Shapers of American Jewish Music: Mailamm and the Jewish Music Forum, 1931-62

Abstract

Although there have been 300 years of productive Jewish musical activities in America, the tragedy of the European Holocaust underscores the significance of American Jewish music achievements, particularly during the second half of the twentieth century. Over those decades, emigre and native-born Jews were engaged in scholarly research projects, collection and archiving of resources, academic endeavors, and a broad range of publications treating Judaic as well as general music topics. They initiated activities that enriched secular as well as religious life for American Jewry, activities that also served to enhance the culturally pluralistic nature of what is now distinctively recognized world-wide as American music. The impetus and the seminal leadership for many of those fruitful contributions originated with two Jewish music organizations, and it thrived because of the efforts of their rosters of dedicated members.