Jewish Worship, Music, and Technology during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Authors

Jeffrey A. Summit, Tufts UniversityFollow

Abstract

This article examines the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Jewish worship and considers a range of worshippers’ reactions to livestreamed and Zoom prayer services. Focusing on the Jewish Emergent Network, innovative communities who are known for cultivating vibrant, participatory music in worship, leaders discuss the challenges of not being able to sing together online, the Jewish legal ramifications of using technology on the Sabbath and the on-going changes they believe could occur as virtual worship returns to in-person prayer. These leaders also discuss surprisingly positive developments in online prayer, as congregants deepened interpersonal relationships in discussion breakout rooms, discovered the power of “participatory listening,” and brought the experience of worship into their kitchens and living rooms, transforming “home space” into “sacred space.” The article concludes with a study of one congregation’s process as they transitioned from in-person worship to virtual prayer and back again, struggling to balance the values of inclusivity and inclusion with Jewish legal and aesthetic concerns about integrating technology into Sabbath worship.

Author Biography

Rabbi Jeffrey A. Summit, Ph.D. has an appointment as Research Professor in the Department of Music at Tufts University. He is the author of The Lord's Song in a Strange Land: Music and Identity in Contemporary Jewish Worship (Oxford University Press) and Singing God’s Words: The Performance of Biblical Chant in Contemporary Judaism (Oxford University Press). His CD Abayudaya: Music from the Jewish People of Uganda (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings) was nominated for a GRAMMY award. His CD with video Delicious Peace: Coffee, Music and Interfaith Harmony in Uganda (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings) was awarded Best World Music CD by the Independent Music Awards. His research focuses on music and identity, music and spiritual experience, music and advocacy and the impact of technology on the transmission of tradition.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Summit, Jeffrey A. (2023) "Jewish Worship, Music, and Technology during the Covid-19 Pandemic," Yale Journal of Music & Religion: Vol. 9: No. 2, Article 7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17132/2377-231X.1268