I’m Sorry, Is That Mp3 Kosher?

By Mordechai Shinefield January 19, 2010

You might check a bag of Skittles to see if it’s kosher, but did you check your latest Bruce Springsteen album? A committee in Israel would like you to. The Jewish news website Matzav reported this week that the Organization of Rabbis for the Purity of Jews released a list of offenses that would deem an album unfit for consumption (listening).

Among them: Disrespectful sounds (electronic effects, distortion and “bending the notes”), the modern drum set which was “created to be used in wild, coarse music,” and the electric guitar, bass guitar and the Devil’s Flute, aka: Saxophone.

When asked for comment, the Jewish rapper Etan G remarked, “I hope I get rated X by them — I’ll sell a million albums.”

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO