Re: One klezmer's experience

[Sandra Layman <sandralayman...>]

Dear Mary,

I heartily agree with much of what you're saying, and I'll bet I'd really enjoy 
hearing you and your husband play some day.

The situation with entities such as the "messianic" site is different, however. 
Put very starkly, such organizations, which target Jews for "conversion" by 
expropriating and manipulating Jewish culture and religious symbols, are -- 
whatever their stated intentions -- attempting to erase the identity, and 
probably thus eventually the existence, of the Jewish people. In this respect, 
they are a smiling and sly cousin of anti-Semites of other stripes. 

Hmm, interesting choice, come to think of it... Would we prefer to be bitten 
quickly by a venomous cobra, or slowly hugged to death by a nice, friendly boa?

All the best,
Sandra


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: david lowther 
  To: World music from a Jewish slant 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 7:46 PM
  Subject: Fw: One klezmer's experience


  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