A Musical Mitzvah
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4
LISA BRODY
Special to The Jewish News
0
n Saturday, Oct. 24, Jamey
Braitman found a way to
join ancient and modern
melodies at his bar mitzvah
service at the Birmingham Temple.
Jamey, a seventh grader at Derby
Middle School in Birmingham, is the
son of Peppy and Iry Levy of Beverly
Hills and Robert Braitman of Bloom-
field Hills.
At Birmingham Temple, which
practices Humanistic Judaism, the bar
and bat mitzvah celebrants choose a
personal hero to research and report
on in lieu of reading a portion of the
Torah. The person can be living or
deceased, must have qualities that are
humanistic, and be someone the cele-
brant can look up to in their life pur-
suits.
The bar or bat mitzvah also chooses
from Hebrew readings to incorporate
into the service.
Jamey chose violinist Itzhak Perl-
man as the person to write about for
his bar mitzvah because of Perlman's
passion for music and life despite a
disability from a childhood encounter
with polio. Jamey played piano when
he was younger, and now plays the
bassoon at school.
"I chose him because I like music a
lot, and he seemed like an interesting
person," Jamey said. "Sometimes, peo-
ple who have polio hide away because
they have a disability, and he didn't do
his first violin was a toy that cost the
equivalent of $6." Jamey also found in
his research that Perlman is a native of
Tel Aviv, that he regularly visits hospi-
tals to encourage people, and he is
very philanthropic.
At Birmingham Temple, Jamey's
bar mitzvah tutor, Charlotte Nelson,
and other tutors urge their students to
write to their subject, if alive. Jamey's
mother Peppy reached Perlman's man-
agement team in New York, and was
asked to submit Jamey's written ques-
tions to Perlman. The 10 questions
included what were the violinist's
favorite music (Brahms' double con-
certo) and artists (Tchaikovslcy and
Beethoven), and who inspired him
(his parents). To the question of what
Perlman dislikes, the violinist respond-
ed, "Rhubarb."
He also wished Jamey good luck.
Jamey's family sent Perlman an
invitation to the bar mitzvah, with a
letter of thanks and a note letting him
know they will send him a tape of the
service. Perlman, who came to Detroit
Oct. 25 for a concert marking the
Jewish
Federation's 100th anniversary,
from
a
Vir-
book, Fiddler to the World,
that. He's really an inspiration. He has
was
not
expected to attend.
ginia publisher.
courage to go out there and play his
Said Jamey, "I want to be able to
Jamey
learned
interesting
facts
violin. I was just amazed that he
play the instrument I play almost as
that fleshed out Perlman's per-
Jamey
could do that."
good as him. [My report on Itzhak
sonality,
and
created
a
picture
Braitman:
Finding detailed information
Perlman] has inspired me to work
of
a
motivated,
determined
Emulating
for his bar mitzvah was not easy.
harder at it."
musical
individual
who
overcame
a
dis-
Jamey used the Internet, comput-
Rabbi Sherwin Wine officiated at
talent.
ability.
"I
learned
that
he
played
er encyclopedias, videos —
the
bar mitzvah. Jamey, his family and
soccer as a kid with braces on
including a recent one about Perl-
friends celebrated at a luncheon at Le
his
legs
and
crutches,"
said
Jamey.
"He
man's love for klezmer music — and
Metro after the service.
started playing the violin at age 5, and
his mother ordered an out-of-print
Inspiration
from an inspired musician.
❑
10/3(
1998
Detroit Jewish NewS
73