Oh, Mama

A few years back I wrote a tribute to Mother's Day. I would like to offer it today in honor of all all beloved mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, etc.

Oh, Mama!

A History of Mother’s Day

The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called “Mothering Sunday.” Celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent "Mothering Sunday" honored the mothers of England.

During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.

As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honor the "Mother Church." Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration. People began honoring their mothers as well as the church.

In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe, the same lady who wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic. She suggested it as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe organized annual Mother's Day meetings in Boston, Massachusetts .

In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia.

Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessmen, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was very successful. By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson made the official announcement in 1914 proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the second Sunday of May.

While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium, which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.

The Soul Doctor will be in...

I'll bet that very few of you know anything of "Shlomo, the Musical." This was a recent off-Broadway musical that documented the life of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, the so-called "singing rabbi" from New York, whose life has become something of a legend. Carlebach, whose followers called him Reb Shlomo, has come to be regarded as one of the most important Jewish songwriters of the second half of the Twentieth Century. Some of his more important contributions include "Am Yisroel Chai," "Barchi Nafshi" and "Kiva Moed." During the last two decades of his life, he became so popular that many of his outdoor public performances held in the United States, in Israel and other venues attracted thousands of followers and resembled rock concerts. Even today there are Carlebach minyonim (prayer gatherings of ten or more) that feature many of the rabbi's more heartfelt prayers. One of the original schluchim (emissaries) from the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Schneerson, Carlebach could trace his roots back to several influential rabbis in Germany. He was born in Berlin in 1925, one of two twin boys and moved with his family to Switzerland, Austria, Lithuania and Great Britain before coming to the United States. His father, Rabbi Naftali Carlebach, became the spiritual leader of a small synagogue in Manhattan's West Side. Both Reb Shlomo and his twin Rabbi Eli Chaim Carlebach took over their father's pulpit following his death in 1967. What established Reb Shlomo as such an important Jewish personage was his ability to do outreach to Jews and to very diverse groups in New York. This included, for example, several Baptist churches in the area. Many religious leaders and their congregations found him to be a very spiritual man, professing tolerance and acceptance of all of the Creator's children. The show closed off-Broadway some time back, but has been retooled and is being presented from May 7 through May 12 at Le Petit Théatre du Vieux Carré. Now retitled "Soul Doctor," it promises to be a must-see for all of the Jewish community here as well as regular theatre goers who are interested in seeing a genuine Broadway production before it reaches the Great White Way. Regular readers of this blog will recall one of Rabbi Carlebach's two daughters, Neshama, who is a recording artist in her own right. She is actively involved in the rebuilding of New Orleans (click here) and recently performed for the benefit of Mazon, the organization that fights hunger and the St. Bernard Project (click here). Both her father and her recordings can be found at Sojourn Records. For a listing of some of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach's recordings click here. For Neshama's recordings, click here. Shows run Friday afternoon at 2:00 p.m., skip a day on Saturday and start again on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. with a special Mother's Day Brunch. Night shows will follow at 7:00 p.m. on May 10-12 with a matinee performance being held at 2:00 p.m. on May 12. For more information on ticket availability at Le Petit Theatre for the run of "Soul Doctor," call 504-522-2081

