Comments on: Against Definition http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/against-definition/ Connect. Educate. Innovate. Tue, 22 May 2012 12:48:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Larry Kaufman http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/against-definition/comment-page-1/#comment-73377 Larry Kaufman Sat, 29 May 2010 14:15:24 +0000 http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/?p=11155#comment-73377 There are certainly situations where boundaries are needed. Case in point -- what is Jewish art, which translates to what can be exhibited in a display space/gallery operated by a synagogue. (As president of a congregation which established a gallery, I lived this.) Any work created by a Jewish artist, regardless of subject matter? Any work with Jewish subject matter, regardless of artistic quality -- and who determines quality? For that matter, who determines Jewishness of subject matter? In the congregational setting, we experienced disagreement in all of these areas among the clergy, the art professional who served as volunteer curator, the art committee, a board member who wanted his wife's floral landscapes shown, etc. Hammering out a policy and predicting contingencies, etc., is arduous -- but it's a lot easier in the long run to evaluate against a policy than to consider each instance de novo. There are certainly situations where boundaries are needed. Case in point — what is Jewish art, which translates to what can be exhibited in a display space/gallery operated by a synagogue. (As president of a congregation which established a gallery, I lived this.)

Any work created by a Jewish artist, regardless of subject matter? Any work with Jewish subject matter, regardless of artistic quality — and who determines quality? For that matter, who determines Jewishness of subject matter?

In the congregational setting, we experienced disagreement in all of these areas among the clergy, the art professional who served as volunteer curator, the art committee, a board member who wanted his wife’s floral landscapes shown, etc.

Hammering out a policy and predicting contingencies, etc., is arduous — but it’s a lot easier in the long run to evaluate against a policy than to consider each instance de novo.

]]> By: The Loxist http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/against-definition/comment-page-1/#comment-73255 The Loxist Fri, 28 May 2010 22:56:00 +0000 http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/?p=11155#comment-73255 In South Central, the question "Where you from?" is a dangerous question that implies questions about gang affiliation and economic background. In the same way, defining one's neighborhood and boundaries in the oh-so-Jewish quest for identity in a fragmented world is increasingly tightening the Gordian knot. In South Central, the question “Where you from?” is a dangerous question that implies questions about gang affiliation and economic background. In the same way, defining one’s neighborhood and boundaries in the oh-so-Jewish quest for identity in a fragmented world is increasingly tightening the Gordian knot.

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