LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Mitzvah madness
I hung my head in shame
after I read the front page
article June 22 on "Mitzvah
Madness."
It is a very sad comment
that an event of such great
significance as a Bar
Mitzvah has a theme of a
circus, the "Munsters," etc.
Is there any wonder that our
ypung people have no iden-
tification with our great
heritage and no need to per-
petuate traditions?
The parents of the boys
may select any theme they
wish to entertain them-
selves. But do you, as the
only Jewish paper, find it
important enough to put it
on the front page. It is dis-
graceful.
Mrs. Alfreda Natowicz
•
Administrator, Temple Israel
Merrill concert
Many thanks to Cong.
Shaarey Zedek for a most
enjoyable evening with
Robert Merrill.
S. Moore
•
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Maccabi housing
I would like to take this
opportunity to respond to
Mr. David Kahan's letter of
June 15 regarding the need
for housing of our guest
Maccabi athletes. I cer-
tainly appreciate Mr. Ka-
han's support of our cause.
He was one of the first to
volunteer his home and ob-
viously has strong feelings
regarding the value of the
Maccabiah.
Our need for host housing
for these young Jewish
athletes is still not fulfilled.
We still need to find housing
for approximately 250
youngsters. However, I feel
the necessity to stress some
very positive aspects of our
Jewish community's sup-
port. There are currently
225 volunteers signed up as
workers on the various
committees that will stage
the games. There are also
350 families who have vol-
unteered to host over 750 of
our guests.
The success of our games
in terms of national and in-
ternational participation is
already assured. However,
the most important ingre-
dient for the success of these
games is the support of the
host community. I have
great confidence that the
members of our Jewish
community will contiue to
come forth and offer their
participaton and hospitality
for this unique Jewish
event.
Jay H. Robinson
Chairman, 1984 United States
Maccabi Youth Games•
Danger of TNT
Continued on next page
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SUNSET
2
For the past two-three
weeks I have followed the
news about "Terror Against
terror," the Jewish under-
ground terrorist formation.
I have read various articles
by. sociologists, Orthodox
and secular professionals,
and journalists about the
formation and development
of this group. I am also fol-
lowing the events at the
trial of the leaders of the
terrorist groups.
I am horrified by how
these leaders and their sup-
porters interpret the teach-
ings of the Bible, and their
zeal in following their belief
I
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- mu II
l ia[1. 8POWI
"Mitzvah Madness" on
page one of the June 22 edi-
tion would seem to indicate
a startling departure in pol-
icy from supportive to sen-
sational.
Taking into account the
large number of Bar/Bat
Mitzvah observances that
take place each year in the
local community, the im-
plied suggestion that their
celebrations are beyond
good taste is a dangerous
and misleading statement.
Rather than emphasizing
negative aspects of the Bar
Mitzvah celebration, how
much more meaningful to
stress the positives of the
Bar Mitzvah service: 1. the
years of preparation re-
quired; 2. the guidance of
our rabbis to the signifi-
cance of Bar Mitzvah; 3. the
sensitivity, warmth and
beauty of the service at
which Bar Mitzvah takes
place; 4. the caring`, touch-
ing, almost wistful ex-
pressions of faith pro-
claimed by the growing
number of youngsters who
are twinned with Russian
kids.
The test of the success of
Bar Mitzvah is not the
party, but whether a child
decides, together with his
parents, to continue Jewish
education. If criticism is to
be leveled, implied or
otherwise, it should not be
on the basis of a party, but
on the realization that a
13-year-old is not capable of
making a decision to quit
being a Jew, particularly
during the most formative
years of life.
Just a few weeks ago, on
Shavuot, we at Temple Is-
rael witnessed the confir-
mation of 122 of our
youngsters. For most, it
meant two years of study
beyond Bar Mitzvah age._
Many will continue through
the three high school years.
It would seem to me that
there is more significance in
emphasizing the positive
aspects of communal cele-
bration rather than the
negatives of a "Goodbye
Columbus" approach.
And, just to set the record
straight, the implication of
the "Mitzvah Madness"
story that you can't kosher
cater at Temple Israel is in-
correct. It can and is done on
request.
Frank L. Simons
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SERVICE
5
Friday, July 6, 1984
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