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Letters to the Editor

November 17, 2009

LETTERS: November 20-26, 2009

In response to Rabbi Boteach’s passionate rejoinder to the British government’s ruling (“British Court Dares to Claim Who Is a Jew,” Nov. 13), an examination of the facts is in order. First of all, the Jews’ Free School is a public school. Secondly, it is prejudicial to base admission on ethnic heritage and, I would imagine Jews would be up in arms if another publicly funded school, say Oxford, excluded a Jewish student simply because a parent was Jewish.

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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

LETTERS: November 13-19, 2009

Unity Offers Hope

The Unity trip of 18 Los Angeles Rabbis to Israel (“The Unity Trip,” Nov. 6) gives me a glimmer of hope that Jewish mutual tolerance will grow to such an extent that the Ayalim (new Zionists) and the lion cubs of Judea (new Zionists) will coexist with the benign approval of the veteran post-Zionist and liberal elites on both sides of the Atlantic. There will not be mutual banal criticism.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

A Palestinian Response to David Suissa

by Ameen Estaiteyeh

David Suissa thinks that what is needed now "more than anything today is not a J Street but an A Street," "an Arab organization that would...rally peace-seeking Arab moderates to the cause of peaceful coexistence with a Jewish state." (November 5, 2009, We Need ‘A Street,’ Not J Street)

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Thursday, November 5, 2009

LETTERS: November 6-12, 2009

By JewishJournal.com

I am troubled by Rabbi Isaac Jeret’s “Key to Peace” d’var Torah in the Oct. 30 Journal.

Much as we are continually informed and taught by our Torah, its blessings and its commandments, I am reluctant to base international political decisions on biblical promises — be they Hebrew or Christian — or anyone else’s scriptural promises for that matter. That the land of Israel has been (continuously) inhabited by Jews does not negate the fact that it has also been (continuously) inhabited by others. “An honest accounting of history” often rests in the eyes of the beholder, and in the end what stands out in my mind is that the current relationship between Israel and her neighbors is not working well for them, nor for the rest of the world.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

LETTERS: October 30-November 5, 2009

According to Professor Marty Kaplan, infotainment programs like “Showbiz Tonight” and “Jon & Kate Plus 8” are “dangerous” to democracy (“Balloon Dad to Pose for Playgirl,” Oct. 23)! So dangerous that anonymous villains, including lobbyists (who?), Wall Street firms (which ones?) and Big Pharma (whatever that is) cynically rely on them to distract hapless, stupid Americans. After all, “average” people have short attention spans and become confused when given too many choices. In other words, they’re uninformed tools addicted to trash TV.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

LETTERS: October 23-29, 2009

Three cheers to Jon Voight (Letters, Oct. 16) for his reflections on the demonizing of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin by Marty Kaplan (“I Want to Know What Happens Next,” Sep. 25). Voight has always been one of the most moral and decent people coming out of Hollywood. He has volunteered his time and efforts on behalf of causes beneficial to Jews and others for years, especially the time he graciously volunteers to Chabad. Kaplan should look into his own leftist nest to find people who actually despise Israel; it wouldn’t take him that long. You will find that many Republicans, such as Sarah Palin and former President Bush, are some of the best friends that Israel will ever have.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

LETTERS: October 16-22, 2009

My name is Jon Voight. I am not a Jew, but I have been a great supporter of Israel and the Jewish people.

I have been to Sderot in Southern Israel, and spent time with the most heroic, amazing people, who’ve had to live with missiles attacking them, day in and day out.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

LETTERS: October 9-15, 2009

I read Marty Kaplan’s column “I Want to Know What Happens Next” (Oct. 2) holding my breath, because you never, never have a kind or good word about anybody on the right. I can accept your right to do that, even though it turns my stomach. But when I got to the last paragraph, where you put Sarah Palin and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the same sentence, that’s when I really gagged. What’s she ever done to you for you to be so hateful?

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Letters: Ahmadinejad-Palin Parallel; Community Resources

I used to think you people at The Journal had some class, but printing the sick, perverted columns of Marty Kaplan, who links Iran’s hateful president and Sarah Palin together at the end of his boring column (“I Want to Know What Happens Next,” Sept. 25) makes me wonder if you ever had any class to begin with?

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Letters: Food for Thought, J Street: Good for Israel?

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

LETTERS: September 18-24, 2009

Three cheers for Rabbi Harold Schulweis’ conscience and courage in his article in defying political correctness by refusing to insulate Richard Wagner’s music from his virulent anti-Semitism (“Let Wagner Be Heard?” Aug. 28). For you music lovers who would sanitize Wagner’s works from his expressed bigotry, let me ask: If Hitler were a renowned artist, or Charles Manson an accomplished sculptor, would you support and attend an art show promoting their works? Or, as an alternative, would you at least insist that the program notes include specific reference to their non-artistic “contributions” to society?

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

LETTERS: September 11-17, 2009

As a young professional dedicated to philanthropy and the spirit of tikkun olam, I found the cover article on Sam Nazarian to be quite distasteful and very shallow

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

LETTERS: September 4-10, 2009

I understand why Rabbi Schulweis has difficulty condoning the upcoming Wagner festival. He starts with an utterly false premise (unsupported by the rest of his article) that “Wagner was an extraordinary musician, and an even more extraordinary anti-Semite” (“Let Wagner Be Heard?” Aug. 28).

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Letters to the Editor: August 29-September 3, 2009

No Freebies

You’re right, Mr. Eshman, the best things in life can’t remain free (“Free at Last?” Aug. 7).

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Disagreeing With the Professor, The Soviet Side

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Maccabiah Games Fine as Is, Criminals or Heroes?

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Give Wagner a Chance, Judaism and the Racial Divide

A salient feature of Nazi policy was the burning of books and the banning of “degenerate” music and paintings by Jewish authors, composers and artists.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

LETTERS: July 31-August 6, 2009

When the Going Gets Tough for Survivors

We can all be proud of the organized Jewish community’s response to the newly needy among us (“When the Going Gets Tough, Where Do You Go?” July 24).

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

LETTERS: July 24-30, 2009

Kudos to Suissa

Kudos to David Suissa for his informative and brave article on his recent visit to Israel (“Chaos and Unity,” July 17). I hope American Jews start waking up as well. If they could support Obama in such large numbers, maybe if they start pressuring him ... he could be made to stop pressuring Israel.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Rembaum’s Unity, Sense in Hard Truths

I am one of the 22 percent of Jewish voters who did not vote for the president. I am not a looney, right-wing ideologue or even a true conservative. I did not trust him or some of the people around him, including some Jews, to see the extreme danger facing Israel.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Hard Truths, Hard Peace; Isn’t It Ironic?; Baby Crazy

“Where is that lady who is supposed to be taking care of this kid?”

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

A Clarification on Cremation, Mistaken Identities!

Following traditional Jewish practice, Hillside has never, does not and will never perform a cremation.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Speeches in the Middle East, On Alinsky

"If peace is ever to come between the Palestinians and Israel it won’t be from speeches like Netenyahu’s and a speech Abbas didn’t give"

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Hard Truths, Soft Lies, Mr. Mayor

"President Obama’s false friendship with Israel is a shofar call to all American Jewry and friends of Israel, to open our eyes to the fact that Obama is ready to sacrifice Israel for the sake of being loved by the Arabs and Muslims."