabbeinu.
The film's publicists proudly proclaim there will be no fast-food tie-ins.
The article states how many Xtian authorities were consulted so that a Moses
acceptable to Xtians would be created. (Jewish experts were consulted also,
but no mention was made of this in the article.)

This summer at CAJE, under pressure, I reluctantly relinquished what was
supposed to have been 30 minutes time (and wound up being over an hour) in
the CAJE closing night program  to a publicist from Dreamworks who brought
previews of the film and seemed anxious to court CAJE and the Jewish
community.

This being the case, I have to ask: why were NO JEWISH ARTISTS asked to
participate in writing and recording a tie-in CD?

I believe this matter is worthy of a letter/email writing campaign to Mr.
Spielberg and Dreamworks. I will research the appropriate addresses and post
them to the list.

I understand that we represent a small market, but as Moses is OURS first,
and Mr. Spielberg purports to increasing Jewish ties in his life, it is an
insult to have ignored Jewish musicians.

Here is a chance for Mr. Spielberg to demonstrate his support for his own
people. The Xtian community continues to steal our Jewish heritage from us,
but by bit. It is time to stem the tide.

Adrian

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Adrian A. Durlester  -  durleste (at) home(dot)com
http://members.home.net/durleste/
Student, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
http://divinity.lib.vanderbilt.edu/vds/vds-home.htm
Music Director, Congregation Micah, Nashville, TN
http://www.micahnash.org/
Home phone (615) 646-9788
Nextel cel-phone (615) 207-2661
You can page me from http://www.nextel.com
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
shamash(dot)org
http://uahc.org/hanashir
Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions)
http://www.torahaura.com/
Evening Program Chair, CAJE 23 - San Antonio TX, Aug 9-13, 1998
http://www.caje.org
Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com