A very Jewish Jazz Fest

Usually, I don't let mere coincidence push my reason beyond normal expectations, but yesterday's last day of Jazz Fest was a notable exception. I found it to be filled with all kinds of Jewish connections, moreso than in other previous years. First of all, there was the fact that I attended with a friend of a Jewish Scouting friend from Atlanta, Marcy, and her cousin Jack, who happens to live in the area now. Both cousins were originally Pennsylvanians. I had talked to Marcy at length over the telephone over the course of the last two weeks, but I had never met her in person. There was something about her. I could tell we had real simpatico, born out of a common love of music and the charms of the City That Care Forgot. It turns out that her cousin was a contemporary of mine who shares a number of friends and business contacts. Why we never connected before yesterday is probably best explained in that he arrived in New Orleans just after college. That meant he was new to New Orleans around the time I was entering college at Tulane. Had he lived here during his formative middle school or high school age, I am sure we would have gravitated toward one another. Nonetheless, as we were walking up to buy a ticket for yours truly, we happened upon a fellow selling one for $35, approximately $20 less than the Festival was selling them. It looked like an offer too good to be true, but when he explained the reason, it seemed plausible. He had purchased this ticket as part of a pair just prior to being offered an even cheaper set of tickets. I spotted his necklace. Sure enough, it was a magen david and I showed him mine as we settled the deal and I gave him the cash. It turns out he was one of Jack's younger charges when he worked for the Jewish Community Center back in the 1970s. The two were so excited to see each other again, it was almost like a homecoming. Once inside we saw several common friends who Jack knew from the Northshore Jewish Congregation or from his work at the JCC or his earlier affiliation at another synagogue in Metairie. Once inside I also met Rabbi Uri and Dahlia Topolosky along with their mother-in-law/mom, Tovah. The rabbi was there because it was Lag B'Omer the first day since Passover that he could listen to music and do a host of other things like shave. He was there to make sure that everyone at the Jazz Fest knew that the WWOZ Mango Freeze tents were all certified as kosher! I had one and the frosty concoction went down even a little bit more smoothly knowing I was sharing a kosher experience with others at Jazz Fest. By the time the Neville Brothers ended their set with "Amazing Grace" and Bob Marley's "One Love," the communal experience of being a part of an event, albeit a very wet experience, was defined by we three Jewish souls enjoying the music of African American rhythms with a heavy dose of Caribbean influence. There was a lot of mazel and simcha at this year's Jazz Fest. I can't wait till next year.

May Day! May Day! May Day!

Ever wonder why the expression "May Day!" is used for those in distress? Well, it has nothing to do with socialism or communist propaganda. The term in English is derived from the French expression venez m'aider, which literally means "(you) come and help me!" When French was used as the most common language on the international scene, it made sense to use a phrase that most pilots or captains would know. It was used because no one would confuse that phrase with another and is in almost all cases uttered three times in rapid succession so as not be be misinterpreted or garbled in transmission. Believe it or not, the term was proposed by a Brit, Frederick Stanley Mockford, in 1923 when attempting to come up with a distress signal for airplane traffic designated between Paris and London. Obviously the French and its near-sounding English equivalent fit the bill.

Lots of interesting things happening now. I invite you all to check out my reports on Examiner.com, where you will note I am now listed as the New Orleans Performing Arts Examiner. Here's the link for Examiner.com.

The acrid smell of environmental disaster

There is a definite smell in the air, wafting its way into Louisiana's highways and byways. It is a reminder that the British Petroleum disaster in the Gulf of Mexico will be a clear and present danger for some time to come. There are those in the seafood industry who fear this may be the death knell for oyster beds, crabbing and for shrimping seasons for several years to come. The fact that the spill is now thought to be five times as originally feared is bad enough. The loss of 11 workers to their families on the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon rig that sank is sad enough. The inability to stop the flow of crude oil into the gulf should make all of us shout out that enough is enough. What hurricanes like Katrina, Rita, Ike and Gustav could not do to Louisiana and Mississippi - shut down the seafood industry - might actually be accomplished by this man-made event. The first reports of oil washing into the mouth of the Mississippi River came about Thursday evening, but the smell of disaster came into the region well in advance. With bad weather expected to hit the area in the next several days, skimming, burning and trapping measures to capture the oil spill could be stymied. Despite the best efforts on the part of BP technicians, the flow of crude oil from three separate leaks continues unabated. Even if the well was capped today, the damage to the ecosystem will be felt for some time to come. The point is that the well is not being capped and the environmental impact will loom large for some time to come. Louisiana has had a special relationship with the petroleum industry. It is a necessary evil because the fact is that oil production and the price of oil per barrel dictate whether the state budget runs into the red or black each year. Budgets aside, there is potential here to do more damage than the Exxon Valdez ever did in Alaska. Lives have been lost, livelihoods are in danger and life as we know it could disappear in a thick mass of tar lapping onto estuaries. The real danger is that damage to the fragile ecosystem below the waters and into the marshes could be catastrophic. Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency, while critics have charged that the federal government's response has been sluggish at best. Frankly, it is questionable if any government or business is equipped to handle this level of tragedy. Meanwhile the smell of disaster hangs high in the air and its stench may eventually extend all the way to the hallowed halls of Congress and into the Oval Office of the White House.

