Letters to the editor

Photo op

To the Editor:

Orthodox Rabbis in the Five Towns urge their followers to cancel subscriptions to The New York Times. In the opinion of these Jewish leaders, The Times, in an effort to promote its liberal agenda, editorializes, rather than reports, the news. This practice of literally coloring the news in an effort to promote its agenda now seems to resonate with The Five Towns Jewish Times as well.

In its July 27, 2012 edition, The 5TJT ran a cover page story praising the work being done by American students in Israel volunteering at Camp Koby. The story featured a photograph of twelve teens from the Five Towns who were honored by the Knesset. The picture appears again, accompanied by a full story, on page 72 of the same issue.

In its July 26, 2012 publication, The Jewish Star ran the same story, accompanied by the same photo - with one major difference. The photographs were markedly different. Whereas the Jewish Star ran the authentic photo, The Five Towns Jewish Times - in an apparent effort to promote tzniut - photoshopped the picture prior to publication. In a simple act of lengthening the sleeves and lowering the hemlines without noting the change, the editor of The 5TJT evidenced that he could no longer be trusted to report the news without a certain bias.

The concern here is not about knees or elbows. Despite how they dress, those students are worthy of praise by virtue of the work they are doing. The issue is journalistic integrity. Our Orthodox leaders stress that revisionism and misrepresentation of the facts are no friend to the Jewish People. If the editor of the 5TJT found the photo offensive, he had the option not to run the story, or at the very least, he could have omitted the photo. By electing to run the story while concurrently doctoring the photograph, the editor violated the confidence given him by his readers. Shame.

It is refreshing to know that The Jewish Star is the one local Jewish publication that adheres to the truth.

Raphael Fink

Woodmere

Kitchen compliments

To the Editor:

I am writing this letter in response to the article written by Judy Joszef last week... I spent almost every year of life in the Catskills, either working in camp, hotels (Like the Pineview, Lakehouse or the Homowack) Woodbourne or in Vacation Village. Yet, NOTHING ever compared to Grossingers! The Big G! ...But working there, that was amazing in itself. I was a lifeguard there and worked with Lou Goldstein (Mr. Simon Says) working the shows and bartending. I remember every July 4th and Shabbos Nachamu everyone would leave me messages saying they are my cousin or relative to get the go ahead to pass the guard and enter on that incredible night! As Judy mentioned, the food, the social scene, and all the activities ..we never realized how lucky we had it and I really think it is great to read about others that had some incredible times there as well. It is really unfortunate that the youth/teens of today never really experienced how great it was to be at HOJO’s at 3 a.m. where 80% of the store was frum, hanging out and eating ice cream. This letter brought back some great times ...weeknights going to the racetrack for an evening activity to see all your friends who would show up (without their I-Phones, just yarn to crochet the kippot and a walkman) and of course on many other nights, it would not be complete without The Lucky Dip! I guess that generation that we grew up with can’t put a price on our past,

Just remember..you only live once and those great days of the Mountains are in my mind forever, thanks for sharing....

Gary Weiss

Woodmere

Kudos

To the Editor:

FYI, I enjoy reading your articles. Keep up the great job that you are doing. On Thursdays I look forward to your publication. I wish that you, (Karen), as Publisher and Editor would have the capability to write more articles. Congratulations to you and your staff.

Salomon Cohen

Brooklyn