Fwd: Re: Passion Plays and Jewish Music

[Allen Davis <adavis...>]

>We all know how much healing is required, and music could have (and has 
>certainly already had) a role in building a "sacred bridge" for today. But 
>it seems to me that the Passion and its central symbol of the cross and 
>focus on the murder/suicide is by definition the wrong place to start 
>(choosing death and not life, human sacrifice, and the way it came to 
>embody the subsequent supersessionism and triumphalism of the militant 
>Church). The story emphasizes those aspects of the Jesus story that are 
>irredeemably counter to anything Jewish, then and now. A pre-Passion story 
>that emphasized Jesus' Jewishness, as well as the Jewish context of his 
>life  story (including his pilgrimage to the Temple) could be a more 
>promising setting...
>
>Allen
>
>At 08:17 PM 6/18/02 +0200, you wrote:
>
>>I have been following this discussion and have found it interesting and 
>>at times funny.  However, I woud like to add one element to the many 
>>responses.  From my studies, it seems to me that Christian anti-semitism 
>>arose only after Christians disassociated Jesus from his 
>>Jewishness.  Could it be that these people mounting Passion Plays are 
>>looking for ways to recognize the Jewish roots of the Christian faith 
>>once again?  And if so, would this not help in curving Christian 
>>anti-semitism today.  Obviously, one cannot take back all that has been 
>>done in previous history (especially in regards to the Deicide charge 
>>surrounding the Passion), yet something can be done to brighten the 
>>future of Jewish-Christian relations.  Is it not our duty to use music as 
>>a tool in building a bridge between our faiths?
>>
>>I look forward to reading your thoughts on this subject.
>>
>>Rebecca.
>>
>>   Helen Winkler <winklerh (at) hotmail(dot)com> a écrit :
>>Every so often I get calls from people mounting Passion Plays, asking for 
>>my suggestions for which Jewish music and dances they should use in their 
>>productions.  I've always been uncomfortable and unsure of how to 
>>answer.  This time I finally told them that I didn't think Jewish music 
>>and dances belonged in a Passion Play due to the history of Anti-Semitism 
>>associated with Passion Plays and also because the music they want to use 
>>(Israeli and Hasidic) doesn't make sense for Biblical times.  Just 
>>wondering if any others have had to deal with this kind of thing before, 
>>and how have you addressed these issues.
>>Helen
>>Helen Winkler
>>Helen's Yiddish Dance Page
>><http://www.angelfire.com/ns/helenwinkler>www.angelfire.com/ns/helenwinkler
>>
>>Calgary Folkdance Fridays
>><http://www.cadvision.com/winklerj/cff.html>www.cadvision.com/winklerj/cff.html
>> 
>>
>>
>>
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>