Everything was up to date in Kansas City

Tribe of Mic-o-Say dancers entertain in Overland Park

From time to time I am prone to travel on behalf of Jewish Scouting, one of my major life commitments. Because of my extensive knowledge on a number of subjects and because people know I am interested in promoting the cause, I will be asked from time to time to make presentations related to Boy Scouts and how Jews may interact with it effectively. The Central Region of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting was holding its bi-annual Jewish chairs conference just outside Kansas City, Missouri in Overland Park yesterday and I was asked to be a part of the all-day session. My topic was on Ten Commandments Hikes, which I have led in my own council since 2004. As it turned out, one of the keynote speakers, Life Scout Matt Riessen, fell ill and organizers asked me additionally to speak to the afternoon crowd that was expected to attended the community Jewish Religious Awards presentation. These affairs, chaired by local Jewish Committee on Scouting chair and host for the Central Region's conference, Dr. Norman Kahn, are also held every two years. Nine Cub Scouts in attendance were acknowledged as having earned their Maccabee and Aleph religious emblems, while four Boy Scouts were congratulated for having earned their Ner Tamid religious emblem. One older Boy Scout not in attendance was called out for having completed requirements for his Etz Chaim religious emblem, a feat that is quite commendable. Several local religious school teachers were commended for their work in helping the boys achieve their religious emblems. Also, one of the adult leaders of Boy Scout Troop 61, a non-Jew, received the Shofar Award for his work with that troop chartered to a Jewish institution in the area. It is rare that such an honor is afforded to a person not affiliated with the Jewish faith, but the National Jewish Committee on Scouting recognizes that oftentimes the efforts of non-Jews will encourage and enable Jewish Scouts to earn their own religious emblems. Following the presentation of religious emblems and the Jewish religious award, attendees were treated to a performance by the Tribe of Mic-o-Say, a regional honor society of adult Scouters and Scouts that encourages Native American dancing similar to the Order of the Arrow, the youth led organization that is the national honor society of the BSA. The long program of different dances was captivating to the audience members, especially the Cub Scouts who took to the center of the floor of the social hall of Kehilath Israel Synagogue, where all of the events of the day took place. The competitive nature of the dancers was such they all gave spirited performances, the top youth performer receiving special recognition from the audience. At the end of the all-day session nearly a dozen adult leaders had received training that they will take back with them to their respective councils. A final tip of the Scouting cap to Central Region Vice-Chair Cheryl Baraty and Milwaukee Jewish Committee on Scouting co-chair Kim Queen, who organized the training sessions:

Jazz Fest Shabbat 2010

Holding his special top coat is Allen Toussaint, right, with Alan Smason, left.

It's not all that often that the star performer at the annual Touro Synagogue Jazz Fest Shabbat is someone that I know personally, but last night's 19th annual such event proved to be one such event. In one of the most impressive lineups ever, Allen Toussaint, the most well-known New Orleans arranger, producer and songwriter took to the bimah, the raised platform from which Torah scrolls are read and sermons are regularly delivered, and proceeded to blow away the full house in the main sanctuary there. It was a night to revel in the music that came out of New Orleans including jazz and funk, but there was also time for prayer in which the entire congregation came together to observe the Sabbath with traditional Friday evening ritual prayers, albeit with a fresh approach in terms of music accompaniment. In a 6:00 p.m. private concert for patrons prior to the show open to the public, Toussaint played many of his well-known hits like "A Certain Girl" and "Mother-in-Law." But in the later concert he chose to play several surprising choices for his repertoire: songs by Jewish composers that were especially poignant, given the unusual venue. These included Paul Simon's "American Tune" and the late Steve Goodman's "City of New Orleans," to which audience members eagerly sung along. Joined by special guest "The Late Show with David Letterman" bandleader Paul Shaffer, Toussaint did a marvelous job juxtaposing the incredible George Gershwin's "Summertime" with Shaffer on a second piano. Shaffer, who wore a special black yarmulka for the occasion, more than rose to the task.

Paul Shaffer swinging in the synagogue.

Joining the two superstars were the Panorama Jazz Band and other ensemble members gathered together by musical director Terry Maddox. After the concert was over, Touro Synagogue made a special presentation of an elaborately designed white tails top coat decorated with symbols associated with Toussaint's historic career. It was a wonderful night for Cantor Billy Tiep, Rabbi Alexis Berk and other lay leaders, who served on the planning committee. The evening started with the Sophie B. Wright Marching Band coming into all sides of the sanctuary and ended with the Hebrew song "Adon Olom" played as an ecnore by Toussaint, Shaffer and others to the tune of "When the Saints Go Marching In." What a great night for prayer! What a great night for jazz! What a great night for New Orleans!