Limmud NY Spring Sampler - March 2009

What an amazing night at Limmud NY's Spring Sampler.
There was love and care in the air - with an excitement towards learning.

Here's a short little clip from my performance there...listen to everyone's beautiful voices as they sing about their power to help other people!

This is called "What You Give"
Guitarist featured: Mikal Evans
Filming by JCR Street Team Founder - Mara Berde




If you can't see it, you can also go to the You Tube Channel:

Limmud NY - I learned a lot...

Brrrrr.....
It's cold up in Ellensville, NY - home of Limmud NY. The heat went out. The conference was almost cancelled...

But the warmth of amazing Jews wanting to be together, to celebrate diversity and to educate themselves and others in the Tradition made for a very special environment.

This was a big gig for me.
1. It was my first Limmud and I'm hooked.
2. I performed a rock show with my band on the heels of a performance by one of my favorite musicians and people in the world, Josh Nelson.
3. I explored a couple of new workshops - one of which was a songwriting workshop for girls.

Here's what I learned at Limmud:
- attitude is everything
- the small voice is often the most powerful
- just when you think you can't play cause your fingers are frozen, you connect with someone in the audience and it warms your whole body so you can play on.
- people want to see more chicks playing instruments on stage.

Thanks, Limmud community, for enabling me to learn!

Naomi

what are we teaching our girls

So...Here's my latest.

I'm obsessed with the song "All the Single Ladies" by Beyonce
the beat is AMAZING! It's intoxicating - you can't help dance.
(While it's by Beyonce, the lyrics, like for many pop stars, were written by men: Christopher "Tricky" Stewart; Terius Youngdell Nash, better known by his stage name The-Dream and Thaddis "Kuk" Harrell. This team also wrote Rhianna's "Umbrella" which is a much sweeter and upstanding lyrical song!)

Is it a feminist song?
Beyonce's producers put it out as one...

And then...
I watch the choreography - (watch the video on youtube)

And then...
I listen to the words
"If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it
Don’t be mad once you see that he want it
If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it

I got gloss on my lips, a man on my hips
hold me tighter than my Dereon jeans
acting up, drink in my cup
I could care less what you think
I need no permission, did I mention
Dont pay him any attention
Cuz you had your turn
But now you gonna learn
What it really feels like to miss me"

And then I see this copycat video and it becomes pretty clear:
http://perezhilton.com/2008-12-17-we-were-wrong
Watch this and tell me what you think we're teaching our little girls...

I'm really curious to hear your reactions.
Is this empowerment?

Please do comment.

Naomi

One Simple Thing - LIVE in Cleveland

Click on the video below for faster streaming!

Amazing new web-show - Go Amy Poehler!

While I'm not sure how I feel about their sponsorship being from Barbie (aka: unrealistic figures, shapes and sizes of women - see The Tribe movie and you'll get it) I do LOVE LOVE LOVE the new series that Amy Poehler has put together.

Smart Girls at the Party!
I love the take of of the "charlie rose" type of interviewing that they do and that they're interviewing girls about being themselves!

It's awesome!
As a Jewish Chick Rocker who promotes messages about being yourself and being strong with your convictions and choices in life, I totally recommend that you girls watch these videos.

Rock on, Amy and Co.