LETTERS

BAR MITZVAH



HOW UTTERLY distasteful was “The Bar Mitzvah of Josh Cohen” (“Becoming a Man,” February). Mr. and Mrs. Cohen have so little understanding of the customs and traditions of Judaism, it’s a wonder that Josh has any Jewish identity at all. This is a prime example of today’s mixed-up priorities. Mrs. Cohen criticizes the very attitude she, herself, projects. In one breath she condemns the emphasis on “things” while she insists on serving caviar to the bar mitzvah guests. Thus the commercialization of the bar mitzvah, of which Mr. Cohen spoke.

What religious values do the Cohens speak of? Mrs. Cohen claims to have changed her entire value system, yet there is an enormous lack as I view it. Any child can see the hypocrisy in such a life. A bar or bat mitzvah alone will not accomplish anything. Better that the parents take the child by the hand and accompany him to their synagogue. Synagogues are not meant to be baby sitters.

There actually is a greater meaning to a bar mitzvah than expecting it to aid a child in maturation. He will realize that he is now responsible – responsible as a Jewish adult to commit himself to seeing that the traditions will be passed on to his own children. He will understand that the religion for which so many of his ancestors died is now in his hands. A lot of heart and soul goes into the preparation of a bar mitzvah. No -the purpose is not to boost a 13-year-old’s ego. The pride he feels is something he brings upon himself. Whether ultratraditional or ultra-reform, the message should be the same. We are all Jews -we must all survive.

As for the article in general, 1 hope non-Jews will disregard it entirely, as it surely does nothing to enhance the stereotypical image of us held by many.

Ellen Charendoff

Piano



I READ WITH a sense of sorrow the article “Becoming a Man.” The writer’s emphasis on the commerciality of the bar mitzvah ceremony is not only a miscom-munication of a profound tradition and a lack of thorough investigation into a rite that is thousands of years old; it is also a disservice to a family whose commitment to the true meaning of their Judaism is obvious to all who come in contact with them.

The bar mitzvah is, has been and will continue to be celebrated by our people no matter what their economic condition and no matter how easy or difficult our position in non-Jewish society seems to be. The idea that such a profound and revered occasion is little more than a commercial adventure strains the imagination and mentality of all who bother to think.

I am truly sorry for the author, not because she was only able to understand and relate to your readers such an insignificant part of the essential meaning of the bar mitzvah, but because she could come so close to an ancient symbol of truth and beauty and depth and comprehend so little of what she was experiencing.

Steve Gutow

Dallas



A PASSAGE FOR DALLAS

I WISH to compliment your magazine for the article by Wick Allison on Bob Cullum (“A Passage for Dallas,” February). Too often our civic leaders leave us, and little mention is made of their impact on the progress of our city. Bob Cullum was absolutely the best, and your article surely picked up his constructive and compassionate attitude. We are all indebted for his contribution to making Dallas a special place to live. On behalf of the many whose lives he touched, we thank you for the kind recognition.

Ira G. Corn Jr.

Dallas

YOU WILL never know how much I personally appreciated your article about Bob Cullum. In this one article you have reflected on Bob’s life in a way 1 am sure he would approve.

Mayor Jack Evans

Dallas



SYMPHONY NOTES



I WOULD LIKE to correct some misinformation that appeared in your December issue under the title “Symphony Chorus Singing the Blues” (“Inside Dallas”). First, the unilateral decision to use the Austin Choral Union instead of the Dallas Symphony Chorus was made by symphony management solely because Maestro Shaw required 225 singers, and management was afraid the symphony chorus would fall far short of those numbers. This decision was communicated to the chorus president and me on September 25 and 26. However, the initial contact with Austin came in early August, though we in the symphony chorus were not made aware of this.

Second, I resigned officially on June 16, 1981. This is a matter of record. At that time 1 offered to continue to conduct the chorus through the Shaw concert in order to provide a smoother transition in chorus conductors and give the symphony time to find a capable replacement. Management accepted my offer. However, its subsequent decision to cancel the symphony chorus’ participation in the Missa Solemnis concert not only made my services unnecessary, but also obviated the need to affect a smooth transition and avoid morale problems.

Third, I resigned because of unresolv-able conflicts in the handling of the chorus. Symphony management was unable or unwilling to provide the kind of administrative and managerial support necessary to run the chorus, and equally important, was unwilling to pay a core of professional singers to provide leadership and a high level of performance. This is precisely how other symphony choruses (St. Louis, San Francisco) of the same relative age as the Dallas Symphony Chorus were begun, and rather than faltering, they are developing strongly. Until this kind of commitment is made to the Dallas Symphony Chorus, serious problems will remain. Dallas has a professional symphony of high caliber. It should have an equally professional symphony chorus.

Stewart Clark

Dallas