Music and the Negotiation of Orthodox Jewish Gender Roles in Partnership Minyanim

Abstract

Since 2002 a network of independent Orthodox Jewish prayer groups known as partnership minyanim have revolutionized gender roles within the prayer service. In these worship communities, women chant from the Torah and lead musically rich prayer services accompanied by the congregation’s robust harmonies. The first partnership minyan, Shira Hadasha (“A New Song”), has become known in Jerusalem as “the best show in town,” due to the exceptionally musical nature of their prayer services. Approximately 30 partnership minyanim have since emerged in Israel, America, Canada, and Australia, which have all retained this emphasis on song. This paper examines the importance of music in these prayer groups, exploring the relationship between music and the negotiation of fixed tradition. I suggest that the musical opportunities provided by partnership minyanim are very significant to worshipers in these settings, making space for women to gain a physical voice in the synagogue. In addition, the musical environment of partnership minyanim also facilitates a dramatic change for men, as they shift from being the outward projecting voice to the inward receiving, but also enabling, ear. Through an investigation of music’s role in gender performance and the exploration of the habitus, this paper suggests that through this new gendering of musical roles, partnership minyanim produce an alternative identity for the children who attend these services, which may have large implications for the future of Jewish Orthodoxy.