SACRED RIGHTS, SACRED SONG A Philadelphia Concert of Concern

On Sunday November 13, 2016 at 7p.m., a chorus of over 50 singers will present "Sacred Rights, Sacred Song - A Concert of Concern" at the Perelman Theater in the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia at 7 p.m. "Sacred Rights, Sacred Song" (SRSS) is an 11-piece multi-composer cantata, that is designed to literally raise voices in concern over the state of the modern Jewish democracy in the modern Jewish State of Israel. Special Guest is Jewish rocker Naomi Less who will lead the chorus in her contribution to the cantata, "Sh'ma Yisrael."

Tickets for the concert will range in price from $22 to $184 and can be purchased by contacting The Kimmel Center box office at 215-893-1999 or www.sacredrightssacredsong.org.

SRSS Chorus will be made up of local singers from throughout the Philadelphia/NJ area, in addition to several cantors from the Delaware Valley Cantors' Assembly as well as Sharim v'Sharot, a Jewish choir from Central New Jersey under the direction of Dr. Elayne Grossman. The narration will be read by SRSS founder and lyricist, Fran Gordon, and will reflect the current state of affairs in this area of what SRSS calls "Public Jewish Law."

Fran Gordon, the founder of SSRS, is excited to add Philadelphia to the cities where this concert has been performed. She explained the meaning of this significant performance this way, "I look forward to the Philadelphia Jewish Community joining this nationwide effort to raise voices in concern over one of the most crucial issues confronting Israel and Diaspora Jewry in our time, one that is slowly but surely impacting the relationship between the Jewish People and the Jewish State where there is an appalling abuse of religious and political power. "There is a continuing struggle for respect and legitimacy by Jews and Jewish institutions that are Other than Orthodox because, due to the historic status quo, ultra-Orthodox principles continue to prevail in the public sphere. While progress has been made in some areas, notably with respect to the religious rights of women and liberal Jews at the Western Wall, the Kotel, social change is slow and there remains an Orthodox monopoly on Jewish marriage, divorce, burial and other parts of the civil society." She continued, "It is up to Americans, all those in the diaspora, to support the need for Jewish democracy in Israel and that is the purpose of bringing together voices and music in our Concert of Concern."

To find out more about SRSS and how local organizations can be involved, please contact Brynna Fish, SRSS Program Director, 216-407-5543 or bfish6557@gmail.com.

About Sacred Rights, Sacred Song:

In 2010, Fran Gordon launched "Sacred Rights, Sacred Song" with the vision of ensuring that Israel be a healthy Jewish democracy in which the spiritual civil rights of all Jews are protected. The goal is for Judaism to be expressed and celebrated freely and equally by men and women and in its myriad forms of observance and that matters of personal status and spirit are governed by a Public Jewish Law that welcomes vibrancy and creativity.

The mission of Sacred Rights, Sacred Song is to educate the North American Jewish community about challenges to religious freedom in Israeli society and motivate them to provide moral, visible and financial support to promote a Jewish democratic society based on the notions of gender equality and freedom of worship. For more information, visit www.sacredrightssacredsong.org .

A sample of songs in SRSS: A Concert of Concern:

Woman at the Wall: A play on Women of The Wall

Sh'ma Yisrael - Listen Israel: Asks who decides how I'm a Jew, who dictates what I have to do to claim my essence, to bond with my tribe? In a democracy more than one voice should decide.

To Dari and Noam: The Masorti Marriage: Refers to the fact that the only way to get married in the State of Israel and have it be recognized by the state is to be married by an Orthodox rabbi.

Agunah: refers to chained women who need their husbands' permission to get divorced.

The Odd Bus: tells the story of publicly funded segregated buses in religious neighborhoods where women are expected to sit at the back of the bus.