Chapter 11 Thought Questions
- What conditions contributed to liberal (i. e., Conservative and/or Reform) Ashkenazic congregations in the United States developing an “American nusach” rather than continuing the traditions developed in Europe?
- What musical practices characterized American Reform Judaism that would not have been acceptable in earlier times, or in conservative and orthodox congregations? Were such practices good or bad in your eyes? Why?
- Who were some of the significant American composers of Synagogue music in the twentieth century. Choose three of those, and for each discuss what you can find out about their music in terms of its adherence to tradition; that is, to what extent did those composers continue the existing traditions of synagogue music and to what extent did they introduce new musical ideas?
- What are the key institutions for training in Jewish liturgical music in the United States? Give the affiliation of each of those with the “Orthodox,” “Conservative,” or “Reform” movements.
- What changes have taken place in Jewish liturgical music since the Second World War? What do you think has motivate those changes? Which of them do you think will last? Why?