Re: Three Weeks in context

[Ari Davidow <ari...>]

>I believe Jewish music is in danger of losing its soul if it gets too far away
>from its source. If we are not following halakhic constraints, we can still see
>constraints based on respect for tradition, or to avoid conveying to the public
>a "message" about the relation of Jewish music to Judaism that we might not
>want to convey. In performing, we cannot avoid teaching the public about Jewish
>music, about our attitude towards the tradition and, by extension, what we
>think their attitude should be. Do we want to convey that we feel no
>responsibility or obligation whatsoever? To paraphrase a friend of mine, "It
>took the Jewish people 3,000 years to develop this sound -- we should give a
>little thought to what we're doing with it."
>
>O.K. Here's one real-life example. A torah-observant Jew was asked if he would
>perform some klezmer for a television talk-show that would be aired on the
>first night of Passover. Of course the reason they wanted Jewish music that
>night was precisely because it WAS the first night of Passover. The program
>would be taped a few days before, so the performance would not violate halakha.
>Yet the musician declined the gig because he didn't think it was right to be
>seen playing Erev Pesakh. It so happened that they then asked me if I wanted to
>do it. It would have been a great opportunity for me, but I also declined, for
>a similar reason, although I didn't interpet it in halakhic terms, but just in
>terms of general respect.  Similarly, though not orthodox, I don't perform
>Shabbes.

Itzik, I'm glad we got down to some Jewish basics--for a while
I was afraid that the question would get so general it would
be hard to answer meaningfully. It =is= true that one reason 
we discuss Jewish music specifically, and not all musics or 
all contexts, is because it is through the specifics of this
particular context we can address broader issues. 

I also have to say that, while I would not necessarily feel
bound in the same way about a show airing the first night of
Passover, I suspect that, ethically, I might get to the same
point as you describe. I applaud the networks airing programs
on Jewish themes, but to do so at a time when the Jewish
component of their audience can't watch seems somewhat
oxymoronic, and wrong. If they want to cover Jewish holidays,
surely they can broadcast on days when the broadcast doesn't
violate Halacha.

ari


Ari Davidow
ari (at) ivritype(dot)com
http://www.ivritype.com/