ORTHODOX
rabbis have given congregants the green light to attend performances by
the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) in late July, despite the
concert clashing with a period of mourning in the Jewish calendar … [during which time] playing and listening to
music is generally prohibited.
The matter having been raised with the Australian Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and rabbinic advice sought, a week's deliberation resulted in the conclusion that it was "acceptable to follow [American scholar] Rabbi Soloveitchik's ruling".
The
ruling advises that during the “first two weeks of the three-week
period, it is acceptable … to listen to classical music – not dance
music – but classical music”.
