Im Ein Da'as Havdalah Minayin

Michael feldstein asks: "Can we separate the music from the man?"

BDE - Shmuel Klaver Z"L

 I'm sad to report the passing of Shmuel Klaver Z"L.

Shmuek was a true pioneer in the NYC Jewish music scene. His drumming style was the sound of countless simchas and recordings, including some of the best-of-their-time wedding albums. While I only played with him a handful of times over the years, he was always super nice to me on those occasions.

I heard him play at numerous simchas as a kid, including with Neginah and with his own band Simcha Orchestras. I even programmed my first drum machine based on his playing on the New Neginah Orchestra Wedding albums. He was a super-talented musician and a really nice guy, too. Yehei zichro baruch.

Neshama Carlebach On Carlebach

Neshama Carlebach writes about the documentary on her father. 

Brave, painful, and very much the right approach. Not simply cancelling... addressing. 

Confronting Darkness

Shaul Magid reviews the new Carlebach movie. 

The question of how to deal with this is not an easy one, with assumptions on both sides.

Some dismiss the negative, while others minimize it. On the other hand, some demand wholesale erasure of his music and Torah. Almost all do so self-righteously, with certitude.

Personally, I think a middle ground between these positions, where he deserves an asterisk to his career, as it were, is the most appropriate. No featuring a "Carlebach Minyan", but a "ruach minyan" that uses some of his songs would be fine. Ideally, it should include a wider range of nigunim apart from his compositions. Public discussion of him should not be purely hagiographic, but should include reference to his darker side. He doesn't deserve a pedestal, but his work was significant enough, and absorbed so integrally into the musical DNA of contemporary Judaism, that it has transcended its composer.

And, may we do better in addressing these issues within the community.

Thank You Hashem for Thank You Hashem!

 Matthew Austerklein on weighs in [sorry] on FrumEDM

Learn A Belz Nigun

 Joey Weisenberg teaches a beautiful Belzer nigun.

In addition to being sung for Shomrei Mitzvoseha, I've also heard this nigun used for Kedusha, Lecha Dodi, and Yedid Nefesh.

Ai, Yai Yai!

Passover Parodies under threat! 

A Thrilling Passover

with Six13. 

It's A Bird, It's A Plane...

It's a drone (and a viral hit). 

Peter Himmelman on Shabbos

 A Beautiful article by Peter Himmelman about Shabbos!

Oorah Answers the Burning Question...

What to do with a drunken bochur on Shushan Purim? 

"Send him to Prager's instead of Brisk".

Tatty, My King Cover

The Mennonite version. 

Shomer Emuni

 Tablet Magazine on "Pop Emuni"— the resurgence of faith in Israeli pop culture. This is part of a fascinating phenomenon that is, I believe, ultimately "good for the Jews".

The article includes this quote from an Odeya lyric: "I'm half-Hareidi and half-dressed".

Ban, Baby, Ban!

 The rabbis in Israel are banning separate seating concerts!

"The Committee's directives include a complete ban on mixed-gender performances, even those with full separation. Male singers are prohibited from performing in front of women in any setting. Exceptions will only be made for events within synagogues under strict supervision.

Simultaneously, singers and producers are required to sign a commitment to adhere to these rules. Anyone who refuses will be subject to a ban: the letter urges the public not to book, or honor them, and urges producers not to represent them."

The threat to ban singers who won't sign is particularly offensive. 

Via Hirhurim. (Yeah, I know he doesn't call it that anymore.)

Shkoyach, Eibishter!

 Thank you Hashem for "Real Yidden"!


Update: There's a rejoinder!

Hot for Kugel

 Sometimes a kugel is just a kugel...