By Eva Trieger
SOLANA BEACH, California -Catching up with Bulletproof Stockings, a female Hasidic alternative rock band was not easy. A flight delay caused them to arrive periolously close to Shabbat, so we had to reschedule. It was not until the following Tuesday morning when I connected by telephone with Perl, Dalia and Elisheva, who by then were back in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. Dana was not available to round out the quartet.
The interview itself was really cute because the three women on the other end of the phone were so excited and passionate in their quest that they could scarcely contain themselves. Their zeal caused this reporter to interrupt repeatedly asking to whom I was speaking so that I could attribute their quotes accurately.
Dalia, raised in a Modern Orthodox home, had been touring as a rock musician. Though she gained musical experience, the rock and roll life revealed many aspects that did not resonate within her. In her new life as a Hasidic woman, she could not listen to music. As Dalia grew into the community, her husband bought her a drum set, and renewed her interest in music. Sadly, he passed away in 2011, but HaShem had other plans for the little drummer girl, and directed her to Crown Heights, a Hasidic haven.
Perl, a pianist and soulful singer, was also in New York, following a divorce. She had spent her youth rebelling and when she returned, she found the Hasidic community welcoming and comfortable. The two musicians met and found they “speak the same language.” They were eager to bring their harmonized message to all women, Jewish and non-Jewish. The dream of creating a women for women band was launched, and the two sought out additional band members to complement their sound.
Almost exactly four years ago to the day, on Dec. 18, 2011, Bulletproof Stockings gave their first concert at Lamplighter’s Yeshiva in Crown Heights. This innovative school is known for pushing the envelope and doing things a bit differently. Approximately 400 women attended the show, and when Bulletproof Stockings took the stage, the “whole room came to life.” The use of drum set was brand new to Crown Heights audiences, and they were smitten.
The band has recorded a number of YouTubes and CDs and is currently on tour. The Hanukkah season has been a busy one for concerts. I was curious to know if they were concerned about kol isha. This halachic law forbids men from listening to the singing of women, who are not their wives. Perl and Dalia told me that, in fact, the mitzvah, or commandment, puts the onus on men, not on women. They were quick to say they don’t go out of their way to perform in places were men are apt to be, but they are breaking no religious laws by performing live or on music videos. They did consult their rabbi, and were absolved of any responsibility.
The bandmembers told me that they love to “throw a party for women.” Perl empahsized that there is a special energy that is unleashed when women get together. It has nothing to do with religion, per se, but she stated that they are “free of confines of standard consciousness.” Women who come to the parties and concerts are comfortable expressing themselves through music and dance in a way that they have never been able to prior to this band’s appearance.
Though Elisheva did not pipe up as much as her bandmates, she is an equally valued member of the band. I wanted to know how each of their girl’s parents viewed their current occupation. Dalia reported that her parents were concerned and tried to talk her out of it. Perl’s parents were worried because she’d just moved following her divorce and was not in a stable situation. They told her it was a crazy idea, though they are both musical themselves. Today, they are her biggest fans! Eliseva did not consult her parents, as she was already married and had a stable job in a cytology department.
I wanted to know if the lyrics were religious or Torah inspired. The musicians told me that “music is spiritual. All the lyrics are based in Torah and imagery.” Dalia stated that they don’t have a religious agenda, but the music is shaped by whatever they grew up listening to, as well as whatever they’ve been taught. They believe that influences from “the outside world and inside world guide us in our writing and performance.”
Since its inception, how has the band evolved? Perl and Dalia chimed in concert, “Our playing is better than ever. We open up more on stage. We are finding our way in different styles.” Interesting side note, Dalia is self taught, whereas Elisheva, Perl,and Dana are classically trained.
The band continues to gain momentum and is enjoying touring and sharing its freedom and joy as Jewish women celebrating all women. They get an esoteric laugh out of their name, Bulletproof Stockings, which is a somewhat derogatory term for Hasidic women, but they “own the joke as it makes us part of the sisterhood.”