RE: Klezmer in Lederhosen

[Trudi Goodman <goobietheg...>]

   Admittedly this is always an uncomfortable situation for Jewish 
performers, to have German and German-nationals interested in "our" music.  
When I perform Yiddish and Ladino, invariably at least one or two German or 
Austrian people will come up to me after a performance and tell me how much 
they liked the music. -Usually in their mid-20s. When this first started 
happening over 10 years ago, I would get pissed off.  My feeling was that 
well, that's all very well and good that you like my music, EXCEPT that 
there would be a whole world of Yidn who would be able to hear it and sing 
it and perform it, too if it wasn't for your fathers and grandfathers.  I 
also felt sad, too because I didn't want to HATE this kids...they know 
perfectly well what their relatives did to Jews and others. THAT'S part of 
why they were coming up to me to begin with, after my gigs.  They wanted to 
let me know, implicitly and explicitly that they were NOT like their 
families.
     It's now 10 years later and some of these "kids" are playing klezmer.  
I say, you've/I've got to take it person by person and group by group.  
Certainly, some are in it for the gelt, some for the guilt, some for the 
love of the music.  P.S. There are Jews in Germany and German-speaking 
countries who want to hear from Yidn and Jewish musicians.  My ex's family 
are German Jews who for the most part never left Switzerland.  By the Way... 
I hope that people are not offended that I use the term Yidn, where I come 
from it is a Working-Class Jewish Endearment and is intended that way!!!
   P.S. As for the Lez stuff...well only HaShem knows what anyone does with 
their own time and energies, n'cest pas???? My Tati (bHohso) always referred 
to Jews for Jesus as Jests for Jewsus. Sounds good to me!

     Be Well and Hey it's almost time for Hamentashen, yum!!!!

     Trudi the G

>From: "Katherine Breslow" <kbreslow (at) spertus(dot)edu>
>Reply-To: <kbreslow (at) spertus(dot)edu>
>To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: RE: Klezmer in Lederhosen
>Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 09:54:53 -0600
>
>
>
> >We should know better from experience, from also being an oppressed
>minority.
>
>Absolutely true.  It is so important to remember that in our discussions.
>Sometimes we refer to the *people*, when really what we intend is to take
>issue with their music.  I have a hard time with some of the 
>generalizations
>I am reading in these discussions.  Please keep in mind that it only takes
>one exception to disprove a rule.  And often there is one.  For *example*, 
>I
>know several German non-Jews who are some of the most open-hearted people,
>ready to learn about Jewish culture, belief, and experience.  Yes, I know
>that there are the others as well.  But we must give individuals a chance,
>just as we always hope that others will do for us.  (Are we all guilty 
>until
>proven innocent?)  We may not initially understand them, and they us, but
>this makes our efforts all the more crucial.
>
>-Katherine
>
>

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