The rabbinical doctrine of kol isha, which forbids an Orthodox Jewish man from listening to a woman’s voice, was a target of Jewish feminists from the start. The late Debbie Friedman, who revitalized Jewish liturgical singing for a generation of Reform and some Conservative Jews, said that she was “inspired” by the prohibition to “write inclusive music.” The rise of a Jewish “women only” music scene is an “interesting side effect” of kol isha, according to the music blogger Jack Zaientz, who writes at Teruah.
Another side effect has been the rise of Orthodox men’s a capella singing groups. John introduced readers of Contentions to the “insanely catchy” Maccabeats last December. Now comes Six13—their name alludes to the traditional number of commandments given by God to the Jews—whose song “P-A-S-S-O-V-E-R” suggests not only that an exciting Jewish “men only” music scene has arisen, but that, with so much of it around by women and men, it’s a great time to be singing and bouncing to Jewish music:
