Response to Adam

Shabbat Shalom. I have a laundry list of things to say:

1) I will not let this conversation die, as it has started to over the past couple of days. Please don't let it. I have strong, strong doubts that people will regularly check a blog to see what other members of the group think about the CD title, given the already limited response. Prove me wrong, people, I welcome it. (I will also post this on the blog).

2) I completely agree with Keith and Adam that this e-mail chain/blog discussion should NOT be a conversation about whether one title that I randomly liked is better than the two other finalists that the entire group selected. Please read my initial e-mail carefully - my hope was that people would continue to provide ideas, not just have a referendum on Geografia. I threw that title out there because I guessed, correctly, that there might be some reticence on everyone else's part in coming up with new ideas. Please, if you feel strongly about a title that was voted out, make a case for it via e-mail. Or come up with a new one that has yet to be discussed.

However, do NOT go around laboring under the belief that this is some sneaky little ego game where Jeff tries to get his idea to come out on top, which is somewhat implied in appealing to "fairness." This is about doing what's best for the group - there is no fair or unfair. If you think that sticking by Hineinu is best for the group, then I completely respect that opinion, even as I disagree with it (for now - if no new titles or strong opinions appear, I may change my mind).

3) Adam, could you elaborate on the meaning "Hineinu" has to people's Jewish identity? I suppose if we couched it from a biblical standpoint and say that this album is about affirming our Judaism and our status in the a cappella world, then it might have more meaning to me, but is that what we're trying to say?

Also, on another point, my sense is that, generally, more Jews know what Jewish Geography is than the quote "Hineini" put into the first person plural. Don't know that that should affect anything, just worth adding to the debate.


To sum up:
Please respond. I would love for this to be a debate. If you had an idea shot down in the past, now is the time to try to resurrect it. If you have a new idea, now is the time to present it. If you have no ideas, please opine on the ideas and arguments presented.

If you don't believe that it is appropriate to be having this debate because a vote was already taken, I would have hoped that you would have already responded in objection to my initial e-mail. Only Adam has so far, which I appreciate. Please step up if you also object.


I hope everyone has a great weekend and wishes their father's a happy Father's Day on Sunday. I look forward to reading your blog posts.

Love,

Jeff

Response to Adam

My take

I guess I'll start. I don't like geographia. It doesn't make any sense to me. I've never heard of Jewish Geography and I'd rather play monopoly if I had a choice. Plus, the word also sounds awkward. Just say it to yourself over and over.

I also agree with Keith's sentiment that it's unfair to just vault that choice up to the top three without going through the debate process. I think I liked other album titles better that are no longer even in consideration.

I don't think Hineinu is boring. I think it has a lot of meaning to people when they think about what it means to be Jewish. I think that people will feel this when they hear the title. It also in some ways defines our group. In spite of being a "niche" a cappella group, we present ourselves as one of the premier groups in the country. Not that we are the best, but we demand that we be recognized. We are here.

I am not in favor of reconsidering the album title, since it received a majority vote from the entire group, including Jess and Jeff. That counts for something. Should we reconsider, however, we should bring back other names.

Talk about it here

Because my inbox is filling up.