Fw: One klezmer's experience

[david lowther <dlowther...>]

Hello from an agnostic, formerly Anglican married to another agnostic of 
Jewish/Christian descent.

I think I understand where you're coming from in that as Jews have been 
persecuted mercilessly by Christians among others, Messianic Jews must seem 
like turncoats and to play for them would be tantamount to agreeing they had a 
point.  Is this somewhat right?

Would it not be also inappropriate for a Jew to play Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's 
music?  Or, should a First Nations carver not show his work to another First 
Nations person who lives with White people and has relinquished his Native 
ways?  I am not trying to belittle your position - I just can't get my head 
around not playing wonderful music for people who want to hear it.

If I wanted a klezmer group to play at my non-religious wedding, should they 
decline because I was Christian or because I'm not a practising Jew?  Would 
they decline to play for my husband because he is not a practising Jew?  What 
if it was for an Australian aboriginal couple who had never heard of Judaism 
and weren't Jews through no fault of their own?  I, myself, had no choice but 
to be Christian as a child - should I then be denied hearing soul-stirring, 
moving klezmer at special occasions?

By the way, I was honored and privileged to play in the synagogue for a wedding 
and my hubby and I played at a Jewish friend's funeral.  The service was 
Unitarian.  Her husband told us later that he had felt numb about her passing 
until we played her favorite klezmer tunes during the service.  He said he 
suddenly felt close to her and was able to cry.  This was her heritage, just as 
mine is the skirl of Scotch bagpipes - which is not to say that I'd like to 
have "From Yon Bonnie Banks" played at my funeral.  Come to think of it, maybe 
I would.  But I'd also like to have "Dybbuk Shers" played, or perhaps "Nign" or 
"Undoing World".  

Shalom,
Mary Lowther

  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: MaxwellSt (at) aol(dot)com 
To: World music from a Jewish slant 
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 6:33 PM
Subject: One klezmer's experience


This concerns the Polish messianic site mentioned by Dick, but only by subject: 
that is, playing for messianic "Jews" (or not playing for them).

Maxwell Street has been booked by messianic Jews twice in 20 years.  Of course, 
the fact was well-hidden by the clients.  In one case (a bar mitzvah), we 
didn't know until we got the check from the client with a New Testament message 
on it, and at the other one (a wedding), we didn't know till we started 
shmoozing with a guest on break.  At the wedding, we simply stopped playing 
Jewish music and switched to American standards for the balance of the 
contract.  

Since it is not our choice to contribute our spirit to proselytizers for 
Christianity, we have since then put a clause in our contract that we don't 
play for messianic affairs, and if we figure out we've been booked for one, the 
contract is void and we get to keep the deposit.  But it's only happened twice, 
so it's probably an unnecessary precaution.

Interestingly enough, the enthusiasm of the crowd at the wedding was almost 
frothingly ecstatic when it came to the horas, entertaining the bride and 
groom, and other traditional dances.  

Lori @ MAX