Nusach Carlebach 1 - Nusach Ramah 0

I am trying to post at least once or twice a month. Here is something that has been percolating for the last two or three years:

According to scholars David Elezar and Rela Geffen, a uniquely Conservative movement prayer style developed at Camp Ramah. Referred to as Nusach Ramah, it is a variation of traditional Ashkenazi Nusach that spread from camps to Conservative synagogues, Havurot (at least in the earlier days), and elsewhere. As a whole, it is relatively traditional. Scholars (see below) note that the liturgical traditions learned at camps are often incorrect. An attempt to influence this is the appointment of Cantor-in-Residence at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin (this has spread to other camps).

I worked at Camp Ramah New England (CRNE or Ramah Palmer) during the early to late 90's (I still go for a month every summer but as a staff spouse and volunteer teacher/Safran). In '95 or '96, Shaul Magid was asked to lead Friday night davening during staff week. After Shlomo Carlebach's death in 1994 (which is how I picked 1995 or 1996 as the year above), his nusach for Kabbalat Shabbat became popular on college campuses and at many new minyanim. I joined a number of other counselors and staff in encouraging Shaul (who had lived on Moshav Mavo Modiin with Shlomo for a few years) to change the Friday night nusach. While many people enjoyed the staff week davening, the campers weren't included. The first Shabbat--I believe it was Shabbat Machon--they reverted to Nusach Ramah (to the disappointment of many staff). At the time, I did not understand the importance of Nusach Ramah as a unique American nusach. Towards the end of the 1990's, I was Rosh Tefilla at CRNE. At that time, the nusach for Kabbalat Shabbat was Nusach Ramah (sometimes with some modifications from Nusach Carlebach).

When we started returning to Ramah after moving to Northampton in 2002 (the first summer Deborah commuted so it makes it 2003), I was surprised to hear Nusach Carlebach at the first Kabbalat Shabbat. It was not upsetting--it is my personal favorite-- but something seemed to be missing. There are many benefits to using Nusach Carlebach. It is now favored on college campuses, at many traditional and liberal synagogues, and most independent Minyanim. Many campers and counselors are used to it. It is also full of energy and spirit (we rarely used to dance during Kabbalat Shabbat when using Nusach Ramah--now joyous dancing breaks out a few times). But I feel the loss of part of what made Ramah special--its own nusach that influenced generations of davenners who now live across the US and in Israel. It might even be considered educationally appropriate to have them daven the way they will at home (or at least what they will encounter on campus once they leave home).

Nusach is a musical, liturgical tradition that best reflects the character, make-up, and history of a community. One of the sad thing about the development of liberal Judaism in America has been its relative obliteration of regional variations in nusach (ie. Litvak vs. Ukrainian, Sefardic vs. Ashkenazic). A century ago, one could walk into a synagogue in America (or any Western European city) and easily tell where the davenners came from (putting aside the name which was often a give-away). Now, we Nusach Carlebach has taken over--its "taste" is so powerful that it has taken over the nusach melting pot. Nusach Ramah is part of what made the camps different. It represented their importance to contemporary Judaism. Does the loss of the distinct Kabbalat Shabbat part of Nusach Ramah reflect the deminished role of Conservative Judaism or just the rise of a powerful new force in nusach (or a force destroying nusach depending on view of the appropriateness of Nusach Carlebach).

Shalom,
Rabbi Bruce

Note: Many refer to Nusach Carlebach as Nusach Reb Shlomo.

Two asides related to the two nuscha'ot mentioned above: If you do a Google search for Nusach Carlebach you return many sites upset at its effect on traditional nusach. Even though nusach for Shabat Minchah was not the subject of my post, I learned (at CRNE) that the nusach is the same as that of the jingle for Post Crispy Critters cereal. During my research, I turned up a blog post on the Zemirot database that includes a link to the Crispy Critters commercial. The melody and even the rhythm are not the same! (I found an additonal site that uses Crispy Critters to teach Shabbat Minchah with what is perhaps a link to a different commercial.) Crispy Critters was a product spin-off from King Leonardo and His Short Subjects tv show from the 1960's. It was reissued by Post in the late 80's without the famous jingle.

Sources:

Observations on Practices of "Nusach" in America, Boaz Tarsi, Asian Music, Vol. 33, No. 2 (Spring - Summer, 2002), pp. 175-219 Published by: University of Texas Press

Here is more about Camp Ramah from the late Daniel Elazar (it mentions nusach a few times).

Ceasefire Between Hamas & Israel Started This Morning

I applaud the almost half-day old cease fire between Israel and Hamas brokered by Egypt.
While I am doubtful that it will last six months (yet alone the years we need to restore trust and cooperation), it is a hopeful sign. Hamas is agreeing because it needs more than a few trucks of humanitarian aid to keep its people happy. In that sense, Israel's policy worked (although it took a lot longer than Israel expected). There have been reports about releasing Gilad Shalit (held captive by Hamas) or the two captives held in Lebanon (or elsewhere) by Hezbollah.

