In “A New Act For The Old Bar Mitzvah” (June 4), Julie Wiener articulates how the traditional bar mitzvah ceremony has evolved into a dynamic new-age ceremony replete with actors, music, family and communal participation.
While traditions and personal sentiment certainly differ regarding the significance of a bar mitzvah ceremony, most would agree that any basic definition of a “bar mitzvah” would include one’s coming of age, whereby a “boy” morphs into a “man.”
Part and parcel of any maturation process is the realization that in the course of our lives we must not only endure events not to our liking, but also seek to comprehend how they are ultimately to our benefit. If we are fortunate, we will discover that these mundane and unpleasant affairs often translate into transformational experiences that transcend time and effectively refine ones character.
To essentially numb the bar mitzvah service and make it a coarse party under the ruse of a religious ceremony with a minimum focus on the individual maturation process is nothing short of tragic.
Brooklyn
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