‘Hativah’ Origins
I read with interest the July 14 letter from Cantor Sherwood Goffin concerning my June 30 op-ed article “What ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ and ‘Hatikvah’ Have In Common.”
In my research for the piece I did not see a single reference to the sources cited by Cantor Goffin. On YouTube I found several recordings of the song “La Montovana,” which bears a strong resemblance to “Hatikvah,” but could not locate any recordings of “Tal,” which Cantor Goffin wrote “first appeared as a Jewish melody in the Spanish-Portuguese synagogue of Amsterdam” according to “our authoritative sources Professors Avraham Z. Idelsohn and Eric Werner.”
Of course, no conclusions can be drawn from either of those observations but I just mention them as points of interest.
“La Montovana” was being performed in the late sixteenth century, about the same time that “Tal” reportedly appeared in the Spanish-Portuguese synagogue of Amsterdam. Which came first? Could the tune have traveled from Amsterdam to Italy or vice versa? A comparison of the earliest printed versions of each song (“La Montovana” was known to have appeared in print in 1600 although it might have been printed earlier) might shed some light on which came first but even if that were done it couldn’t answer the question of the origin of the melody – as the melody could have existed before it was adapted as a Jewish tune or as the tune for the Italian canzonet.
It can be difficult, if not impossible, to track down the exact origins of old melodies since they were always being handed down and adapted for new songs.
Cantor Goffin wrote that Professor Idelsohn found this “wandering melody” in an old Spanish song and a traditional Basque folksong, but there was no mention of an Italian source. Indeed, melodies historically tend to be well-traveled and could come from anywhere. No less an iconic composer than Tchaikovsky used the melody, with the title of his composition probably reflecting his idea of the origin of the song – he called it “Old French Song, op. 39. no.16.”
I thank Cantor Goffin for calling attention to the interesting phenomenon of “wandering” melodies and their enigmatic origins.
Harvey Rachlin
(Via E-Mail)
Offensive Comments
You published two letters in your July 14 issue concerning “Non-Orthodox Jews and the Kotel.”
One letter stated, in reference to Reform Jews: “It is surely way past time for them to drop the inappropriate labeling of their movement as Judaism.”
The other letter declared, “Allowing Reform Jews to establish policy in Israel is like allowing a tax cheat to run the IRS.”
I am a Reform Jew and would like your readers’ advice. The next time I receive one of the many requests that come my way for contributions to Israel, should I mail it to some Orthodox Jew or just throw it in the garbage?
Gerald Deutsch
Glen Head, NY
UNESCO’s Brazen Affront
In an absolutely brazen act of religious and cultural misappropriation that was an affront to both the historical record and diplomatic decency, UNESCO, as you reported, declared the Hebron Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs an “endangered Palestinian world historic site.”
Though surely a historic site, it is hardly “endangered,” nor is it “Palestinian.” The six buried there – Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah – are the direct lineal ancestors of the Jewish people, who have revered the site for some three and a half millennia.
The sole Muslim-claimed connection is through Abraham, father of Ishmael. That any claim could be asserted for a Palestinian people proclaimed barely half a century ago is simply ludicrous.
As for the site’s being “endangered,” Israelis and Palestinian have shared it relatively peacefully for years. The site’s Muslim custodians have applauded Israel’s stewardship, which has included funding significant physical improvements.
So who voted for this despicable resolution? UNESCO’s automatic majority: the Arab bloc, Cuba, Zimbabwe, and some other dictatorships. The UN’s various agencies, to varying degrees, are microcosms of the UN’s total dysfunction.
The UN, as presently constituted, has utterly betrayed both the “concert of nations” vision of its founders and the hopes of humanity. It has become a cesspool of corruption and the mutual back-scratching plaything of the world’s most despotic states.
Isn’t it time for the U.S. to undertake a fundamental reassessment of its relationship with the UN and end any association whatsoever with UNESCO and its twin in Israel-bashing, the Human Rights Council?
Richard D. Wilkins
Syracuse, NY
More On Truman And Israel
Rabbi Yaakov Feller writes that “President Truman proceeded to impose a total weapons embargo on Israel” (Letters, July 14). While this observation is true, it leaves out three critically important points:
An enormous amount of small arms was still smuggled out of the United States, often with the full knowledge of the New York City Police Department (my uncle, Rabbi Leo Landman, a”h, participated in this).
The Israel-friendly historian Conor Cruise O’Brien (see his 1986 book The Siege) writes that the U.S. embargo was necessary so as to not give Great Britain an excuse to rearm its Arab clients, namely Jordan and Egypt, an action that would have led to many more Israeli casualties.
While it is true that Stalin agreed to allow the Czechs to sells German Messerschmitt planes to Israel, there was a price – namely, American dollars!
It is therefore unfortunate that many have chosen to forget than American Jews were allowed to raise tremendous amounts of money and send it to Israel without any interference from the American government. For example, in 1946, Golda Meir came to America with the goal of raising $100 million and ended up raising $120 million. That would be worth well over $1 billion today.
I think it is essentially a lack of hakarat hatov when we forget these facts and teach young people that a tyrant named Stalin saved Israel.
Yosef Tannenbaum
(Via E-Mail)
Panama And Jewish Tourism
Re Daniel Retter’s beautiful article “Panama: An Oasis of Torah Judaism in Central America” (July 7): How did he get access to the walled complex containing the community?
I visited Panama in February 2013. In preparation, I e-mailed the local community several times to arrange access. After receiving no reply, I asked my local Chabad rabbi to e-mail Rabbi Laine. He did so twice and was nonplussed at not receiving a response.
When I arrived in Panama City I went over to the complex and asked the armed guard if I could enter to eat at the kosher restaurant. He replied that one needed to receive special approval to enter – and that it would take weeks to months to secure and would not be given unless one was going to become a resident of Panama City.
This was in stark contrast to my experience in Costa Rica: My e-mail was answered within 24 hours and I was told all I needed to receive permission to enter the walled complex there was to send a copy of my passport picture page along with the address/phone number of my rabbi. I did so and had a wonderful Shabbat in Costa Rica.
The Panama Jewish community may be wonderful but its hostile attitude toward observant Jewish tourists is anything but.
Lewis Golovin
(Via E-Mail)
Daniel Retter Responds: Thank you for your kind reference to my article. In response to your disappointment at not gaining access to the shul and restaurant, please be advised that since 2013 things have changed dramatically in Panama. The community is anything but hostile.
In the words of one of the community leaders who responded when I passed along your concern, “We are a community built on the principle of tzedakah. Today Panama has over 35 kosher restaurants, and our synagogues are open to all Jews. We receive visitors from all over the world.
“Nevertheless, to attend our synagogues or community centers, tourists must pre-register to enter the premises unless they know someone who can sponsor them. I myself encountered this degree of security earlier this year when I visited the Jewish community center in Strasburg, France.
“Our community was a target of a terrorist event some twenty years ago, and 12 members of our small community died. We can never forget, and strict security measures will always be present, as is the case when you try to board an El Al flight.”
Rabbi Laine responded that your e-mail may have gone into spam or to an old e-mail address. He said he is truly sorry about your experience, as you would be very welcome to come to Panama to visit all the Jewish institutions by following the guidelines.
I was advised that “Those without friends, family, or contacts in Panama should register for prayer access at the Ashkenazi or Sephardi synagogues by contacting Max Metta at [email protected] or via WhatsApp at + 507 6573-7264, or Ezra at [email protected].
I wish you well on your next trip to Panama.