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November 7, 2003/Cheshvan 12 5764, Vol. 56, No. 7
Letters to the EditorNovember 7, 2003
Chabad of East Valley declined invitationEditor:George Bressler, in his letter commenting upon the Jewish Community Foundation's grant to fund an outreach effort in the East Valley, notes that Chabad of the East Valley was not the beneficiary of a similar grant. ("What about Chabad of the East Valley?" Jewish News, Oct. 31) Bressler should be aware that grants are made by the foundation in response to grant applications submitted by organizations and synagogues that seek funding for programs and services that are felt to warrant community support. He might not be aware that Chabad of the East Valley did not submit a grant application. The Foundation Grants Committee, in considering the grant application submitted jointly by Temple Emanuel of Tempe, Temple Beth Sholom and the Tri-City Jewish Community Center, found especially meritorious the collaborative nature of the effort directed toward integrating unaffiliated Jews into the Jewish community. It should be noted that the Web site that has been created by the East Valley outreach program (www.tricityjcc.org/getconnected) does include a link to Chabad of the East Valley. Andi Minkoff Chairman, Grants Committee, Jewish Community Foundation Scottsdale Editor: In last week's issue, there was a letter to the editor from George Bressler questioning why Chabad of the East Valley was not included in the Outreach Grant that Temple Emanuel of Tempe, Temple Beth Sholom and the Tri-City Jewish Community Center received from the Jewish Community Endowment Fund. ("What about Chabad of the East Valley?" Jewish News, Oct. 31) I want to let Bressler and the entire community know that Chabad was invited to join in our efforts and for its own reasons choose not to. Twice I called Rabbi Deitsch to invite him to be part of our grant, and he chose to decline. The foundation and the three partners tried to include Chabad. Perhaps the question to be asked is why Chabad chose not to join our efforts. Rabbi Andrew Straus Temple Emanuel of Tempe Why turn to Halloween?Editor:In response to the idea that children feel left out and miss opportunities to have fun by not celebrating Halloween, Judaism offers many opportunities. ("Making peace with Halloween," Jewish News, Oct. 31) Without delineating the atrocities that happened to the Jews of Europe on Halloween, to believe that Christian holidays are OK to celebrate and are secular is an invention of the greeting card companies. Jewish holidays can be as attractive and enjoyable. Everyone dresses up in costumes on Purim, and they don't need to be characters from the megillah. During the megillah reading, children can make noise with noisemakers or cap guns and have fun. The next day, as a family project, they can deliver candies, cookies, sweets and even a breakfast to friends, relatives and neighbors, and they will receive treats in return. There is the added element of learning and keeping traditions like baking hamantaschen and the mitzvah of shalach manot, giving to the poor and underprivileged. On Sukkot we build and decorate the sukkah and eat outside and invite friends over. Instead of Valentine's Day there is Tu B'Av, when women wear white and celebrate the grape harvest for winemaking. It is the Jewish celebration of romance and love. Robin Weisberg-Mannasse Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi, Israel (former Scottsdale resident)
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