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June 13, 2003/Sivan 13 5763, Vol. 55, No. 42
Letters to the EditorJune 13, 2003
Life is more holy than landEditor:In his letter to the editor ("Stand behind a united Jerusalem," Jewish News, June 6), Jarred F. Elias asserts that "No government, not even the democratic government of the State of Israel, has any right to give Jewish holy sites to the Palestinians or any other group." While maintaining a united Jerusalem in Jewish hands remains a lofty vision, Elias is wrong for at least two reasons. First, he should remain mindful of the traditional Jewish teaching that, to secure peace and to save lives, we are directed to violate each commandment, save for the prohibitions on murder, adultery and idolatry. Therefore, any territorial compromise that will provide peace and security for Israelis merits our support. The holiness of life exceeds that of land. Second, the democratically elected government of Israel, whether Likud-led or Labor-led, has a responsibility to provide for the security of Israelis and should receive the support of American Jewry and world Jewry in its efforts. It would be extraordinarily arrogant to assume that Jews in greater Phoenix (and around the world) have greater understanding and greater wisdom in achieving peace and security than does Israeli leadership. Sherman Minkoff Phoenix Leave the bishop aloneEditor:How is it that Rabbi Bonnie Koppell as well as the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix feel compelled to sit in moral judgment of Catholic Bishop Thomas O'Brien for what he may have done within his own Catholic community? ("Mixed reactions," Jewish News, June 6) The beleaguered bishop has tsores enough with the attorney general, on the one hand, and Catholic parishioners on the other. Why should the Jewish community mix in? Have we run out of Jewish problems to worry about? Carl Goldberg Tempe Misused application of Halacha?Editor:The subject of the agunah (woman whose husband refuses to give her a Jewish divorce) is important, and neither spouse should allow this issue to be used for leverage in a civil divorce to increase financial gain or manipulate visitation and/or custody arrangements. ("A chained woman," Jewish News, June 6) However, I found some of the rationale of Orthodox rabbis to be infused with chutzpah to invalidate a witness and therefore a ketubah (religious wedding contract) by using the excuse that if the witness is less observant, i.e. Conservative or Reform, that the signature is invalid and therefore the marriage is invalid. What kind of future does Judaism have when Halacha is applied in a mean-spirited way, when Orthodoxy will not give us Hillels or Moses but Shammais and Korachs, when 50 percent of the world's Jewry - women - are disenfranchised? What has happened to ve'ahavta re'echa ka'mocha (love your neighbor as yourself)? Does hinei ma'tov u'manayim (how good is this place where we dwell together) just apply to the Orthodox? I hope not. Howard Weinstein Mesa Trip to Israel 'euphoric'Editor:We want anyone who might be frightened to go to Israel at this time to know what a wonderful time we had. Our Israeli friends invited us to stay with them. They live in Yavna, a beautiful suburb in a lovely home. Most every morning, we would take a 45-minute walk, and sometimes I went myself. We also visited with friends in Rehovot, as well as with a new relative we found in Tel Aviv. We walked on the waterfront from Tel Aviv to Jaffa. The beach and the promenade were crowded. We ate in a cafe there outdoors and I got Chaim Topol's autograph. Our friends took us to the Western Wall. We visited Boys Town in Jerusalem, where we left a donation. Our son Saul was visiting for a few days at the same time and he had a rental car and we visited his friend's Yemenite restaurant. We visited the Diaspora museum again. Can't tell you what a sense of euphoria I had being there. We loved it all. We want to tell all the Jews not to be so frightened and intimidated by the media. Of course things could happen, but then again, things might happen anywhere. Charlotte Schreiber Scottsdale 'Jews in the News' gets it wrongEditor:The article "Hope Influences Jewish Comedians" (Jewish News, June 6) was very offensive to me. Not only did it contain many factual errors, but the information relating to Sarah Michelle Gellar and her interview by Howard Stern was an insult to the young lady and to all American Jews. Miss Gellar is not required to reveal or describe her religious beliefs, and Howard Stern certainly is not a person appointed by the Jewish community to interrogate any American citizen. Whether she is or is not Jewish by birth or by her own decision is her business and hers alone. Nate Bloom, by taking a position supporting Stern (and his unsubstantiated Israeli reporter), is suggesting that we revert back to the days when prospective employers asked for a potential hiree's religious affiliation. Good luck to Miss Gellar in her next undertaking. Murray Slone Sun City West
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