[HANASHIR:3230] there are no coincidences...

[Angela Gold <c641368...>]

Well, I'm happy to say that, of the three hava nashirot (is that the right
way to pluralize it?) I've attended, this is the first time I haven't
completely lost my voice for what seems like forever afterwards.  In the
past couple years, it was so frustrating because all I wanted to do when I
got home was sing, and I couldn't.  This year I had to have a voice
because I was singing in a bar mitzvah a week after my return (it was this
morning...well, yesterday morning now...).  I was a little hoarse earlier
in the week, but in the past couple days, my voice seems to have come back
just fine.  Coincidence?  Craig Taubman says no.

It was nice to lead a service this morning, as it provided a
type of continuum from last weekend.  I wasn't sure how well I was
reaching those in the sanctuary, because it was such a big, echoing room,
and I was up on the bimah with a microphone.  After the service, however,
people made comments about the spirituality that the music brought to the
service, and that I had a warm presence which spread around and made
people want to sing.  One lady said she got goosebumps and felt a very
spiritual presence when I played the traditional Yismechu melody.  She
said she also noticed during that song that the sun was peeking brightly
through what had been, up to that point, an overcast, rainy sky.  As I
spoke with this woman a little longer, I think I realized that she wasn't 
Jewish.  I'm not positive, but it seemed that way, and if this is the
case (or even if it's not, because I've seen other cases), I have to say
I'm amazed at how those who are not so familiar with Jewish culture and
traditions can still feel that spirituality from the music. ... yet
another way that music creates connections between people.  I strive to
create a spiritual atmosphere whenever I am songleading, and when I return
from a convention of such spiritual magnitude (such that I cannot easily
express in words, though so many people have expressed such beautiful
thoughts and feelings, many of which I readily identify with...), there is
that extra boost that comes with the vivid memories of last week's
wonders.  I want to thank you all for the renewal of this presence within
me. I plan to keep this feeling alive all year.
                                                                 /|
                    /|                                          / |
Shavua Tov,        //|             \       |                   /  |
Angela Gold :)    // |     |\      |\      |   |----|          | O
      /\/--\      | O      |       | \     |   |----|    |\    |  
:::======0| |     |        |      O  |    O    |    |    |\   O
      \/\--/     O        O          |        O    O     |   
                                    O                   O

(...no, I didn't create those notes in any particular sequence, it was
purely for visual aesthetic pleasure, but if it did make a song, I guess
it would be no coincidence...?)

8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8

             /-\/---\    /-|             /\        /---\/-\
       888=======0| |   |  | |/|  /-| /\ ||  /-|   | |0=======888
             \_/\___/   \_/\/| |_/\_|_\/_\/_/\_|_  \___/\_/
                                   /|
                                   \/
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                   E-mail: c641368 (at) showme(dot)missouri(dot)edu

8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8o8

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