Still, I see some discouraging signs: 30 missiles were shot into Israel the day before the ceasefire. That d0es not bode well for the future--they had to know a ceasefire was coming. I actually never understood agreeing when to stop something when you could just stop something. (Once, an Israel roommate came to tell me he was having a party because he and his girlfriend decided to get engaged. Why didn't they just get engaged?) I understand that unilateral action has not worked well for Israel (ie. Lebanon and Gaza withdrawals and the resulting attacks on Israel from those areas that have led to the recent fighting) but if you are about to stop, stop and then say you stopped. Don't say we will stop and then stop.
I will probably not blog too much the next few months--I know that is not much of a change from the last few months but it is a realistic prediction. Peace or release of the hostages would obviously lead to some posting.
Visit me this month at Camp Ramah New England.
If you are coming to Smith or Amherst this fall as new students, Facebook me!
Shalom,
Rabbi Bruce

Jerusalem Diary - Shabbat

The last day was a great Shabbat in Jerusalem. Last night, I arrived at Aryeh Bernstein's in the afternoon before an early Shabbat (candle lighting was a little after 4 with shkiah closer to 5). We went to the Minyan Shivyoni Baka and then to a great dinner at a friend's apartment. In addition to people from the Conservative Yeshiva, Pardes, and foreign rabbinical students, there was a couple from the US with two small children. The man, Alex, went to Maimonides with Deborah (even though they haven't seen each other since high school). Also, one of the rabbinical students has a brother and sister-in-law in Northampton.

It was a great night of intelligent conversation with people from a variety of Jewish backrounds. All of Aryeh's friends are intellectual and tend to be on the traditional end of liberal Judaism (or the liberal end of traditional Judaism). After a long, leisurely dinner, we walked back to Aryeh's apartment. At his apartment, we talked about critical Talmud study and halakhah until his lights turned out.

This morning, I went to Minyan Kedem. It was nice, Ramah-style davening. It did not seem like too many people spoke Hebrew as a native language. They had a great kiddush. Noam Raucher met me there. Noam was a CIT at Ramah and was a student at Hofstra when I worked there. It was great to see him now that he is a mature Rabbinical Student (at the Ziegler School in CA). He is spending his year at Machon Schechter. A JTS student and two HUC students visiting for their break joined us for lunch. I brough the Marzipan rugelach--yum!

At 3:30, I walked to the home of Audrey and Harvey Scher. Audrey is an proud Smith alumna who is friends with Renee. She returns each time her class has a reunion and is also the chair of the Pardes board. I spent around two hours talking to them about Smith, Northampton, me, and we played a few rounds of Jewish geography. They know people living in Northampton and their daughter worked one summer at CRNE as mishlachat. I returned to Aryeh's apartment after havdalah. Aryeh was hosting a number of people visiting Jerusalem who had attended Yeshivat Maaleh Gilboa with him. We all davened Maariv together and I got to hear him teach a little.

Thanks to Aryeh for an amazing Shabbat in Baka/Talpiot. Even though I have been to Jerusalem a few times since we last lived here in 1998, a Shabbat like this makes me realize that there is no place like Jerusalem (and especially no place like Baka/Talpiot/German Colony). I have to get my family here for an extended period (Deborah, I hope you read this. Start planning for a year here before Zev's bar mitzvah)!

Motzei Shabbat, I met Devorah Schoenfeld and we walked around, had some schwarma, and did a little shopping.
More later.

Common Calendar Forms Community

This summer I have busy preparing Kosher Dining at Smith, rearranging my office at Smith since I got new furniture, spending time at Camp Ramah New England, and getting ready for the upcoming academic year.

Although the summer has been busier than most and my reading pile remains higher than I would like at the end of July, I have had some time for learning.
On my own, I have been learning the first tractates few tractates of Mishnah. The first Seder (Order) of the Mishnah, Zera'im, deals with agricultural and tithing in the Land of Israel during the time of the Holy Temple. The very first Tractate, Brachot, deals with prayer and blessings and sets the stage for the rabbinic reinterpretation of Biblical Judaism.

This week, the Talmud hevruta (partnered--or in this case group--text study) I participate in resumed our study of the first chapter of Gemara Sanhedrin (Jews of Paradise contains a picture of us learning). This chapter deals with the types of courts that existed in the Jewish legal system of the Rabbinic era and why different types of courts need particular numbers of judges. The section we have been learning recently examines the Beit Din (rabbinic court) needed to intercalate the calendar (declare a leap year by adding a second month of Adar in the spring). Note: I am oversimplifying these complicated topics. Factors such as allowing time for rebuilding bridges and roads, making sure people in transit can complete their journey before Pesach, and that the proper grains can be prepared determine whether the Beit Din declares a leap year. The power given to groups that set a calendar is huge (witness the power school districts have on shopping and travel).

In Zera'im, the intricate laws of tithing and sanctity reinforce the elite status of the Rabbis. If you don't tithe properly and observe laws of sanctity, you are not able to eat with them or have them eat with you. But when it comes to exercising one of the greatest powers (ie., setting the calendar), the Rabbis take on a populist approach. They go out of their way to ensure the greatest number of people can observe Passover in Jerusalem.

I take that as a tremendous lesson: the way people mark time creates community. More than what we do with our own lives, how we interact with individuals, it is how we structure our lives through time that informs our identity.

I will continue to ponder this as we get closer to the High Holidays.
And now, I say goodbye as I join Jews the world-over in celebrating Shabbat tonight!

B'shalom,
Rabbi Bruce