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March 30, 2001/Nisan 6, 5761, Vol. 53, No.26
Prom on, response muted
VICKI CABOT
Contributing Editor
While the press has had a heyday with the Horizon High School prom controversy, there has been little formal response from the Jewish community to Aaron Kravitz's protest about scheduling the event on a Friday night.
Kravitz, a Horizon senior, aired his complaints about the conflict between the prom and the Jewish Sabbath in a letter to the editor mailed to The Arizona Republic, the Paradise Valley Independent and the Scottsdale Tribune after a meeting with Horizon school officials failed to effect a change in date.
According to school officials, the prom was scheduled for Friday, April 20, when student organizers were unable to find a suitable venue for the usual Saturday evening affair.
The student's letter provoked a flurry of news articles, commentaries and letters to the editor, including a news story and op ed piece in the March 16 issue of Jewish News. The issue was also discussed on talk radio.
A survey of local communal organizations has revealed a muted response and some ambivalence about Kravitz's position.
Tami Schultz, director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, said she consulted with Kravitz about his letter and has kept her constituents apprised, via e-mail, of new developments. A recent communication included a copy of a column written by Paradise Valley Independent Editor Tom Barry that appeared in the weekly's March 7-13 issue.
Bill Straus, who was appointed Anti-Defamation League regional director just as the controversy broke, said ADL is not involved. "To the best of my knowledge, we have not done anything," he said, adding that Kravitz did not approach the group for assistance.
American Civil Liberties Director Eleanor Eisenberg said ACLU also is not playing a role. "No one has asked us," she told Jewish News, noting that the organization responds to claims raised by individuals.
Kravitz said he is not pursuing legal action.
One community member, representing two organizations, Grand Canyon B'nai B'rith and B'nai B'rith Youth Organization parent advisory board, arranged a meeting with Horizon Principal Anthony Capuano to voice his support of Kravitz's position. Grand Canyon Past President David Schacter said he and fellow lodge member Sid Siegel met with Capuano March 8 and presented alternative prom venues that he had researched.
Horizon students said the issue sparked a lot of discussion on campus when the story broke. Rachel Schweitzer, a senior, said her American history teacher asked the students what they thought of the situation, engendering a heated discussion. "A lot of the kids said, 'Oh well, Shabbat comes every week, so what is the big deal?' "
"I tried to explain that every Sabbath is considered a holiday, a time to relax and be with your family. But they didn't get it," said Schweitzer, who is Sabbath-observant and attends services at Congregation Bais Menachem/Chabad-Lubavitch in Phoenix.
Schweitzer told Jewish News she is not going to go to the prom because it is on a Friday night. "I keep Shabbat," she said.
Though upset about missing prom, Schweitzer said she did not register a complaint with school officials because of the vast amount of publicity the issue has received.
Students estimate that 20 percent to 30 percent of the student body is Jewish.
Sari Beliak, a junior, criticized the scheduling of the prom on a Friday night but said it was inadvertent.
Beliak, a member of Temple Chai in Phoenix, said there was talk on campus about Kravitz's level of adherence to Jewish law.
Kravitz, who does not observe the Sabbath according to Orthodox standards and has attended other school events held on Friday evenings, said he has weathered the criticism and that the derogatory comments are beside the point.
Kravitz and his family are members of Temple Beth Israel in Scottsdale, a Reform congregation.
Kravitz argued that Jewish students should not be forced to choose between observing Shabbat and attending a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Kenneth Segel, senior rabbi at Temple Beth Israel, lauded Kravitz's stand. And Paul Eppinger, executive director of the Arizona Ecumenical Council, publicly expressed support of his position at a recent Interfaith Choral Concert in which Kravitz performed.
Kravitz's mother, Helen, said the family has not received any letters or phone calls criticizing her son's action. Nor, she noted, did the school district formally respond to his complaint.
Helen Kravitz said she was proud of her son, who will not be attending prom. "I have to give Aaron a whole lot of credit. He saw something that was not right and went through the channels (to try to change it)."
Schacter said that he did not regret meeting with Capuano even if he was not successful. "Children should know that someone is willing to stand up and fight for them," he said.
He said that he was disappointed that more adults did not step forward. "Parents should be the ones who speak up," he said.
Paradise Valley Unified School District officials have said that prom will go on as scheduled this year - but will be held on a Saturday night in 2002.
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