Words of the Week: Matisyahu

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Unknown-1“The festival organizers contacted me because they were getting pressure from the BDS movement. They wanted me to write a letter, or make a video, stating my positions on Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to pacify the BDS people. I support peace and compassion for all people. My music speaks for itself, and I do not insert politics into my music. Music has the power to transcend the intellect, ideas, and politics, and it can unite people in the process. The festival kept insisting that I clarify my personal views; which felt like clear pressure to agree with the BDS political agenda. Honestly it was appalling and offensive, that as the one publicly Jewish-American artist scheduled for the festival they were trying to coerce me into political statements. Were any of the other artists scheduled to perform asked to make political statements in order to perform? No artist deserves to be put in such a situation simply to perform his or her art. Regardless of race, creed, country, cultural background, etc, my goal is to play music for all people. As musicians that is what we seek. – Blessed Love, Matis”

Source: Matisyahu’s Facebook page.

Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

by Erika Dreifus on
2

Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
Every Friday My Machberet presents an array of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • Early in the week, I was pleased to read a new article by my friend Judy Bolton-Fasman on “recent ex-Hasid memoirs.”
  • At the same time, later in the week, I appreciated Andrew Silow-Caroll’s nuanced thoughts about the collective interest in this sort of writing by ex-Orthodox Jews.
  • The Washington DCJCC is looking for a Temporary Jewish Literature Festival Manager.
  • Touching story about a Holocaust Survivors Memoir Writing Workshop, via jweekly.
  • Finally, something I wrote for the Fig Tree Books blog this week.

    • Shabbat Shalom.

    Words of the Week

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    “The strong response of the Israeli public and leaders to the arson attack is, truthfully, somewhat comforting. The wall-to-wall Israeli condemnation of this crime has left me and other Palestinians not only ashamed, but also embarrassed — because this is not how we Palestinians have been reacting to terror attacks against Jews — even the despicable murder of Jewish children.”

    Source: Bassam Tawil, “Palestinians: The Difference between Us and Them,” Gatestone Institute

    Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen

    Every Friday My Machberet presents an array of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • Over on Tablet, Adam Kirsch examines “where Jewish writers are finding [publishing] homes these days, and why.”
  • Speaking of Tablet: they’re looking for two paid, part-time fall editorial interns. (Don’t forget: Fig Tree Books is offering a paid internship as well.)
  • Spotlighting debut novels by Michelle Brafman and Diana Bletter, The Jewish Week‘s Sandee Brawarsky declares this to be “the summer of the chevra kadisha novel.”
  • I’ve followed poet Edward Hirsch’s work for many years; I read his book-length elegy for his son when it was published last year. So I appreciated this profile of Hirsch—and Gabriel—in the current issue of Moment magazine.
  • Finally, in the words of JTA/Suzanne Pollak, “In Jennifer Weiner’s hit novels, it’s a (Jewish) woman’s world.” (But many of you knew that already!)

    • Shabbat shalom.