Letters to the Editor

Issue of Sept. 26, 2008

We’ve learned nothing from history

To the Editor:

Your article describing recognition of the 1943 rabbis’ march, and the recognition of the work of the Bergson/Hillel Kook group (Holocaust museums and Jewish leaders now recognizing 1943 rabbis’ march; Sept. 12, 2008), included announcement of the one-day conference sponsored by the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies on Sunday, Sept. 21.

It was my privilege to attend the conference and listen to an impressive array of speakers, including David Wyman and Rafi Medoff. The overriding theme of the conference was the failure of Jewish leadership and the Jewish establishment during the war years. This failure of conscience and unity, and the constant obstructionism in the U.S. State Dept., led by Assistant Secretary of State Breckinridge Long, contributed to the success of the Hitler extermination plan.

The sad realization that I came to at the conclusion of the day’s presentations was that we have learned nothing from history. Once again obstructionists have intervened –– in the case of disinviting Sarah Palin from speaking at the rally against Ahmadinejad that was held in front of the United Nations on Monday, Sept. 22. The failure of leadership of the Conference of Presidents of [52] Major American Jewish Organizations was demonstrated in their cave-in to pressure applied by Democrats who didn’t want Palin to speak, once Hillary Clinton had pulled out. In a shocking display of stupidity, rudeness, and downright cowardice, Palin’s invitation was withdrawn.

When once again the world is facing a would-be genocide perpetrator, and where the Jewish community should be unified against the threat of nuclear extinction to Israel and America, once again, as it occurred during the Holocaust, Jews get involved in petty political considerations and lose the big battle. We should remember the words of George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Let’s hope our memories can be jogged a bit.

Helen Freedman

New York

Political invitations

To the Editor:

If the organizers of the rally were so concerned about bi-partisanship, they would have sought (and should have) to match the appearance of a non-campaigning, sitting senator from New York with a Republican similarly situated –– with prominence and recognition within the Jewish Community, who also has a strong record of support for Israel, and has taken strong stands against the rogue regime in Iran. Senators Lindsay Graham and Sam Brownback come to mind, as do Congressmen Eric Cantor and Minority Leader John Boehner. Mayor Bloomberg and even Rudy Giuliani would have been good choices as well to stand as Republicans next to Senator Clinton on the “non-partisan” or “bi-partisan” stage, as would McCain supporter and independent Democrat, Senator Joseph Lieberman.

By turning to the finance director for the McCain-Palin ticket for a Republican representative at the rally, the organizers invited and created the political disaster that ensued. They turned to one active campaign during its convention, without turning to the other active campaign. They injected politics into the rally, possibly to create the impression that one side would not stand with our community, which is the far from the truth. The only people who should be ashamed of themselves are the organizers of this rally, who tried to cloak their political preferences with a thin veil of last minute rushed inviting.

To suggest that the Democrats played politics with the rally is false, disingenuous, and another example of Republicans using the apparatus of support for Israel to divide the Jewish community and hurt all efforts to stand with Israel, support her, and unite the world against the Iranian threat. The Conference of Presidents dropped a very big ball here.

Menashe Shapiro

Executive Board Member

National Jewish Democratic Council

Access denied

To the Editor:

According to The Jewish Star (Web Exclusive: Threats to sponsors may have led to Palin invite reversal; published online Sept. 17, 2008), Palin’s appearance at the rally against Ahmadinejad was canceled because of threats made by certain Democrats that the organizers would lose their non-profit status. According to Michael Fragin, a former aide to New York Governor George Pataki, as long as you don’t endorse or deny access to a candidate, there is no impediment to tax exempt status.

Clearly then, since Governor Palin was denied access, the law requires that the organizers such as the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations lose their tax exempt status. I think that not only should the organizers lose their tax-exempt status, but also their organizations should be abolished altogether. Their foolish and selfish partisanship help Ahmadinejad by alienating the friends of Israel who are willing to stand up to Iran.

Gamaliel Isaac

New York, NY

Via www.thejewishstar.wordpress.com

The Palin pick

To the Editor:

The “honored” for “excellence in commentary” Mr. Seidemann might want to look at some of the media from the right who agree with what he cheaply describes as the “dribble and drool dropping out of the mouths of the misguided left media, reeking with irony and hypocrisy,” that Palin is clearly unfit for the job (From the other side of the bench: A pit bull with lipstick; Sept. 12, 2008). They are not trying to close the door on “our Sarahs” also, are they? Perhaps they are closing the door on tokenism at its worst.

