[HANASHIR:4117] Universal Jewish Music License-A First Step

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

I would like to propose an initial step to start this process of education.
I am inmterested in forming an exploratory committee to begin the process.
Although the long term goal will be:

1. Establishment of a universal licensing agency for Jewish music (or
affiliation with an existing entity.)

2. Education of the Jewish world as to the appropriate Jewish response to
the protection of and respect for copyright.

I would like to propose an initial step that focuses more on the educational
process, based on what Ellen (and I know others) have started doing in
educating the public regarding these issues:

Drafting a statement of principles, citing both US and International
Copyright law, but, more importantly, drawing upon Torah, Talmud and other
Jewish sources that could become a pledge document which we, as a united
community of Jewish professionals, would promulgate to the people who use
our music, asking them to sign on to these principles and respect them as
human beings and as Jews.

As a community of musicians, we would all commonly distribute this statement
whenever and wherever we had the chance. Hopefully, the distributors and
retail establishments would promulgate this document in their catalogs and
on their web sites. We could, ultimately, approach the denominational
organizations and/or rabbinic organizations to support and sign on to these
statement.

I know Sam Glaser put a statement regarding this issue in his songbook. If
there was a universally agreed upon statement we could all include it in all
our songbooks, recordings, etc (or at least make reference to a web site
containing the statement.)

Ellen, et al, I would love to see some proposed text for such a statement
shared with the list. If I can get his permission, I will also post a copy
of what Sam has in his songbook. If anyone knows of other existing
statements that might serve as examples, I love to see them shared as well.

This is an issue that I do not wish to see die for lack of action or
interest. Let us strike while the iron is hot.

Adrian
List-Owner, Hanashir
durleste (at) home(dot)com


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
shamash(dot)org]On
Behalf Of Ellen Allard
Sent: Sunday, October 10, 1999 2:28 PM
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
Subject: [HANASHIR:4116] Re: Universal Jewish Music License


I'd like to speak about something that Steve Brodsky brought up concerning
educating people,  especially when we are trying to get them to change a
behavior.

How many of us have made tapes of recordings that we like? Is it okay to
purchase a tape or cd, and after having made the original purchase, make
copies of it to play in the car  or to give to a friend etc.? Or how many of
us have gone to workshops and collected sheet music that the presenter
zeroxed
for us? Is it okay to give out zeroxed copies of lyrics but not of the sheet
music?  Where do we draw the line?

My husband and I present a music workshop for early childhood teachers at
many
secular educational conferences, after which we exhibit and sell our
materials
(tapes, cd's, songbooks). If I had a nickel for each instance when a
teacher,
standing at our booth, said to a fellow teacher, in a very audible
voice...."You buy that tape and I'll buy this one, and then we'll make
copies
for each other" or "You buy the book and then I'll zerox the pages I want to
use", I'd have a  lot of nickels.  It's a very awkward situation, or at
least
has been awkward up until we began taking somewhat of a stand around this
issue. And that's where the education piece comes in.  I don't believe that
people do it with any malice intended. It's just that it's been done for so
long, by so many people, myself included, with no questions asked, that we
think it's ethically okay, a non-issue if you will.

People will be slow to change, but we can help facilitate the change. One of
the ways we confront the issue is by talking about it at some point during
our
workshop. Although certainly we hope our workshop particpants will purchase
our recordings and songbooks at our exhibit table, we don't take much time
to
"hawk" them during the workshop. We make a very brief announcement about
their
availability and answer questions anyone might have about them, but that's
about it. However, in the last year or so, we've taken a small amount of
time
to ask people to be aware of the amount of time and professional training
and
cost that goes into producing our materials. We come right out and ask
people
to avoid making copies to give to other people. We explain that it is part
of
our livelihood and that we rely on people purchasing their own copies. It is
very awkward and sometimes I feel like I'm sticking my foot in my mouth, but
we think it's a n important part of educating people.

I think this extends to our synagogues, to the places where we need sheet
music. For so long, it has been acceptable practice to make copies of music,
that we don't even think twice about it. Plus, how many institutions have
budgets that allow for purchasing individual copies of songbooks or sheet
music? Or how many of them have created budgets for purchasing these
materials
because it is the right thing to do? Or maybe we might ask ourselves, how
many
of us have made a point of confronting our institutions and talking about
the
ethics of zeroxing copyrighted material? We all know that if we go to
Staples
to make multiple copies of copyrighted material (unless we use the machines
ourselves), they won't make the copies. So, why is it okay for us to do it
at
our temples? I'm guessing that most of us don't want to take the time to
confront our institutions AND we want to be able to teach the music without
the hassles. So, we make copies. Like we've always done.

The money denied the artist is certainly one issue. But there's also the
issue
of the legality as well as the disrespect we pay to the artist by not
purchasing the materials.

At the temple where I am thenew  religious school music teacher for grades
4 -
7, the principal asked the teachers to find two Jewish values with which to
guide our classes. The first value I've chosen is kavod, respect. I expect
the
students to have kavod for the sanctuary in which we sing, for me as their
teacher, and for the music that I carefully choose and teach them. I know
that
I also need to incorporate kavod into my life; to be a good role model for
my
students. I want to have respect for all of the great music that we are
blessed with and for the composers who write it. Just exactly how does that
kavod translate and where will we each draw the line?

I applaud what Jeff has suggested and will do what I can to help educate the
people with whom I work and sing even if it does mean asking for help in
extracting my foot from my mouth. Thanks for listening.

Ellen Allard
Worcester, MA


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