Re: Kol Isha

[Lori Cahan-Simon <lsimon...>]

But, after all, you are a man.
Lori

At 03:14 PM 09/24/1999 -0400, you wrote:
>Shira:
>
>As the original poster of the invitation to the performing arts series, I
>felt it was important to respond.
>
>First of all, I completely agree with you. It's unfair and keeps women
>singers from possibly earning a little money and getting some publicity.
>Anything that hampers a person economically really is a form of slavery.
>
>That said, speaking as a musician, if I could give 75% of eligible
>performers some opportunity for a venue as opposed to 0%, I would have to
>choose the former.
>
>This is not the case of women singers being blackballed and completely
>prohihited from earning a dollar or performing. There are plenty of
>opportunities for women cantors and soloists to perform at Reform,
>Reconstructionist, and Conservative congregations. And anyone is free to
>set up their own series at one of these venues.
>
>In my estimation, it is the Orthodox community's loss that they don't
>treasure the sound of the lovely female voice: Ella Fitzgerald and Sara
>Vaughn are two of my favorite singers.
>
>However, it is also to the Orthodox community's credit that they have not
>instantly caved in to every politically correct religous fad that comes
>along. By not doing that, they have preserved a certain authentic beauty in
>both Jewish worship and song that has been lost in the more liberal
>denominations.
>
>Which is why I --who am not Orthodox, Kosher, or married to a Jew--enjoy
>worshipping at an Orthodox shul. As stated before in this venue, although I
>don't agree with everything these folks believe in, they have a profound
>regard for Jewish tradition and--imagine this--they seem to actually
>believe in God.
>
>All I want to do is pray. I don't want to be explained to WHY to pray. I'm
>tired of showing up every other week with clueless Jews and being shown HOW
>to pray. 
>
>I wouldn't expect to change the Pope's mind re: birth control and I
>certainly wouldn't expect to change the Orthodoxy's mind re: Kol Isha.
>Personally, I find it very distracting. But what a lovely distraction. 
>
>As I said earlier, I regret having to exclude anyone from anything.  But
>there's simply nothing I can do about it. Again, I worship at an Orthodox
>shul but I am not Orthodox. I have already expressed my displeasure a few
>times, but, to no avail. 
>
>The responses I have received  from performers so far have been very
>encouraging. I encourage anyone interested in performing in this series at
>the Old Broadway Synagogue in Harlem to get in touch with me off-list.
>
>Again, my apologies to the lady singers.
>
>Shabbat Shalom?
>
>Eliott Kahn
>
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>At 11:34 AM 9/24/99 -0500, you wrote:
>>On 09/24/99 11:22:38 Dixk Rosenberg wrote:
>>>
>>>This discussion of Kol Isha is all very nice but:
>>>
>>>1 - It is not going to change the views of the synagogue in Harlem
>>>
>>>3 - From the point of view of the purpose of this list Kol Isha is a
>>>GIANT rat hole
>>>
>>>so...
>>>
>>>Let's talk about Jewish music (if you want to vent, elucidate, etc.
>>>about Kol Isha, please do it on an appropriate forum)
>>
>>As I suppose my earlier post makes clear, I respectfully disagree with
Dick. 
>> I think this list 
>>is exactly the appropriate place to discuss kol isha, because it relates to 
>>Jewish music most 
>>directly. If our purpose is not to discuss all aspects of Jewish music,
then 
>>exactly what is it?  
>>To only trade song lyrics? Obviously, I think the purpose is broader than 
>>that. The various 
>>arcane (although interesting) postings/discussions about aspects of the 
>>Jewish holidays and 
>>specific prayers are, to my mind, much less relevant to the general topic
of 
>>Jewish music than 
>>kol isha, which is, after all, a restriction on Jews which deals directly 
>>with music.  If not 
>>here, where?  If not now, when?  If not Jewish musicians, then who?  
>>
>>Indeed, the issue can be regarded as a "rat hole" in the sense that we
won't 
>>resolve it here.  
>>So, please clearly indicate the subject of your posting is kol isha when
you 
>>discuss this (if 
>>you do), so that the uninterested/turned off can delete the posting unread, 
>>should they wish to.  
>>I have always thought that one of the great aspects of our heritage is our 
>>passion and 
>>intellectual (dare I say talmudic) fervor which leads to a willingness to 
>>discuss and argue - 
>>often with great emphasis.  Responding to the majoritarian 
>>Christian/English-speaking culture, 
>>we have learned to be more restrained in our arguments - or at least I've 
>>tried to be.  You 
>>can't imagine the flaming I was tempted to indulge in but mentally deleted 
>>before formulating my 
>>1st posting!
>>
>>
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Lori Cahan-Simon

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