Music in camp during 3 weeks/9 days

amother

OP ↓

Mon, Aug 01 2022, 2:05 am

I've noticed that camps seem to have a "heter" to play music as usual during the 3 weeks. I didn't look into it personally but I saw this in at least 4 different camps. These are day camps so most of the kids are under bar/bat mitzvah, maybe that's a factor. Now that my kids are getting a little older I realized I'm actually deeply uncomfortable with the way there is no change in atmosphere at all in the 9 days. I get 3 weeks is a long time and you can't make your program dull all summer. But maybe they should switch to acapella for the one week?

I'm new to the community and don't want to come across "holier than thou" so before I actually ask the camp heads about this I would like to know whether there is real halachic basis for playing full music as usual throughout the 3 weeks and 9 days. Because if it's a real thing then I'll stay out of it and I'll give the benefit of the doubt that they asked their rabbanim and decided this is fine.

I just feel like I need to reality check my radar here.

amother

Lemonlime

Mon, Aug 01 2022, 2:25 am

Since acapella is a real option, it makes sense to use that instead. It preserves the atmosphere and acts as an educational opportunity at the same time.

amother

Snowflake

Mon, Aug 01 2022, 4:11 pm

I have a daycamp for little kids. We do water activities as usual during the 9 days but no music during the 3 weeks. Music is on all the time otherwise.
I didn't ask a shaila if I was allowed to turn on kids music but I felt like we could all go without for 3 weeks!

Simple1

Wed, Aug 03 2022, 2:11 pm

BrachaVHatzlocha wrote:

I think sefardim listen? also, some hold if it is prerecorded it's ok

Sephardim don't listen to music in the 3 weeks.

I agree OP, for kids older than preschool, there shouldn't be music unless it's background music that you can't control.

amother

RosePink

Wed, Aug 03 2022, 2:21 pm

That's definitely not the norm. All camps my husband or I have worked in or my kids have gone to do a capella music. I've never heard of such a heter. I would ask the head counselor.