Re: the cost....

[ilse mozga <mozga...>]

Hi, Judith:

How wonderful! How I would love to see the major synagogues do this .. High
Holy Day services for free ... and faith that the financial support will
come.... Where is "Bene Israel (Bombay) congregation?

(I did a Google search but could only find a listing for Bene Israel at the
Bernard Betel Centre, which didn't feel like the right one). This
congregation is definitely worth supporting for the courage of opting out
of the "system."

ilse (in toronto)


----- Original Message -----
From: Judith R Cohen <judithc (at) yorku(dot)ca>
To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 6:52 AM
Subject: the cost....


> The Bene Israel (Bombay) congregation here in Toronto has always
> welcomed everyone from inside and outside the community to their High
> Holiday services. One has the OPTION,. very gently presented, of
> contributing to their education fund, which is used to keep their
> traditions alive in optional classes for youth. They also seem to keep
> the service costs down. They also have no rabbi or cantor as just about
> any man in the community is capable of leading services, so they share
> this, and usually pool resources to bring one older community member
> over from Israel, whose knowledge of the liturgy and its melodies is
> even stronger. It's a rented hall because they are a small group (500 or
> so) and haven't their own synagogue, just rent space for the High
> Holidays. Folding chairs, no carpets, no stained glass, nothing fancy -
> juse the people and the service. If kids act up, whoever is closest
> quietly deals with it. Those who want to sit in unmoxed gender seating
> do so in unmarked, tacitly observed sections; those men and women who
> prefer to sit together do so (compromise worked out years ago).Women
> happier in their saris (white on Kippur) wear saris, women happier in
> western clothes wear them.
>
> Basically, they just get on with it.
> Great melodies, too.
> Oh, and no one fusses about whether women's voices are part of the
> sound. I haven't seen any men looking uncomfortable =  they seem to be
> too busy actually being an active part of the service to worry about
> whether they are being tempted to whatever it is the voice of women is
> supposed to be tempting them to.
>
> On the very rare occasion I go to any services, that's where I go. I'm
> happy to give something to their well-used education fund, and happy not
> to have to go begging to some synagogue for a reduction in unaffordable
> ticket prices.
>
> Ah - and breaking the fast with the vegetarian samosas and pakoras they
> bring in from Toronto's Indian neighbourhood and distribute to
> everyone.....
> Judith
>
>
>

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