Cuarteto de Rosh Hashaná 5776

As we continue to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and these Days of Awe, here's a musical performance that might make you say, aw shucks! If nothing else, it certainly highlights the diversity of the Jewish people!





5776! Olé!

Jewish Life in Colonial America

We're grateful to Cantor Sandy Horowitz for sharing with us the sermon she delivered on Friday evening July 3rd, the eve of the Shabbat that coincided with America's Independence Day:

July 3, 2015

Since it’s almost July 4th and we are in a synagogue, I thought I would spend a few minutes talking about the Jews who first came to this country before the Revolutionary War. 

Jews in Colonial America were certainly free of the overt persecutions and forced conversions to Christianity that had been their experience in Europe; however they weren’t exactly free to live on an equal basis with their Protestant counterparts. (Nor for that matter were the Catholics.) 

The first group of North American Jews landed in New York–then known as Dutch New Amsterdam –arrived in 1654. There were 23 of them, primarily traders and merchants, and they came from Brazil after having fled persecution in Europe.

Since New Amsterdam was Dutch, and Holland was known for its religious tolerance, these Jews figured they had it made. Unfortunately, Governor Peter Stuyvesant didn’t see it that way; he didn’t want Jews to settle in his colony. But economics prevailed over prejudice, as the Dutch West India Company was interested in these Jewish traders, and effectively convinced Stuyvesant to let them stay.

And so they were allowed to trade and to own real estate. However they were not permitted to hold public office, open a retail shop, or establish a synagogue.

When in 1664 the English captured New Amsterdam from the Dutch and renamed it New York, life for the Jews remained essentially the same. 

As public worship was seen as a threat to the Protestant way of life and was therefore forbidden, Jews prayed privately in a mill loft, which they made into a makeshift synagogue.

For those of you who heard Rabbi Schwartz speak last week about the history of Charleston's African Methodist Episcopal church, we recall that just as Jews prayed privately and in secret in colonial times, so too–in a far more violent climate–did our southern African-American counterparts find ways to pray together even when it was forbidden. 

In any case, the mill loft was the precursor to the first publicly known synagogue Shearith Israel, which was consecrated around 1720, and which exists as a congregation to this day. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

So, what was Jewish religious life like during this time? These were Sephardic Jews, and for the most part they maintained their Orthodox religious observance. Remember, the Reform and Conservative movements didn’t exist yet. However, once in America, there was a relaxation of observance among some at least, when it came to dietary laws and keeping the Sabbath. It’s known for example that Jews served in the army during the Revolution, where they certainly would have not kept kosher or observed Shabbat.

What’s more, during this time, Colonial Jews chose not to import ordained Rabbis from Europe, as their sister congregations in the Caribbean and South America had done. And so there was no one whose role was to decide on matters of ritual law (halakha), make sure people kept kosher, or be a model for Jewish scholarship and learning. This didn’t change until the 1830s. When disputes arose, unlike the European model where issues were resolved within the Jewish community, here in the colonies, Jews like everyone else relied on civil authority. This was new.
So–who led the congregations in worship? It was the Cantor, known as the Hazzan-Minister.

In fact, the area where the colonial Jewish community was most strict about adherence to tradition, was with its music–Torah cantillation and their liturgical melodies. And so they did import trained cantors–hazzanim–from Amsterdam and London.

Along comes the Revolutionary War. When the British army advanced into New York, most of the members of Shearith Israel, who sided with the rebels, took their Torahs and fled first to Connecticut and four years later, to Philadelphia where they founded a new synagogue, Mikveh Israel. Meanwhile, some members of Shearith Israel, who were loyal to England, remained in New York. Here we may have just witnessed the first congregational ideological split.

Shearith Israel congregation still exists today: to borrow from Guys and Dolls, it’s the “oldest established permanent floating synagogue” in New York. It floated up from its first home on Mill Street downtown to the upper west side where it’s an active synagogue today. 

So that’s New York, what about the Jews of New Jersey? Although it wasn’t until the mid 1800s that there were known established Jewish communities, Jewish merchants from New York and Philadelphia did conduct business in New Jersey during the colonial period. Among the first Jewish settlers were Aaron and Jacob Lozada, who owned a grocery and hardware store in Bound Brook as early as 1718. Daniel Nunez appears in a 1722 court record as town clerk and tax collector for Piscataway Township and justice of the peace for Middlesex County. This may be earlier than their New York counterparts would have been allowed to hold civic office.

In any case, it was the war that led to a change in status of American Jews. 

As I mentioned, Jews for the most part sided with the rebels; they signed non-import agreements, promising not to trade with the England, and many enlisted in the Continental Army and the various militias. They served as soldiers and in some cases as officers. Some Jewish merchants also made significant financial contributions to the revolutionary war cause. After the war, George Washington as President wrote to several of the Jewish congregations thanking them for their contributions and their service.

