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March 28, 2003/Adar2 24 5763, Vol. 55, No. 31
Letters to the EditorMarch 28, 2003
Jewish traditions justify 'war of good deed'Editor:There is no question in my mind that nearly everybody is anti-war. And there is no question in my mind that nearly everybody is anti-killing and believes in the commandment "Thou Shalt Not Kill." When the Gulf War started about a dozen years ago, I posed this question of killing to Rabbi Harry Schectman, now deceased, who had been a rabbi for 50 years and was the rabbi at Beth El Congregation from 1949-1956. The following was his reply: "Our Jewish faith is opposed to the shedding of innocent blood, and the Torah teaches us that, even against an enemy, Jewish forces are exhorted to first ask for peace. But, when refused, war should be carried out against the enemy to complete annihilation. The war waged by Germany and Japan was aimed against the freedom of mankind. The war waged by the Allied Forces is what our sages called a 'milchamas mitzvah,' a war of good deed." Please note that Schectman was no stranger to war. During World War II, he was Capt. Schectman, a chaplain in the U.S. Army, a participant in the invasion of Okinawa who personally conducted funerals for 160 Jewish servicemen who gave their lives on that island. Hy Rosenfeld Phoenix Leadership relationships need revampingEditor:I appreciated your commentary "Revamping our leadership." (Jewish News, March 21) I have been fortunate, in my 16 years of service to Jewish communities, to work for two congregations that value professionals and use a collaborative lay-professional leadership model. However, many of my colleagues have not been so blessed, and horror stories abound. Difficulties between lay leaders and professionals have contributed, in no small measure, to the current shortage of rabbis, cantors, educators and synagogue executives. The Union of American Hebrew Congregations is addressing the shortage in many ways. One method is to train synagogue lay leaders to form healthy relationships between professionals and volunteers. The booklet, "Brit Kodesh: Sacred Partnership," can be downloaded at http://uahc.org/boston/shortage.shtml, and I highly recommend it. Terry Kraus Executive director, Congregation Beth Am Los Altos Hills, Calif. (former executive director, Temple Solel, Paradise Valley) What does he really think?Editor:In your extensive article on the supposedly ecumenical nature of the new mosque in Scottsdale, you quote Marwan Ahmad as saying: "To foster understanding, religious institutions should express themselves and work with other groups willing to do the same." ("Breaking more than just ground," Jewish News, March 21). This is the same Marwan Ahmad who last year fostered understanding by publishing the scurrilous, anti-Israeli "Multicultural Yellow Pages," which even the timid Arizona Republic was moved to write "taints the Valley with hatred that plagues the Middle East." Carl Goldberg Tempe Does groundbreaking trump Shabbat?Editor:I was saddened and embarrassed to read the article in the March 15 edition of the Arizona Republic touting how the editor and publisher of our weekly Jewish paper would be attending the groundbreaking of a Muslim mosque on the Jewish Sabbath. It goes without saying that Muslim leaders would not desecrate their Sabbath to come to the groundbreaking of a Jewish synagogue. When does the Torah take priority over a journalistic opportunity? Nate Sachs Scottsdale Making the gradeEditor:Your latest editorial ("Who's to blame?" Jewish News, March 21) stood up well against my "gold standard" of comparison - the editorial and op-ed pages of The New York Times - really summarizing well its subject. Dick Stern Phoenix Foreign policy 'stinkeroo'Editor:Your editorial, "Who's to blame?" (Jewish News, March 21) was a real stinkeroo. When it comes to foreign policy, thank goodness you chose journalism. Eugene Schupak Scottsdale
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