L ifestyle /C ulture
Cantata Explores 1790 Letter Still Relevant Today
M USIC
ANDY GOTLIEB | JE MANAGING EDITOR
CONSIDERING THAT
Reform Congregation Keneseth
Israel’s 1856 constitution
announces that “our services
will be uplifted with an organ
and a well trained choir,” it’s not
surprising that music has played
a key role in the synagogue’s
174-year history.

And music once again is front
and center at 7 p.m. on June
2 when the Elkins Park-based
synagogue presents a free virtual
performance of “To Bigotry No
Sanction,” which was previously
recorded. The cantata, which was
first performed by KI in 2017,
is based on President George
Washington’s Aug. 21, 1790
letter to the Jews of Newport,
Rhode Island. The letter is on
display at times at the National
Museum of American Jewish
History. The letter was Washington’s
response to a letter Hebrew
Congregation of Newport
leader Moses Seixas sent him
shortly after his inauguration.

The piece’s name is drawn
from a famous line from
Washington’s letter: “ … the
Government of the United
States, which gives to bigotry
no sanction, to persecution no
assistance ... ”
For Cantor Jonathan Comisar,
who composed “To Bigotry
No Sanction,” Washington’s
message is timely, especially in
era of increasing antisemitism
and general intolerance.

“When I started this project,
the letter was still ensconced in
history,” he said. “As events
unfolded in 2017 and through
the last four years, it’s no longer
ensconced in history. ... The
letter’s message speaks loudly
and compellingly right now.”
New York-based Comisar,
who teaches arranging and
composition at Hebrew Union
College, said the cantata
includes both Jewish and
American elements in the piece,
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Cantor Amy Levy (front center) and the multicultural choir
such as fife and drum, which
are commonly associated with
the American Revolution.

The production features
a multicultural choir and
Philadelphia Orchestra
members. Kensho Watanabe,
the orchestra’s former assistant
conductor, served as conductor.

In addition to Hebrew, 17
languages are included in the
production — and that total of
18 is no accident, as it represents
the spiritually important chai.

“There’s a moment where all
the languages are in a counter-
point of cacophony,” he said,
calling it the production’s most
beautiful moment.

Comisar also took care with
the last words of the piece,
noting that the final impres-
sion is important. Those final
words, taken from a phrase
buried in Washington’s letter,
are “if we have wisdom.”
“Those are the words that
both haunt and give me hope,”
he said. “That is the great
question of the day.”
The program features
an introduction by George
Washington himself — as
played by Dean Malissa of
Huntingdon Valley, an histor-
ical interpretive actor, who
recently retired after nearly two
decades of playing the nation’s
first president at Mount Vernon
in Virginia.

Malissa, 68, is intimately
familiar with Washington’s
vast trove of written material
and includes the 1790 letter
among the first president’s
most important.

“On the issue of religious
freedom, this ranks No. 1.

There’s no clearer statement by
Washington,” he said, pointing
to its significance today. “If
you read the words, you would
think the ink is still wet.”
Malissa, who is Jewish and
grew up attending KI, said the
cantata hits the mark in recog-
nizing the importance of
the letter.

“I was particularly impressed
by its ability to capture the
enlightenment of our founders,
especially Washington,” he said.

KI Cantor Amy E. Levy,
who originally commissioned
the cantata from Comisar — a
friend and former classmate —
and performs a solo, is hopeful
that those who view the perfor-
mance will take away more
than just beautiful music.

“We hope this enlightens
people and opens their minds,”
she said.

After the event, Comisar and
KI Rabbi Lance Sussman will
engage in a conversation moder-
ated by filmmaker Sam Katz of
History Making Productions,
who shot the original perfor-
mance in 2018 at the Masonic
Temple in Philadelphia.

More than 30 Jewish organi-
zations in the Philadelphia area
and beyond have signed on as
partners for the event.

The performance is available
on Vimeo at bit.ly/ki-tbns. l
agotlieb@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0797
JEWISH EXPONENT
Kensho Watanabe conducts “To Bigotry No Sanction.”
Dean Malissa as George Washington
Three photos by Kevin Quinn
Cantata composer Cantor Jonathan Comisar at the Masonic Temple in
Philadelphia, where the performance of “To Bigotry No Sanction” was filmed
 Photo by Jens Bungardt
MAY 27, 2021
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