September 25, 1998
Los Angeles, California
Dear brothers:
Though it sounds odd addressing you - so many of whom I have never even met - with that appellation, I use the word intentionally, for we are brothers in more than just fraternal custom. Some of you I know personally and am proud to call my brothers as a result of our shared experience, others I do so with just as much sincerity for I know we all champion the same values and concerns. They are the very values and concerns which brought me together with the other founding fathers of this chapter thirtee n years ago - respect for one another, belief in the infinite dignity of every human being, genuine concern for and commitment to personally helping those less fortunate than ourselves, and the conviction that our Jewish tradition and heritage have much o f great worth to teach us and those in the world around us.
On this bar mitzvah, I feel somewhat like I assume a parent of a thirteen year old boy or twelve year old girl would feel on the occasion of that child's bar or bat mitzvah. I wonder where all the years have gone. I marvel at the accomplishments of the child. I feel some ambivalence over certain of the choices my child made as it grew and developed into a unique person while at the same time being proud of its independence and manifest determination in making those decisions it believed were right.
I am very sorry I could not join all of you on this auspicious occasion -- a truly wonderful milestone in our family history. I wish you all a very healthy, happy, prosperous and sweet 5759 and hearty mazal tov on reaching this age. May each of you and all those close to you be inscribed and sealed this coming Wednesday in the Book of Life and may this Delta Kappa chapter, our treasured legacy, continue to grow from strength to strength.
My special warm regards to Eric Chabinsky, Neil Kalin, Mark Newman, Harris Schild and any others there with you this evening whom I came to know and call my brothers in this chapter's infancy.
Fraternally yours,
Immanuel "Manny" Spira
Los Angeles, California
Dear brothers:
Though it sounds odd addressing you - so many of whom I have never even met - with that appellation, I use the word intentionally, for we are brothers in more than just fraternal custom. Some of you I know personally and am proud to call my brothers as a result of our shared experience, others I do so with just as much sincerity for I know we all champion the same values and concerns. They are the very values and concerns which brought me together with the other founding fathers of this chapter thirtee n years ago - respect for one another, belief in the infinite dignity of every human being, genuine concern for and commitment to personally helping those less fortunate than ourselves, and the conviction that our Jewish tradition and heritage have much o f great worth to teach us and those in the world around us.
On this bar mitzvah, I feel somewhat like I assume a parent of a thirteen year old boy or twelve year old girl would feel on the occasion of that child's bar or bat mitzvah. I wonder where all the years have gone. I marvel at the accomplishments of the child. I feel some ambivalence over certain of the choices my child made as it grew and developed into a unique person while at the same time being proud of its independence and manifest determination in making those decisions it believed were right.
I am very sorry I could not join all of you on this auspicious occasion -- a truly wonderful milestone in our family history. I wish you all a very healthy, happy, prosperous and sweet 5759 and hearty mazal tov on reaching this age. May each of you and all those close to you be inscribed and sealed this coming Wednesday in the Book of Life and may this Delta Kappa chapter, our treasured legacy, continue to grow from strength to strength.
My special warm regards to Eric Chabinsky, Neil Kalin, Mark Newman, Harris Schild and any others there with you this evening whom I came to know and call my brothers in this chapter's infancy.
Fraternally yours,
Immanuel "Manny" Spira
Please send all comments and questions to alex.edelsburg@removethis.duke.edu