Over time, the newly formed states loosened their policies regarding the restriction of voting to Protestants only, and by the early 1800s Jews were given the right to vote–(Jewish men, that is…).
We had it easy compared to our African-American counterparts, who didn’t get the vote until much later, and who had a far more violent history than we ever did in this country. But our colonial American history should serve as a reminder that we too have had to struggle for equal treatment under the law even here, in the land of freedom whose birth we celebrate this weekend. 

In a 1790 letter to the Newport Rhode Island Congregation, George Washington wrote: "May the children of the stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants, while everyone shall sit safely under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid. [Michah]" 

May this beautiful image one day come true for all Americans, and may we help to make it happen.

Shabbat shalom.

Hanukkah Adyo!

Last night we lit the eighth and final candle of Hanukkah, which means that our holiday is coming to a close.  But let's not be too hasty. Let's let the spirit linger. After all, today is still the eighth day of Hanukkah, so there's still time for a little more song and celebration.



So as we prepare to say farewell to our festival of lights, let's say it in Ladino, the Sephardic, Judeo-Spanish dialect:  Adyo!  No doubt you notice the resemblance to adios, which literally means, to God, appropriate enough for a holiday that celebrates the defense of our religious heritage.


And let's celebrate the end of our eight-day cycle with the Ladino Hanukkah song, Ocho Kandelikas.  Here's a lovely version of the song written by Florry Jagoda, performed by a group called Los Des:





And here's a swinging version from Kenny Ellis:





And for good measure, let's also include a rock version from The LeeVees performing live at the Highline Ballroom in New York City:




 



So, let the melodies of Hanukkah linger, and let the glow of the Hanukkah lights continue to shine on us all! And let's say once more, Happy Hanukkah, and blessings of the season to one and all!

Zohar Talk at Rutgers

 

The Zohar: Masterpiece of Kabbalah

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012 AT 7:30 P.M. 

Daniel Matt, translator of the Zohar

Supported in part by the Sagner Family Foundation

Rutgers Student Center

Daniel Matt is one of the world's leading authorities on Kabbalah. He has published over ten books, including The Essential Kabbalah (translated into seven languages),Zohar: Annotated and Explained, and God and the Big Bang: Discovering Harmony between Science and Spirituality.

Matt is currently engaged in an immense project of translating and annotating theZohar, the masterpiece of Kabbalah. So far, he has completed seven volumes of The Zohar: Pritzker Edition (Stanford University Press), covering more than two-thirds of the Zohar's commentary on the Torah. For this work, Daniel has been honored with a National Jewish Book Award and a Koret Jewish Book Award. The Koret award called his translation "a monumental contribution to the history of Jewish thought."

Dr. Matt has been featured in Time Magazine and has appeared on National Public Radio and the History Channel. For twenty years, he served as professor at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, and has also taught at Stanford University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

And from http://stanfordpress.typepad.com/blog/2008/01/a-masterpiece-o.html:

A masterpiece of Kabbalah

This week’s Stanford Report profiles the Zohar project: a collaboration between Stanford University Press and the Pritzker Foundation to bring the fundamental body of Kabbalah literature to the English-speaking world. 

Daniel Matt has completed four of a projected dozen volumes of the Zohar’s unique combination of biblical commentary, mysticism, and myth. As the Report describes, the origins of this text are a puzzle: Matt believes that “75 to 80 percent comes from [Castilian Jew] Moses [ben Shem Tov de León], who died in 1305,” although Moses claimed that he was merely translating a second-century manuscript. “‘It matches no Aramaic dialect in the world… it’s amazing.’ Matt said. And the most amazing thing, he adds, is its crazy, invented language that revels in the sounds of strange words.” 

The Zohar also reaches some controversial conclusions about the nature of God. In Matt’s words, the Zohar concludes that “humans actualize God by living ethically and spiritually. Human holy actions fulfill God.”

The Report’s article links to some excerpts from Volume IV of the Zohar; additional commentary and excerpts from Volume I can be found on the SUP Zohar page, along with the original Aramaic text Matt’s translation is based upon. You can also sign up to be kept appraised of new developments related to the Zohar.

Getting in the Spirit of Kol Nidrei

As we get ready for Kol Nidrei tonight, here is some music to get you back into the High Holy Day spirit.  

First, courtesy of Be'chol Lashon, we have a Sephardic piyut or hymn recited at the start of Erev Rosh Hashanah, entitled Ahot Ketana.  The lyrics are in Ladino, the Spanish-dialect that is the Sephardic equivalent of Yiddish (Yiddish being the language of Ashkenazi Jews), and the singer and songwriter is Consuelo Luz, who is Chilean-Cuban.  According to the write-up, she "explores her Sephardic roots adapting ancient Jewish prayers and ballads from Spain, the Mediterranean and the Middle East into new 'World Music' style songs in a passionate marriage of Jewish and Latin soul."

