Re: One klezmer's experience

[Rachael Kafrissen <rokhl...>]

If I understand Lori right, her band chooses not to play for messianic groups 
because to do so furthers, in a concrete way, their mission. These messianic 
groups use the trappings of Judaism, like jewish stars and klezmer music, to 
deceive people and, ultimately, bring them to Christianity. That is their 
mission, to bring people to Christianity. The deception is hiding the christian 
religion under a thin layer of Jewish symbols. The symbols legitimate the 
messianic groups in the eyes of those whom they seek to convert. This abuse of 
Jewish symbols takes advantage of well meaning, but uninformed people who seek 
to (re)connect with their Jewishness.  This is wrong. Very wrong. I have no 
beef with those who seek to proselytize. (Well, I do, but for argument's sake 
I'll say I don't.) But I will not tolerate this kind of malicious deception. 
And I know, from experience, that these people are ruthless in their deception. 
I go to a jewish law school and at one time there was a group of messianic jews 
on campus called the Original Law club. It was eventually exposed that they 
were a part of the campus crusade for Christ, but when confronted about what 
they actually were, they outright lied, to my face, again and again.

I think for Lori and her group to refuse to play for messianic people is not 
only appropriate, it is commendable. Thank you Lori and Maxwell Street. You 
rock.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here. Part of what bugs me about klezmer becoming a 
fad or just another musical heritage for everyone to choose from is that, in a 
sense, klezmer is religious music. Its modes are derived from the synagogue. It 
developed largely for ceremonial purposes (like weddings). And while, of 
course, it was profoundly influenced by the areas in which it was developed, it 
was nonetheless developed by Jews for Jews. Yes, I said it! There is a depth of 
meaning and connection there, for me, as a Jew, that cannot be duplicated by 
any other music. That connection can, however, be easily destroyed by 
commodification. Call me crazy, call me racist, but I'm pretty protective of my 
cultural heritage. When Kool and the Gang's Celebration follows Hava Negilah 
which follows the Chicken Dance at a wedding, well, I find it more than 
irritating. And I mean that metaphorically. When everything has equal value, 
nothing has any value. And that's not a happy place to be, spiritually speaking.

Klezmer has context specific meaning. That meaning is expanding, as it should, 
as we play with tradition and push boundaries. Does that mean that non-Jews 
should not play klezmer music? Absolutely not. I scarcely need to mention that 
some of the finest klezmer musicians around are not Jewish (such as Kurt 
Bjorling). But the best musicians, Jewish and non, are well aware of that 
context and that meaning and ground themselves in it. 

I say this without malice or anger toward anyone on this list. I ask only that 
we recognize what exactly is going on here and why emotions run so high on 
topics like this.

-rachael
----- Original Message ----- 
  From: david lowther 
  To: World music from a Jewish slant 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 10:46 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

    
  ----- 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