Dance, to "Adon Olam," desecrates G-d's name??!
It was bad enough being accused of a lack of tzniut (modesty) because I posted the dances that I choreographed--all to sacred texts, and all danced in modest clothing in as modest a manner as I could muster--on YouTube. Now I've been accused of committing a hillul HaShem, a desecration of G-d's name, because I posted a dance choreographed to the last line of Adon Olam (to music by the Shlock Rock Jewish rock band). Frankly, this is starting to get pretty upsetting. I'm not sure whether it's better or worse that my accuser is (allegedly) a 15-year-old girl.
Some in the Orthodox community believe in the kol isha prohibition that forbids a man to listen to a woman sing. Some, with more right-wing views, say that a woman may not perform even for other women because it's "not tznius"/lo tzanua/immodest. Some say that a woman is not permitted even to play a musical instrument in the presence of a man because a man is forbidden to look at a woman (with the exception of his wife, I would hope).
Thank goodness these views are not held by the entire Orthodox community. Personally, I find being treated as if I were a sex object exclusively, as opposed to a full-fledged human being, rather depressing.
Some in the Orthodox community believe in the kol isha prohibition that forbids a man to listen to a woman sing. Some, with more right-wing views, say that a woman may not perform even for other women because it's "not tznius"/lo tzanua/immodest. Some say that a woman is not permitted even to play a musical instrument in the presence of a man because a man is forbidden to look at a woman (with the exception of his wife, I would hope).
Thank goodness these views are not held by the entire Orthodox community. Personally, I find being treated as if I were a sex object exclusively, as opposed to a full-fledged human being, rather depressing.
posted by Shira Salamone at 10:54 PM
15 Comments:
I'm with you on the women issues. I was born into the Orthodox Jewish community; some of the stuff I've learned to live with, but it's definitely gotten worse lately. Sigh.
Leora, I'm Conservative and never had the privilege of attending a yeshiva, so mine is an outsider's view, but that's certainly the impression I get, and I'm sorry to have that impression confirmed by someone on the inside. You might want to have a look at these two posts. To stand the lyrics of an old song on their head, ever was heard a discouraging word. :(
Leora, I'm Conservative and never had the privilege of attending a yeshiva, so mine is an outsider's view, but that's certainly the impression I get, and I'm sorry to have that impression confirmed by someone on the inside. You might want to have a look at these two posts. To stand the lyrics of an old song on their head, ever was heard a discouraging word. :(
Double posting compounded by "dead" link. Oy.
Link one, take two.
Third time's the charm?
The world is full of idiots, kooks, jerks, and know-it-alls. Your rude commenter seems like all of the above. There's no reason to take some random nobody so seriously. Just ignore people like that, and they'll go away. It's not even worth dignifying his stupidity with a post.
Elie, you're probably right, but logic doesn't take the sting out of it. "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me," they say, but I think that's nonsense--insults *do* hurt. I guess I'm just going to have to develop a thicker skin, since I have no intention of deleting my dances from YouTube. Thanks for the, uh, chizuk(?) encouragement?).
Ignore the morons.
I'm trying, I'm trying. I hope to get better at that, eventually.
Shira, I wouldn't ignore that it bothers you, but instead, figure out why it bothers you (me the analytical).
I just spent last weekend with a dear friend who is RW Conservative. She showed me a video of a dance she choreographed in which her whole family participated (husband and two of her three kids) for the Boston Jewish Folk Dance Festival. My daughter would have loved to do something like that, but it is inconceivable in our community. On the other hand, my kids have a full range of choices for Shabbat playdates, and her kids have no Shomer Shabbat friends in their neighborhood. Nothing is perfect.
I'm not going to tell you to ignore the negative commenter. It's worth noting. Such commenters are hoping to push your authentic expressions of Jewish identity beyond the pale so that they can do for Judaism what Wahabbism has done for Islam. You may not want to hear this, but you are on the front lines in a battle for Judaism's soul - and you are on the right side. Those commentors are engaging in sinat chinam.
So Bravo to you!
Richard, you're right about one thing--I don't want to hear this. I'm just an old folk dancer who choreographed a few dances and wanted someone other than my husband and a few other people to see them. I didn't do this to make any kind of point. I just did it because I enjoyed the music and wanted to dance to it.
As for being on the front line, it could be argued that Lipa Schmelzer (I hope that's the correct spelling) took the first hit when some local Chareidi rabbis threatened his career as a simcha singer if he performed in a concert at Madison Square Garden, even though the concert would have had separate seating for men and women. Some of my less traditional readers may not have heard about that incident, but Orthodox bloggers screamed about it for weeks. I hear tell (via Ortho blogs, again) that a couple of other singers, fearful of similar threats, made sure to secure well-publicized rabbinic approval for future concerts. Ouch! Now, even *men* need permission to sing in public?! I've heard the recent trend among Chareidi rabbis to ban just about all forms of public entertainment described as the "Talibanization" of Judaism, and I'm far from the only one who thinks it's sad.
Leora, I'm thinking, I'm thinking. Will respond after another bout of Pesach prep.
Leora, to answer while standing on one foot, it's bad enough being called a michshol (a stumbling block [tempting someone to sin]), but it's even worse being called a rasha (an evil person.)
Now if you'll excuse me, we're doing the fastest bedikat chametz on record, after which I'm calling an ambulance & trooping off to the hospital with Mr. Kidney Stone. :(
Shira, feel better! I almost feel like I want to retract saying think about why it upset you; I didn't mean to upset you more.
Have a chag sameach. Hope Mr. Kidney Stone goes far away, and Pesach is restful.
Sorry about the confusion--I was referring to my husband's kidney stones, not mine! (Thus far, my own kidney stones have yet to attack.) The hubster's okay, for the time being. See the next two posts for further details.
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