Musica Judaica / Database of Musica Judaica / Musica Judaica Online Reivews

Since the last issue of Musica Judaica long-time editor Dr. Israel J. Katz has resigned in order to concentrate all his energies on continuing his growing body of research and highly-respected scholarship. The American Society for Jewish Music owes Dr. Katz an enormous debt for selflessly agreeing to take the editorial reins of Musica Judaica on more than one occasion when the Society needed a steady and willing hand to move publication forward. Moreover, he leaves an important legacy not only of his own writings that have appeared in Musica Judaica over the years, and the careful editing and advice he has provided to countless authors, but also, as a senior colleague, in his nurturing and training new editors of the journal, including Dr. Neil Levin and our current Co-Editor, Dr. Arbie Orenstein, who, in turn, has brought Dr. Mark Kligman into the fold as Co-Editor.

Beginning with Volume XX, Musica Judaica becomes a peer-reviewed publication. Although it has always had a singular place in Jewish musicology, being the only journal of its kind, peer-review status will bring it more in line with other academic journals in the fields of Jewish studies, ethnomusicology and parallel musicological journals with other specialties. Our distinguished Editorial Board of peer reviewers is listed on the inside of the front cover of this issue. In another important development, Musica Judaica has a new online review section, Musica Judaica Online Reviews. This vehicle will allow the appearance of reviews closer to the publication dates of the books under consideration and wide-spread dissemination of these reviews to non-members, non-subscribing libraries, academics in related and parallel fields, as well as the interested reading public, two problems endemic to all printed journals. MJOR (www.mjoreviews.org) was developed and is managed and edited by Dr. Judah M. Cohen, Indiana University, Bloomington.

Special thanks to Co-Editors Dr. Arbie Orenstein and Dr. Mark Kligman for their hard work in the publication of the current issue of Musica Judaica,and to Dr. Judah M. Cohen and his editorial assistants for the regular publication of reviews through Musica Judaica Online Reviews. We are very grateful to Board Member Dr. Judith B. Tischler who has compiled a comprehensive Database of Musica Judaica which will soon be posted on ASJM’s website and linked to other Jewish music sites as well. Until now those interested in locating a particular article from a past volume of Musica Judaica needed to painstakingly scroll through the table of contents for each individual issue.

As always, the editors look forward to receiving comments and suggestions from our readership.