This week's theme of Tikkun Olam (or more broadly, social justice) is reflected through the tunes we will be singing at Shabat services this week in a variety of ways. Pete Seeger's anthem "If I Had a Hammer" emphasizes the need for action if we want to bring about the change we hope to see in the world. Bob Dylan's classics "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times they are A-Changin'" address two very different, though equally vital, aspects of social justice. "Blowin' in the Wind" concerns man's inherent inability to fully comprehend the world around him and therefore his imperative to continue to struggle for his ideals. "The Times they are A-Changin'" is about the intrinsically fluctuating nature of society and the necessity of our adjustment to it if we wish to make change or even merely to stay relevant. "The General," by alt-rockers Dispatch, tells the story of a seasoned military general who realizes that war is not the answer and ceases to order his men to fight. The song teaches us that it's never too late for us to realize the errors of our ways and abandon our support for causes we had previously fought for. The 1949 protest song "MTA" recounts the tale of a man who gets stuck in the Boston transit system due to an inability to pay his fare. The song itself and its subsequent popularity show the power of music and other art forms to create change. John Lennon's utopian ballad "Imagine" paints for the listener the image of an idealized world without war, famine, or inequality. In the chorus, he powerfully suggests that we can bring about such a world if we cooperate with one another. The anti-war tune "One Tin Soldier" narrates the epic tale of one group of people who viciously slaughter another in order to obtain their treasure, even though those with the riches agree to share it. The song highlights the futility of violence and the inclination of nations to use it even when situations do not necessitate such behavior. Finally, we will conclude Havdallah services by singing Melvina Reynolds' folk song "Little Boxes" (as we have at every Havdallah service this summer). Havdallah symbolizes the separation of Shabat from the rest of the week, and I chose "Little Boxes" as a premonition of the conformity that can result if we don't take the time to recognize what is holy and special in our lives (like Shabat). However, I have also discovered more and more that the song is incredibly multivalent, and I've been encouraging campers during music periods to try and think about the song in a different way every time we sing it. Shabat Shalom.
Max Bledstein
Music Specialist
Max Bledstein
Music Specialist
