Re: Kol Isha/Miriam's Song

[R.A.S. <richards...>]

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 23/02/2003 at 13:49 Lori Cahan-Simon wrote:

>Thank you, once again, Ari, for your good sense and good advice.  As the 
>instigator of this year's KI debate, I'd like to say that I find it 
>fascinating that this subject gets more responses per day than any other 
>that is ever posted about.  It has also not changed a single 
>participant's view on the subject, as far as I can tell, but what it 
>does is raise consciousness about it, provide support and sometimes some 
>very good advice on how to deal with it in the future, and to prepare 
>onesself for the inevitability of its happening yet again.

I should, at this late point, like to add my own 2 cents' worth to this
debate.

It seems to me that many posters have been overlooking the fact that in the
first place, the essence of Lorele's complaint was that the organisers of
the event did not enquire about the presence or otherwise of a female
singer in the band and only raised the issue at practically the last
minute, and that then the band decided to simply go along with the
organisers' late restriction and drop her from the date. One should also
especially bear in mind that this was a charity event and no fee was being
paid to the band. Now regardless of the issue of kol isha  in itself, it
seems to me that the above points are perfectly valid complaints, and I
find the conduct of both the organisers and the band wholly reprehensible
and to put it mildly, at the very least, it shows an appalling lack of good
manners as well as professionalism. I therefore would like to express my
wholehearted support for Lori Cahan-Simon in this, there simply cannot be
any excuse for this ghastly affair.

On the issue of KI per se, while I can and do empathise, perhaps even
sympathise, with those of orthodox convictions who sincerely feel compelled
to observe this law, to me personally it makes little or no sense in the
context of modern day life, and even seems doubly unjust to me in that it
could deprive women of a perfectly legitimate means of making a living as
well as at least potentially depriving society as a whole of some great
art. However, the perfect compromise, it seems to me, has of course been
suggested numerous times in this debate. I.e., arrange events in such a
manner that those who feel compelled to observe KI know that female singers
will be performing and at what point in the proceedings so they may choose
to either stay away altogether or absent themselves as and when. 


Richard
(Renaissance Man)


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