re: making Judaism cool

[Helen Winkler <winklerh...>]

The argument of cool vs traditional Judaism makes me think of Feldman's 
explanation of why the Bulgar became the radical new Jewish music for new 
American immigrants.  According to the article, for many people traditional 
orthodox Judaism was viewed as oppressive.  He points out that 
secularization began in Europe where Bessarabia and Romania were idealized 
as "lands of plenty and of freedom from religious restrictions." The music 
didn't cause the secular lifestyle--it became popular as a reaction to life 
circumstances and new ideas.  Is what we are seeing today in terms of 
secularization simply a result of a process that began a long time agon in 
Europe (at least among Ashkenazic Jews)?

I recently read Lucy Dawidowicz's book, From that Place and Time A Memoir 
1938-1947.  She describes life in Vilna before the holocaust.  She also 
notes that even in 1938, people were adopting a more secular lifestyle.  She 
attributes this movement to the availability of a more secular education and 
desire of many Jews in Vilna to modernize, to leave the ghetto behind.  She 
goes on to say:  "The more educated and the successful among them were also 
in search of ways to reconcile their dual identity as Jews and as Poles."  
Sort of the same thing that we are still trying to do.

With regard to question of whether exposure to some of the so-called cool 
aspects of Judaism should be viewed as a glass  half empty or half full, in 
my case I vote for half full.  If you had asked me a couple of years ago 
what bulgar was I would have said it is used in making tabouli.  Since 
finding out about the new (actually old) Jewish music and dances, I have 
felt compelled to learn more.  For me this has enhanced my appreciation and 
understanding of what goes on in the synagogue(although I have no plans to 
attend Roseanne's sessions at the Kabbalah Learning Centre). My guess is 
that the experience is probably very individual.
Helen
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