Letter from Baruch Litvin about Tradition Article on Mixed Pews (1958)
Dear Rabbi: At the outset I must first say "Mazel Tov" and lets together make "Shehecheyonu" that we have lived to see that The R.C.A. has its own "Tradition." As for myself I congratulate you as the Editor and your board of editors for seeing to it that "Tradition" came out as good as it did. This letter comes to you from a man by the name Baruch Litvin living in Mount Clemens, Michigan, the fellow that is fighting windmills, the fellow who started the "Milchamas Hashem" against letting the laity in a Synnagogue by majority vote decide Hallacha, which means taking over the prerogatives of the Rabbis, and of course once we let this thing go by without a fight the next thing then follows: what was taken up on the concervative convention that the laity must have the final, in determinning the norms of the ritual and ethical behavior, yes the Rabbi can be consulted but the final say is left with the "Am Aratzim and the women" (please excuse my attitute toward the the women and their husbands who do not know the difference of an Alef to a Beis).I do not wish to burden you with the vast amount of information gathered by myself in regards the Tradition of Mechitzos, but I feel that Mechitzos are entitled to be spread on the pages of ״Tradition" as a part of what the alms of Tradition is, and should be.Should you give serious consideration to my way of thinking I can arrange a meeting between you and myself and give you much more material than I am stating now. Your Secretary Profesor fox knows me and is well aquainted with the case same is Rabbi Sharfman, Rabbi Rockman, and I am making this plea to you, and your board to consider Litvins thought on the matter of Mechitzos, that Judaism will stand or chas Vecholile fall by the attitude of the Rabbis towards mixed pews.I need not go into detail as I am aware that I am writing to Rabbis and I am only a laymen Vehamaskil Yovin.Please if after deliberation you find merit in my thinking that "Tradition" Must take up the fight …