Letters to the Editor
This month we we received several
well-written but long letters to the editor. Please click on [MORE]
to read the complete text of the letters which appear abridged
below.
Exponentially Right-Wing
For years, Philadelphia's Jewish Exponent, the official
voice of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, has been right-wing in its editorial policy. In a city where Jews (as they do almost everywhere in America) vote heavily for liberal Democrats, the paper has leaned heavily to conservative Republican candidates.
[MORE]
-- Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Philadelphia, PA
Jewish Charity Should Start At
Home
As a Zionist, the article on the 400 Rabbis
really bothers me. To paraphrase Steve Feldman, of the ZOA, when I told him that
my son Jason was quoted in the New York Times (representing the Falun Gong), Steve observed that there are so many
good Jewish brains helping so many other groups. Steve said, "There are
a billion Chinese to help each other, we have so few helping the Jews/Israelis."
That is how I personally feel about the 400
(several of whom surprised me by joining this endeavor).... 400 Rabbis
who foolishly lend their support to a supposed "humanitarian cause,"
advancing and promoting the propaganda thrust of those vowing to annihilate
Israel.
( Just one fact: When Arafat died he had a personal fortune of over 5
billion dollars; Suha could donate some of her twenty million dollars a year for life, if she so chose).
-- Roberta E. Dzubow, Philadelphia, PA
A Well Set Table
Your food pieces are well crafted, interesting and always enjoyed. Trying to work up the courage to try one of these
Pesach recipes you included. Seeing
Levana in a private home must have been fabulous!
-- Carol Shore, Ardmore, PA An
Open Primary Is Good For Your Health
In the article "National Organization of Women Endorses Alan
Sandals" in the April issue, you noted, with apparent consternation: "The Democratic Party
establishment recruited and is backing staunch abortion opponent Robert
Casey Jr. in the primary."
This move has created rifts between grassroots Democrats and the party leadership.
[MORE]
-- Joy Matkowski, Enola, PA
Ted Tapper Takes Tobin To Task
Twice
Once more, Jonathan S. Tobin's opinion is that a free-market economy is truly praiseworthy. He bashes the Israeli government for its concern for the poor and needy.
It would be better for his misplaced focus to concern itself with the American economy. "Foreign economic aid" comes in many forms. In America, it comes in the shape of major foreign governments (China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, etc.) that buy our bonds and expect interest on them to be paid handsomely and promptly. Our country is billion of dollars in debt to these countries.
In contrast with the Israeli government who Tobin fears will offer "...more expenditures and higher taxes," Bush and friends have policies of more expenditures and lower taxes, a recipe for economic disaster now and in the future as our national debt continues to grow at an ever-faster rate.
Instead of worrying about Israel's alleged "unscrupulous politicians" where "...failure is subsidized", better he should look closer to home where a Republican congressman is convicted of accepting millions of dollars in illegal money and is sentenced to eight years in jail;
Abramoff pleads guilty to several crimes and is sentenced; the former speaker of the House resigns and decides not to run for re-election, etc. Unscrupulous, indeed.
-- Dr. Ted Tapper, Merion, PA
Waiting to reeducate Palestinians
Thank you for reporting on the speech of Moshe
Ya'alon, it was most interesting to hear his views on the Middle East and Israel. I note that Moshe did not make any comment about what he thought Israeli policy should be during the 'pessimistic short term' - or at least you did not report on that. I wonder if Moshe would agree with your nemesis that, in the short term, it appears to be more equitable to "clean out the threat in the region".
[MORE]
-- Vic Sandilands, Sydney, Australia
The True Meaning of "Never
Again"
Phil Rosen asserts that the Jewish community is only
interested in revisiting the Holocaust and doesn't really care enough about
present-day social injustices.
Granted, there can always be more people involved in helping to cure societal ills and he does point to important issues that need attention and more community involvement.
However, there are venues where people from the Jewish community tirelessly work to achieve social justice for those who are "voiceless."
My article "Lest We Forget,"
speaks to the work of the PA.Holocaust Education Council's (PHEC) current focus on connecting the Holocaust and Darfur genocides.
[MORE]
-- Deanne Scherlis Comer, Abington, PA
The Philadelphia Jewish Voice welcomes the submission of articles and letters to
the editor editor @ pjvoice.com. Please
include name, address and phone number for identification
purposes. We cannot
publish every submission we receive. We also reserve the right to edit
submissions for length, clarity, grammar, accuracy, and style, though we will
never intentionally distort the author's intent.
Editor-in-chief Adena Potok editor @ pjvoice.com.
|
