"The Kol Isha Story", starring Madonna as Barbra Streisand

[Steven M. Singer <ssinger...>]

Boy, nothing gets this list going quite like a juicy discussion that
raises hairs on both FEMINISM and ORTHODOXY.  What a metzia!!

I (like everyone else) feel *COMPELLED* to voice my opinion here.  "Kol
Isha" and I have been intimate friends (and bitter enemies) over the years
that I've directed LISTEN UP!.  We are a *vocal* group (no female
instrumentalist cop-outs) that performs heimishe Jewish music.  My wife
has been our "lead" singer since the group's inception.  And, as we've
grown (both in Chicago and beyond) we have encountered the "no females
allowed" challenge that the list has been batting about.  So what have we
done 7 yrs. and many gigs later?  We've established an ability to offer an
"all male" group to Orthodox audiences.  We record in the studio with a
mixed group - as always... and perform for festivals and other large
public venues as a mixed group.  So WHY did I cave?  I'd like to explain
my reasoning and (along the way) voice some criticisms of misconceptions
that I've seen on the list.

First of all, as has already been repeatedly stated, the prohibition of
a public vocal/theatrical performance by a woman (kol isha=woman's voice)
is a RABBINIC, not TORAH-based halacha.  As previously stated, the
prohibition arose to counter the possible "arousal" (in the most basic
sense) of a man watching/listening to said female.  Why?  Similar to the
fundamental basis of almost all religious laws concerning our behavior
(i.e. Kahrut (food), Taharat haMishpacha (family purity), davening
(prayer)), G-d <if you believe in this kind of stuff> prescribed at Sinai
that we were to be DIFFERENT from everyone else... different from the
animals that roam the Earth... even different from other cultures.
Animals can have sex whenever they want.  We can't.  Animals can eat
whatever they want.  We can't.  My point is that the delineation of "can"
and "cannot" is, whether you choose to agree or not, at the fundamental
core of Orthodoxy.  Why?  Orthodoxy is not the simple "tower of rules"
that early Christianity characterized it as.  No, our rules - and our
Torah is a manual for living our lives in the character of G-d... with
piety, respect, modesty, etc....  The difference for "kol isha" is that
(as has been stated on the list) this Rabbinic law is - like the length of
a woman's skirt - a sign of the times.  My in-laws wedding (both Orthodox)
had mixed dancing - and rather progressive clothing for women.  In
contrast, most of my modern-orthodox friends these days have separate
dancing (for men/women) and MUCH more modest clothing for women.  The
Orthodox day school in my area used to have team cheerleaders - with the
pom-poms and short skirts --- now they are covered head to toe.  Is this
the deterioration of our MODERN religious outlook?  I don't know.  But,
how many members of your families or communities have intermarried?  How
many have children or grandchildren who know virtually nothing of being a
Jew.  Whether you like it or not - detest it or not, Orthodoxy with all of
its annoying underpinnings roots all of us - re-con-form-a-dox to the
Torah - and the theological basis of our ethnicity.  It's easy to make a
rallying cry against the chauvinism or archaic nature of Orthodoxy... but
- looking around at the world, I don't think that the idea of putting
"limits" and barriers to our sexual behavior is really such a bad thing.
(Look at the recent INFOSEEK.COM debacle...).

So, returning to LISTEN UP!, we decided NOT to judge those who hold to the
halacha of "kol isha", just as I would not judge someone who keeps kosher,
or eats at McD's.  Yes, it's depressing - and often irritating - that we
cannot share ALL of our music - and my wife's beautiful voice - with ALL
of our audiences.  Does she mind?  Yes, at times she does... voicing the
same opinions that we've seen on the list - however, she still realizes
that what ONE Jew chooses to do cannot be judged by another.  The
prohibition of Kol Isha is NOT a pall on the artistic (or otherwise)
adventures of women.  On the contrary, most Orthodox communities (esp.
day-schools) have musical productions put on by women... for women.  Thus,
the prohibition for Kol Isha is based on (what the Rabbi's felt was) the
inherent spiritual deficiency in man.  (This same principle is also seen
in another Orthodox-bashing rallying point - the "she lo asani isha"
prayer in Shacharit).  As a musician - a Modern Orthodox one at that, I
choose NOT to adhere to the Rabbinic halacha concerning "kol isha".  In
the end, I can respect someone who DOES or DOESN'T hold to kol isha - as
long as they are consistent.  I.e.  Someone who complains about not being
able to go to here a JEWISH vocal band perform WITH a woman - but
has no problem going to see "RENT" at a downtown theater pisses me off.
Nevertheless, all of us - need to be tolerant of other Jews and their
practices and beliefs -- especially in the musical community.  Why?
Simple.  Through my group, we're introducing Debbie Friedman to Orthodox
audiences... and Mordeca ben David to reform audiences - the best of both
worlds.  Music is a common - very JEWISH - bond between all Jews
regardless of their heritage.  I think most of us would ever think of
"punishing" or ridiculing another Jew for keeping kosher - and asking that
we not bring "Burger King" into their house - or their synagogue.  On the
flipside, I would not expect a bunch of Orthodox Jews to picket a Reform
temple chanting "PORK CHOPS, NO!  WE WON'T GO!" (except maybe in Israel).
Pick your battles.  As was stated by someone else on the list, most
Orthodox Jews (male and female) are pretty happy about the life they've
chosen for THEMSELVES.  If you don't "fit in" to the way in which the
Orthodox community looks at the world, find a community that meets your
needs and aspirations.  Orthodoxy is what it is, and thank G-d, in America
we have lots of other ways of being Jewish to choose from.

Much more than 2 cents.  Chag Sameach - Shabbat Shalom.

-Steve

LISTEN UP! A CAPPELLA
http://www.jewishsong.com



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