For something a little more traditional, the Amonai Shamati is described as a "beautiful, pleading Sephardic High Holy Day piyut recited on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur before the Amidah."  This "traditional Moroccan melody is sung by Eyal Bitton."





And now for something completely different, there is Jew Man Group doing their "kosher" remix of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" with Star Wars-style titles and Star Trek imagery.  Entitled "Kol Nidrei" appropriately enough, you may have to watch it over on YouTube by clicking on the link they provide, due to copyright issues and depending on where you're watching from, but if you do, we'll still be here when you're done.



Now that was a lot of fun, wasn't it? And a great message, to boot!  And with that, we at Congregation Adas Emuno wish you an easy fast, and may you be sealed in the Book of Life for a good year for 5773!  Look for our next post tomorrow evening, with music to break the fast by!

Sephardic Music Festival

Something that may be of interest is the upcoming Sephardic Music Festival in New York City, on December 20-27th. Here's some information about it, from their website:

The Sephardic Music Festival showcases the remarkable diversity that exists within the Jewish community. Its tapestry of harmonies, rhythms, and cultural motifs are as rich, vibrant, and diverse as the Jewish world itself. Popular perceptions of Jews and Jewish culture are dominated by Ashkenazi images and symbols like bagels, gefilte fish, klezmer, and Yiddish. This is the first music festival to focus exclusively on the less familiar but captivating culture of the Jewish communities of Spain/Portugal, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.  The festival showcases artists from all over the world, representing cultural traditions from Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) to Mizrahi (Middle Eastern/North African) to Yemenite (Judeo-Arabic). In addition to traditional liturgical music, Shabbat songs, Sephardic folk tunes, and classic love poems (Romanceros), the festival also presents artists who fuse traditional rhythms, melodies, and themes with modern styles such as electro, hip hop, and dance music. The Sephardic Scholar Series, an important part of the Festival, brings performers, ethnomusicologists, and experts together to illuminate the historical and sociological roots of Sephardic music and culture.  quotes:  “This Hanukkah fest wants to school us in Jewish music—and not just your grandpa’s klez.” - Time Out NY “Thanks to events like the Sephardic Music Festival, the sounds of Sephardic Jewry are at last beginning to get their due.” – The Forward  “For most New Yorkers, “Jewish music” means klezmer: plaintive fiddles, wailing clarinets and other vestiges of a largely vanished Eastern European culture. But at the Sephardic Music Festival, a New York City tradition…, the world of Jewish music gets explored from an entirely different angle, focusing on the aural legacy of Jewish communities from Spain and the Muslim world.” – JPost  “Our Hannukkah-side suggestion is the annual Sephardic Music Festival…look at this festival as the un-Ashkenazi festival.” - National Public Radio, WNYC

And here's a video promoting and fundraising for the festival:



Sephardic Music Festival Promo Clip from ShemspeedTV on Vimeo.




And the write up on the fundraising page goes like this:

Over the past 6 years we have produced the Sephardic Music Festival in NYC. The Festival highlights the remarkable diversity that exists within the Jewish community. Its tapestry of harmonies, rhythms, and cultural motifs are as rich, vibrant, and diverse as the Jewish world itself.. This is the first music festival to focus exclusively on the less familiar but captivating culture of the Jewish communities of Spain/Portugal, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.  The festival showcases artists from all over the world, representing cultural traditions from Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) to Mizrahi (Middle Eastern/North African) to Yemenite (Judeo-Arabic). In addition to traditional liturgical music, Shabbat songs, Sephardic folk tunes, and classic love poems (Romanceros), the festival also presents artists who fuse traditional rhythms, melodies, and themes with modern styles such as electro, hip-hop, and dance music. The Sephardic Scholar Series, an important part of the Festival, brings performers, ethnomusicologists, and experts together to illuminate the historical and sociological roots of Sephardic music and culture. The festival also produces Fashion, Art & Food events, all promoting and showcasing diversity.  Your money will help fund this year’s festival, which will take place in and around NYC from December 20th through the 27th.  We will produce an incredible diverse series of events including a Sephardic Story Slam night, a flamenco dance night, an Israeli & International Hip Hop night, a Kosher Taste Fest, a World music dance party alternative to the Matzo Ball on Xmas eve, a mega event with the Godfather of Israeli music (Miki Gavrielov). These are events that you will not see anywhere else and they are vital to the preservation and education of this rich culture. And here are some sights and sounds from previous years, representing some diverse musical tastes: And there's art and fashion too: And diversity! What a marvelous, exciting, and refreshing approach to Judaism! And so, in the Sephardic tongue of Ladino, let us remember: Boca dulce avre puertas de fierro (Kind words open iron gates)!