If he wanted to pick a model and capable Republican, perhaps McCain could have chosen Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe or Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell. And neither I, nor my sons, want someone who sits in a church where the pastor preaches that those killed by bulldozers in Jerusalem were being killed as part of G-d’s judgment.

Melissa Sostrin

Jericho

Thank you

To the Editor:

Thank you for that beautifully written review of Chari Pere, and her unique work (The Kosher Bookworm; ‘The annual Jewish calendar caper meets its match;’ Sept. 19, 2008). I want to see more of her special artistic talent in the future. She is just what the Yiddishe world needs right now!

phyllisbd

Via www.thejewishstar.wordpress.com

Thank you from Woodmere Rehab

To the Editor:

During the course of the year many volunteers come to Woodmere Rehabilitation and Health Care Center to befriend our residents. Some of the volunteers entertain, some bring gifts, and some provide attention, conversation and/or handholding. Volunteers of all ages pass through our doors. Some individuals come on their own and some with a school, group or organization. Each and every one of these volunteers in their own way help to enhance the quality of life of our residents and we greatly appreciate it.

At this time, Erev Rosh Hashanah, I would like to take the opportunity to say thank you to all of the outstanding people who take the time to come to our facility. Yaasher Kochachem and have a happy and healthy New Year.

On Rosh Hashanah, as on Shabbat and all the Jewish holidays, we have Jewish services in our recreation room conducted by Rabbi Ackerman with a kiddush following davening. Most of our residents are happy to have the convenience; however, a few residents who miss the true “Shul” experience prefer to go out of the facility to daven. Woodmere Rehabilitation and Health Care Center is extremely fortunate to have Congregation Sons of Israel as a neighbor. Rabbi Bruce Ginsburg and the entire congregation welcome our residents on Shabbos and Yom Tov in their shul. Our residents are provided “tickets” for the High Holidays and they are welcomed and treated as honored guests by Rabbi Ginsburg and all of the officers and members.

I would like to express “hakarat hatov” to Rabbi Ginsburg and to Harry Katz, our liaison with the shul, and to the entire warm and wonderful membership of Congregation Sons of Israel for the kindness that you extend to us. Yaasher Kochachem and have a happy and healthy New Year.

Leba Sonneberg

Director of Marketing and Community Relations

Woodmere Rehabilitation & Health Care Center

Chance to change a life

To the Editor:

I have never been a fundraiser or one who goes collecting tzedaka, but I will do virtually anything for my talmidim and more so if they have the desire to become close to Hashem.

I have a student who just began his senior year at Torah Academy of Brooklyn. He ended up in TAB after other yeshivot made his mother crazy for tuition. She has been divorced for a long time and her ex-husband does not help. I was at their apartment today for the first time –– this is truly how the other half lives (they are obviously struggling).

This is not a lazy boy. He goes from school to an afternoon job in a seforim store until 10:00 p.m. just so that he won’t have to ask his mother for anything. This boy has not even been interested in being shomer mitzvos until recently and is surrounded by a chevra who does not share his desire to be frum. In discussing options with him and his rebbeim at TAB, we all are in agreement that he needs to get away and go to yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael. We are currently looking into appropriate yeshivos for him. Coming up with money for a plane ticket, tuition and some spending money while he is there is the task at hand.

I really don’t have any expectations from anyone as far as helping my talmid, as I know many worthy causes are tugging at your purse strings (I can think of several right off the bat). However, it is not often that we get an opportunity to offer a foundation for frumkeit to another Jew. This would literally save this boy.

My father, a”h, always used to tell us how he wanted us to have everything he didn’t as a kid. All I ask is that you find a way to give something (you are not being asked to solve the issue by yourself) so that this kid might have what many of us already have and that he hasn’t had up to this point: a break.

Please make checks payable to Congregation Shalheves Kodesh. The subject line should read: Leffel Talmid/The Jewish Star.

The mailing address is: 2920 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY 11210.

Please email danleffel@gmail.com for more information.

Thank you for reading this. May Hashem bentch you that as you take care of His children, He should take care of yours. K’sivah V’chasima Tova.

Daniel Leffel

Brooklyn

Editor’s note: The Jewish Star knows the letter writer to be a reliable and trustworthy individual.