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February 9, 2010 8:40 pm PST

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	Israelis organize massive DC snowball fight Ahmadinejad supporters protest in front of Western embassies in Tehran Western embassies in Tehran attacked by Ahmadinejad supporters Netanyahu floats plan to allow Israelis abroad to vote Court upholds Jewish inmate’s death sentence Will U B My Valentine, Mr. Values? U.S. seeks sanctions ‘within weeks’ over Iran nuclear program Protesters Interrupt UCLA Lecture on Goldstone Report Protesters Arrested at UC Irvine as Israel Ambassador Speaks [VIDEO] Toyota crashes into N.Y. synagogue steps

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Thank you Jewish Journal, Sinai Temple and Roger Cohen for sponsoring this important dialogue.  Mr. Cohen—it was very courageous of you to come and speak and most important, to listen to us. If anything was learned from this evening, it is the need to have more dialogue to promote greater understanding among nations and cultures.  Only then can we work towards peace.

And a special thank you Rabbi Wolfe for speaking up on behalf of the Baha’is!

Comment by Al Cadena on 3/12/09 at 11:23 pm

Sorry, Mr. Cadena, but there was nothing courageous about Cohen’s appearance at Sinai Temple. Courage would have entailed a request for a meeting with the seven Baha’is currently imprisoned by Iran for purportedly spying on behalf of Israel. Courage would have entailed an acknowledgment that his op-ed, “What Iran’s Jews Say”, should have been entitled “What a Few Iranian Jews Said to Me Via a Translator Reporting to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and National Security”.

As I wrote in comment no. 142 to Cohen’s op-ed “Iran, the Jews and Germany” (http://community.nytimes.com/article/comments/2009/03/02/opinion/02cohen.html?permid=127):

“Roger, tucked away in your earlier op-ed, ‘What Iran’s Jews Say’, is the single sentence: ‘Among minorities, the Baha’i — seven of whom were arrested recently on charges of spying for Israel — have suffered brutally harsh treatment.’ Throughout your series of seven op-eds from Tehran, you failed to tell us anything more about the persecution of the Baha’i in Iran, or, whether you asked to meet with these seven persons.

Concerning the seven, a 22 February 2009 VOA editorial ‘reflecting the views of the United States Government’ (http://www.voanews.com/uspolicy/2009-02-23-voa5.cfm) states:

‘More than 9 months have passed since 7 leaders of the Baha’i community in Iran were arrested and sent to prison with no access to legal counsel. Now the Iranian government has announced the 7 have been charged with espionage. The move is the latest in decades of repressive measures against the Baha’is, the largest non-Islamic religious minority group in Iran. Those measures include barring Baha’is from attending public universities or working in public agencies, destroying or closing Baha’i places of worship, bulldozing Baha’i cemeteries, legally confiscating Baha’i property, and killing Baha’is with impunity.’

In your current op-ed, you write: “I was based in Berlin for three years; Germany’s confrontation with the Holocaust inhabited me.” Roger, doesn’t the above remind you of something that occurred in Nazi Germany some 70 years ago?

For your information, tens of thousands of Baha’is have been slaughtered in Iran from the time this religion emerged in the mid-nineteenth century. The most recent murder occurred in July 1998, when Rúhullah Rawhani, a Baha’i businessman and father of four, was executed in Mashad without sentencing and without any semblance of due process.

In ‘What Iran’s Jews Say’, you stated: ‘Iranian civility toward Jews tells us more about Iran — its sophistication and culture — than all the inflammatory rhetoric.’ I suggest you examine Iranian “civility” toward its gentle Baha’i minority before pronouncing judgment whether Iran is a totalitarian regime. More to the point, go back and try writing an op-ed ‘What Iran’s Baha’is Say’. I am confident ‘the consistent warmth’ (your description) with which you were received in Iran by this savage theocracy will dissipate with the speed of a uranium enriching centrifuge.”

Cohen acknowledged at Sinai Temple that he did not meet with even a single Baha’i during his 3-week stay in Iran. When asked at Sinai Temple whether he might write an op-ed about the Baha’i, he responded: “I don’t know.”

I have seen many instances of courage during my lifetime. This was not one of them.

