Mail Archive sponsored by
Chazzanut Online
jewish-music
Re: a Jewish connection?
- From: Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>
- Subject: Re: a Jewish connection?
- Date: Sun 03 Nov 2002 20.38 (GMT)
>OK, here's the "Jewish" connection. I have the 1917 Schirmer edition of
>Eili Eili arranged by Kurt Schindler, who writes in the preface:
>
>"...The despairing outcry 'Eili Eili lomo asavtonu?' will be recognized as
>the second verse of the 22nd Psalm, 'Eli Eli lama sabachthani?' which...
>were the last words that Christ uttered..."
Of course this connotation was not in the slightest intended by this (esp.
this!) poster, but I do want to point out--notwithstanding the normative
usage on the part of the NYTimes, network news, and other major media--that
any reference to, quote, "Christ" makes a reference very un-Jewish, indeed.
"Jesus" was the historical person's name; "Christ" is not a last name, like
Smith (or Cohen)! It's a (Greek, I assume) rendition of the word meaning
"Messiah" (Mashiach).
It is, obviously, absolutely basic to Jewish belief, however pluralistically
conceived, that the man Jesus was *not* the messiah; and so Jews should, I
think, avoid this usage ("Jesus Christ"; or "Christ") whenever possible.
It's appropriate, obviously, to Christian media but highly *inappropriate*
to non-Christian/secular, let alone Jewish!, media, communication, or
correspondence.
I once corresponded with a New York Times editor who accepted this point and
agreed with it--and averred that the paper's usage would change. It didn't.
--Robert Cohen
_________________________________________________________________
Unlimited Internet access -- and 2 months free! Try MSN.
http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/2monthsfree.asp
---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+
- Re: a Jewish connection?,
Robert Cohen