Beth-El on Broadway
Most of the non-Jews (and maybe also some Jews) look at the synagogue as a kind of a church, a religious temple. Actually this word of Greek origin has three different meanings: a house of prayer, a house of study and a house of reunion. Perhaps a musical show in a synagogue is not something usual, but cultural activities, lectures and conferences are rather common. A couple of years ago I had an idea: to organize in my synagogue, Beth-El, a musical show to honor some important Jewish composers that made significant contributions to the Broadway musicals. The Jewish emmigration to the United States was very significant, and these immigrants made important cultural contributions to the country that received them so well. One of the areas that received a substantial contribution was music. The American music critics agree that five of the all-time Broadway composers were geniuses: Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Richard Rodgers. Of the five o...