Readers defend Reinsdorf, Diamond in religion flap

Dear Zazz: I read your column about Jewish people who were madthat Neil Diamond gave a concert in Chicago on the Jewish New Year.One reader said United Center co-owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who isJewish, was forsaking his religion just to earn money from theconcert.

This is not the first time Reinsdorf has been attacked on aJewish issue. Enclosed is a column by Joseph Aaron of the ChicagoJewish News - and my response.

KEN COOPER, ChicagoDear Ken: Thanks for sending me Aaron's column. I also thoughtAaron was off base.His column was written last summer, when Bulls owner Reinsdorfwas in contract negotiations with Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman andcoach Phil Jackson. In essence, Aaron wrote that if Reinsdorf didn'tsign these players and their coach to the contracts they sought, "thepotential for anti-Semitism is enormous." Aaron believed that ifReinsdorf let any of his stars go, Chicagoans would be angry at himfor being a "cheap Jew."Aaron wrote that because Reinsdorf has called himself "just afat Jewish kid from Brooklyn," he must realize "that to be a publicJew is to be a spokesman for, and a representative of, the Jewishpeople."Your response, Ken, is on target. You wrote: "Should everyJewish businessman operate on the premise that if he tries to make aprofit, he'll be labeled?" Of course not.As I see it, a businessman such as Reinsdorf has to actaccording to a sense of fair play. He shouldn't throw his moneyaround, be a hostage to employees' demands, and purposely make badbusiness decisions just so anti-Semitic critics won't call him acheap Jew.Of course, as it happened, Reinsdorf came to terms with Jordan,Rodman and Jackson. If he hadn't, many Chicagoans might have hatedhim. But my bet is that few of them would have focused on hisreligion. Aaron's comments were misguided.Dear Zazz: I never thought I'd defend Reinsdorf, but kudos tohim for not backing down.Neil Diamond is entitled to perform any time he chooses. I'veworked on Christmas. I wouldn't want anyone telling me that I can'twork Dec. 25 merely because I'm Catholic.Also, don't non-Jews also have the right to see Diamond perform?Maybe that's the only date he could get to Chicago, and he decided tosacrifice his holiday for the good of his fans.M.O.Dear Zazz: It was OK by me that Diamond performed on RoshHashanah. It seems a lot of his Jewish fans didn't go, and for thefirst time in a long time, I was able to get decent seats for hisshow.SAT UP CLOSEDear Zazz: As a practicing Roman Catholic, I do not have theright to judge the actions of other Catholics - that's God's job. Noone should accuse you of betraying your religion if you observe aholy day according to your conscience.L.S.Dear Zazz: I don't hear Christians complaining that there areconcerts scheduled, or that the NFL plays football on the day Jesuswas born. No one complains that the NBA plays on Easter.If Neil Diamond wants to perform on a Jewish holiday, that's hisbusiness.NOT OFFENDEDDear Zazz: As it was said by a great religious leader, whosename is so often intoned when people stub their toes, "Let he who iswithout sin cast the first stone."F.M.Write Zazz, Box 3455, Chicago 60654.