Comment by JG, Caesarea on 3/14/09 at 3:56 am

Mr. Cohen at Sinai you said “I don’t like it that super highways are reserved for Jews and Donkey tracks for palestinians and highly educated palestinians are refered to as terrorists.” First of all, JEWS, and this is how you refered to Israelies!!!,are using the super highways that they designed, built and paid for and only if palestinians used all the money they receive from Arab nations in a constructive way rather than making kilometers and kilometers of very sophisticated underground tunnels so they can smuggle more and more means of distruction, they too, could have super highways and you “jew” wouldn’t have to worry about their Donkey tracks any more. Secondly where are those highly educated palestinians that couldn’t for the past few decades at least, take control of their society, by using their wisdom, and lead them to a life full of love and not hatred, PEACE and not war?!!.

Comment by JGI on 3/15/09 at 7:03 pm

The video was very interesting and informative so as the comments above.

Comment by Rob on 4/03/09 at 10:48 am

‘More than 9 months have passed since 7 leaders of the Baha’i community in Iran were arrested and sent to prison with no access to legal counsel. Now the Iranian government has announced the 7 have been charged with espionage. The move is the latest in decades of repressive measures against the Baha’is, the largest non-Islamic religious minority group in Iran. Those measures include barring Baha’is from attending public universities or working in public agencies, destroying or closing Baha’i places of worship, bulldozing Baha’i cemeteries, legally confiscating Baha’i property, and killing Baha’is with impunity.‘

Comment by France Travel Guide on 4/20/09 at 6:05 am

There should be a forum between Cohen and the Iranian Jewish community here, provided the forum wasn’t just about Cohen.

Comment by free divorce papers on 5/10/09 at 3:45 am

some clips from the debate are also available on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr9sYSJDRcc&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wle-Rbyej8&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RAN_KpNbxI&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taYCziiAHN8&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyhrQBYtcjQ&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GihceCzPlo4&feature=channel_page

Comment by jake on 5/13/09 at 4:32 am

Exactly two months ago, I wrote to the Public Editor of The New York Times and asked:

“- In [Roger Cohen’s op-ed] ‘What Iran’s Jews Say’, as a matter of journalistic ethics, should Cohen have included in his op-ed all of the above facts, i.e. that his conversations were with a limited number of Jews, via a translator reporting to the Iranian Government, and that the persons he interviewed might have felt duress?
- Was the title of the op-ed appropriate, given the above?
- Are NYT op-eds subject to journalistic standards different from other reported stories?”

I received the following response, dated March 20, 2009, from the Public Editor’s office: “I am looking into this further, and doing some homework on the case right now. I also have Mr. Hoyt [The New York Times’ Public Editor] looking into it, and I will report our findings to you as soon as they are ready.”

Meanwhile, I have heard nothing back from the Public Editor or anyone else from The New York Times.

I would only further mention that in the guidelines promulgated by The New York Times in “Ethical Journalism, A Handbook of Values and Practices for the News and Editorial Departments, September 2004″, it is stated:

“15. The Times treats its readers as fairly and as openly as possible. In print and online, we tell our readers the complete, unvarnished truth as best we can learn it. It is our policy to correct our errors, large and small, as soon as we become aware of them.”

Comment by JG, Caesarea on 5/19/09 at 9:47 pm

Should the Public Editor’s office of The New York Times honor their commitment by responding to my inquiries, the answers will be available via: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/

Comment by JG, Caesarea on 5/23/09 at 5:35 am

In my opinion peace can only happen when there is a greater respect for every country’s culture and debate through dialogue and not war is the norm.
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Comment by Sandy on 9/16/09 at 8:50 am

Thanks for the links jake, but seems they are almost the same we have already seen here, but thanks for the research.

Comment by sticker printing on 11/05/09 at 4:03 pm

Great insight. I hope to see more from Roger Cohen.update pc drivers

Comment by update drivers automatically on 11/09/09 at 5:46 am

I love reading updates from Rogen. keep it up

Comment by men women health news on 12/29/09 at 1:08 pm

Thanks for the youtube clip.

Comment by cheap cricket phones on 12/29/09 at 1:10 pm

jake your giving us some nice information…
thanks

Comment by sticker printing on 1/03/10 at 8:10 am

Great Blog thanks for share it here we can watch online videos.

Comment by Custom printing on 1/09/10 at 2:24 am

Well worth to watch. Thanks for sharing this video. I got a chance to know about this.

Comment by Bonus Gamebookers on 2/03/10 at 12:35 pm

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