Re: minyans/minions (OK, nitpicking)

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

Unimportantly:  minions=servile dependents or subordinate officials 
(!); minyans=Jewish prayer groups (or quorums for prayer).  Ouch!!!


>From: "Marvin Margoshes" <physchem (at) earthlink(dot)net>
>Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>To: World music from a Jewish slant. <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: Traditions
>Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 14:49:19 -0400
>
>The discussion of Debbie Friedman's music has branched off to the 
subject of
>musical traditions in Judaism.  Here's my thoughts.
>
>A visitor to the Jewish Museum in New York or the Skirball Center in 
L.A. is
>treated to a display of clothing, religious items, and other 
artifacts of
>Jewish communities in different times and geographic locations.  One
>message, which is stated explicitely in L.A. and implicietly in N.Y., 
is
>that Judaism has adapted to the various environments in which it has 
found
>itself.  In my view, this adapatability, while keeping to its core 
values,
>is one reason our religion remained alive and vital over the 
centuries.
>
>The particular melodies we use in worship is not a core value.  It is 
a
>tradition, or more accurately a set of traditions.  There are other
>traditions in worship, which also differ from place to place and over 
time.
>
>There is a story that a new Rabbi came to an old congregation, and he 
was
>astonished to see that at one point in the Shabbat service half the
>congregation stood up, the other half stayed seated, and they called 
to each
>other to stand up or sit down.  He sought out the oldest member for 
advice.
>"Is it the tradition in this congregation to stand for that prayer?" 
 "No."
>"Is it the tradition to sit?"  "No."  "Then why do half stand and 
half sit,
>and they call to each other?"  "That is the tradition!"
>
>Tradition is more important to some than to others.  Let those who 
value it
>most keep to their tradition, while others accept changes that 
preserve our
>core values.
>
>One of my children lives in L.A., and we have attended services with 
her
>family in both large and small synagogues.  The larger ones have 
several
>minions, which worship in different styles.  My synagogue, Temple 
Beth
>Abraham in Tarrytown, has both a Reform and a Conservative minion 
even
>though we are not large.  There is room enough in Judaism for all, 
whether
>it is by several minions in one synagogue, or by establishing many 
nearby
>synagogies (which is itself a tradition).
>
>I have no problem with the use of the older melodies in worship, but 
I am
>glad when I can hear a new melody as well.  I may or may not like the 
new
>melody enough to want to use it again.
>
>---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org 
---------------------+
>