Sephardic Jewish Music

This weekend, I attended a conference on Sephardic Jewish Music for class.

I attended a concert performed by Divahn. I had no prior knowledge so I had little expectations for what I was going to hear, and did not expect to enjoy it. The group is very talented instrumentally and vocally. While I could not recognize most of the music, besides a song about Yigdal and Havdallah, it sounded so familiar and comfortable to me for some reason. When trying to understand why, I came to the realization of how important music, melody and dance is to Judaism. Thinking back on my childhood, at synagogue, all prayers had a melody. At all holiday celebrations, there was singing traditional songs. In Hebrew school, songs were a popular way to teach young children many Jewish traditions.

In reading Richard Kostelanetz's piece "Sephardic and Me" I understand his point how Sephardic American Jews and different from Ashkenazi American Jews. While any Jewish community I have been apart of, I have rarely come across Sephardim(I will note unless it is stated, one can't entirely tell unless told). While I understand his perceptiveness, I can't comprehend why there is such a divide. As Kostelanetz explains there is quite a difference in cultural aspects such as pieces of Art, but for some reason I get the impression he sees a divide in these communities beyond the culture.