All Jewish Music has been influenced by the music of the countries in which Jews lived. If you listen to some Chasidic Niggunim and then listen to Russian Folk songs or Ukranian folk songs or Polish folk songs of the 1800’s, you will hear remarkable similarities. Jewish food similarly is influenced by the countries we lived in- Perogies, lox, Kneidlack, Goulash, pizza, sushi- all these are from other cultures. Even Yiddish, the current heiligeh loshon (holy language of Jews) has words lifted from Polish and German- tatte is the Polish word for father. Getting back to music- when a song is written by a Jewish singer, and it inspires your Yiddishkeit, and it uplifts and moves you Ina positive way, then why should that be bad? What does it matter if the composer was influenced by some other music? Is Tottie, father, a reminder of Polish anti-Semites? Does Hungarian Goulash make you think you are eating food of the Progroms? What could be better than elevating something in the world and making it Jewish and good? Goulash is delicious! And kosher! And Bubby made it! If you do not enjoy music by a Jewish singer, for any reason, DON’T LISTEN! If you enjoy it, then listen! If you enjoy older type music, listen to that, if you like Chazzanish music, listen to that. Not everything should be so agonizing.
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