strength

[Judith R Cohen <judithc...>]

Simon asks,

 > Are you saying then, that the weaker sex is the strongers sex because
of the 
> > weakness of ther stronger sex for the weaker sex????
> > Simon
 
Is this a rhetorical and/or a facetious question? If so, it needs no
answer. If not - actually, I wasn't thinking in terms of
gender-categorized strength. It's just that over the years  my
professional life (and others') has been thwarted by what I consider a
misapplication of beliefs which may be in themselves perfectly sincere,
and of course up to the individual. Having concerts cancelled because
one man on the synagogue Board (the one with the most money) invoked
"kol isha"; having my part (and another woman's also) in a concert
cancelled because a rabbi threatened to fire the cantor of his synagogue
if he took part in a concert where women also sang, outside the
synagogue; having a synagogue refuse to put up a notice about a
Seohardic concert I was doing in another synagogue invoking "kol isha"
even though the women of the congregation wanted to know about it....
and more.

When men have told me politely that they couldn't come to hear me sing
because of their beliefs about a women's voice, I'm regretful, but not
upset. That's how I assumed it should work - a man who believes in this
(I'll refrain from applying any adjectives about my poersonal reaction)
decides for himself whether he has the internal strength or moral fibre
or whatever to hear a woman sing without succumbing to base impusles.
Many orthodox men I know have no problem hearing women sing or even
singing with them (us). Those who do, and refrian - fine, that's their
prerogative.

My problem has always been (1) I thought Judaism respected the
individual's conscious and ability to make choices; and (2) if so many
rabbis, so many spiritual leaders, can't even handle a poster without
succumbing to base impulses,

why on earth are they a community's spiritual leaders? shouldn't they,
morally speaking, resign and leave the guidance to someone a little more
resistant to temptation?

but no, Simon, I don't think there is a weaker or a stronger sex. Just
sensible and less sensible people, and that of course only in my own
opinion.

strongly,
or weakly,
or neitherly,
Judith


> 
> << Marvin says,
> "....There is a fear that some men have of the power that
> women can have on them, so they punish the women instead of controlling > 
> themselves."
> 
> hear, hear!!! that about sums it up. Thanks, Marvin. Judith
>  >>
>

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