Sacred Rights Sacred Song

World Premiere

Fran Gordon Immerman

Creator & Producer

November 6, 2010, 8:00 PM,

Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, 23737 Fairmount Blvd, Beachwood, OH, 44122

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

At its essence, “Sacred Rights, Sacred Song” is a musical fundraiser to support Israeli organizations that are working to advance the “spiritual civil rights” agenda in Israel, i.e. religious pluralism.  Women’s rights, conversion rights, burial rights and rights of unrestricted religious expression are all evolving within the young and complex Jewish State.  Under the umbrella of the Immerman Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, the project uses the choral & musical arts to raise money that will be allocated by formula and committee to NGO’s in Israel working on religious pluralism. While the Immerman Foundation is the organizing “producer,” denominational and Zionist organizations within the community are invited to be part of the production circle, bringing resources of all kinds to support the concert.  The bottom line of the project is to raise awareness of the issues, raise our voices in concern and to RAISE MONEY. 

BACKGROUND

All of the issues that fall under the category of Religious Pluralism can be traced to the nature of the public Judaism of the modern Jewish State.  Many of us agree that the current state of affairs inside Israel is unacceptable.  The arrest of Anat Hoffman, Chair of the Women of the Wall and executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center (the Reform movement’s political advocacy arm in Israel) for carrying a Sefer Torah in Jerusalem on Rosh Chodesh Av, the existence of segregated bus routes and the plight of the agunot (the chained women unable to obtain divorces), are but three of countless examples that demonstrate the unjust exercise of Jewish power in the Jewish State. It is time for the government of Israel to listen to the concerns of the Jewish people, no matter where they reside.  “Sacred Rights, Sacred Song” is conceived as voices within the Diaspora Jewish Community asking Israel some tough honest questions about the nature of its civil society.  The lyrics and spoken word written for this project reflect the complexities of trying to live with pluralistic ideologies in a country that is reluctant to define religious pluralism.

ARTISTIC COLLABORATION

The composers who have donated their talent to this project are Cantor Jerome B. Kopmar, Cantor Benjie Ellen Schiller, Cantor Gerald Cohen,  Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Naomi Less and Dr. J. A. Kawarsky.  Prior to this project, Fran and Jay worked on a piece together that has been published by Transcontinental Music Publications.  We are proud that the entire composer list is rather impressive, spanning styles and generations.  Jay has arranged the eight movement “Sacred Rights, Sacred Song" - A Concert of Concern for orchestra and piano accompaniment.

PRODUCTION OVERVIEW

By design, all details of the November 6 World Premiere are being documented and a manual is being produced so that communities throughout the USA, and in fact the entire world, can produce “Sacred Rights, Sacred Song” – A Concert of Concern.   The manual will be available by request.  Please contact Fran Gordon Immerman if you are interested in replicating this event in your community.

For the Cleveland premiere, Fran has been joined by David Gooding, Artistic Director, Brett Shankman, Project Manager and Brynna Fish, Production Manager.  Each is a respected professional in the Cleveland community.

Singers have been recruited from area Jewish choruses and synagogue choirs.  Area cantors have been invited to participate as soloists and ensemble members.  To date the following area cantors are participating in the World Premiere performance:

Lance Colie, Cantorial Soloist, B"nai Jeshuran Congregation

Cantor Danielle Bensimhon, Congregation Bethaynu

Cantor Gary Paller, Congregation Shaarey Tikvah

Cantor Paula Pepperstone

Cantor Sarah Sager, Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple

UNDERWRITING AND ALLOCATION OF FUNDS RAISED

In order to stage a successful production of “Sacred Rights, Sacred Song,” the community’s denominational and Zionist organizations can partner to make in-kind donations of space, technical support, publicity, marketing, and other types of production assistance. Additionally, sponsorships and concert ticket sales support the production.

After approved production costs, all proceeds raised will be allocated to Israeli organizations working in Israel by the following formula.  The Israel Religious Action Center, the advocacy arm of the Reform movement will receive 25% and the Masorti Foundation, the arm of the Conservative movement in Israel, will receive 25%.   The remaining 50% will be allocated to smaller Israeli non-governmental organizations, including Women of the Wall, that are working toward advancing religious pluralism in Israel.  Allocation decisions will be made by a committee of Americans and Israelis.  One of the primary goals of the overall SRSS project is to fund the smaller organizations as well as denominational arms and to engage Israelis in the process.

PERSONAL STATEMENT FROM FRAN GORDON IMMERMAN, CREATOR/PRODUCER

I found myself in the middle of the modern Jewish history on Rosh Chodesh Av (July 12, 2010), when I attended a Women of Wall Rosh Chodesh event.  I found myself standing directly behind Anat Hoffman when she was arrested for carrying a Sefer Torah in the women’s section of the Kotel in Jerusalem.  I was there simply because I wanted to meet Nofrat Frenkel (who was arrested earlier for wearing a tallis at the Kotel) and hand her a copy of the song “Woman at the Wall,” which is dedicated to her and the rest of the Women of the Wall. 

The Women of the Wall have been raising their voices for 21 years, 11 months of every year, praising G-d while simultaneously protesting the status quo of public Jewish life in the Jewish State.  It is time for the Jewish people to add their voices and support to not only the Women, but to all those in Israel who are advocating for social change.  I hope you will add your community’s voices to this conversation by staging a production of “Sacred Rights, Sacred Song.”