September 24, 2004/Tishri 9 5765, Vol. 57, No. 4
Letters to the EditorSeptember 24, 2004
Rethinking prioritiesEditor:I thank the Jewish News for informing the community about the appalling decision of the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center to discontinue its senior center in Phoenix ("Senior site to close," Sept. 10). While the JCC board has chosen to expand many programs in Scottsdale, it says it can't afford to continue to meet the needs of older and less fortunate Jews in our Phoenix community. This is in direct violation of Torah ethics. At the same time that families who can afford to go anywhere they want to eat are enjoying a kosher meal at the JCC Cafe, the elders in Phoenix, who depend on the JCC not only for a kosher hot lunch but also for socialization within a Jewish environment, will be tossed aside. I hope during these Days of Awe that every rabbi, every temple and synagogue member, every member of a social action committee and major Jewish organization, and every concerned citizen will send a New Year's message to the JCC that it should rethink its priorities and continue to provide a center for the elderly in Phoenix. Bunny Shuch Phoenix Senior center high priorityEditor:I am concerned about the report (Jewish News, Sept. 10) that the Jewish Community Center Senior Center in Central Phoenix will be closing and no other location can be found. Individuals who use this facility are among the most vulnerable of those served by the JCC. Most of the people who participate in senior center activities and lunch programs would have difficulty adjusting to the possible alternatives mentioned in the article. There would be, among other problems, lack of kosher meals, loss of a place with Jewish identity and transportation problems. Finding an alternative central location for the seniors should be a high priority for the JCC. Willa Laderman Scottsdale A different AmericaEditor:Letters to the editor urging readers to re-elect President George W. Bush because of his support for Israel are a fa‡ade to vote Republican. Although Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry would not solve all the problems in the Middle East, he is going in the right direction by re-establishing our alliances, abandoning unilateral actions and consulting with our allies and the United Nations before taking action. Pre-emptive military strikes are not characteristic of the America that I knew and loved. Bush has made this a much different nation, based not on principle but on imperial political and economic power. If the United States and Israel want real security, they had better think about how to reform the United Nations so that it can rush its own troops to hot spots in the world, regardless of who creates the heat and without having to wait for a vote. I know of no city council that votes about whether to send the police when a crime has been committed. Zachary Winograd Phoenix Anthem in the beginningEditor:I was pleased to see that there is a new Jewish community burgeoning in Anthem ("Anthem Jews gather for High Holidays," Jewish News, Sept. 3). However, I must take issue with a comment by a resident that "there's absolutely nothing Jewish happening in Anthem. There probably are a lot more Jews than we know, but a lot of them choose not to be known." I don't know where the speaker was last Hanukkah when more than 65 people showed up for a beautiful menorah lighting at the Anthem County Club. The ceremony was started by my mother-in-law, Anthem resident Joan Kirsch. This former Brooklyn girl's faith and culture are very important to her, and when she moved here in 2000, she was quick to establish a Jewish identity in Anthem. Eight people showed up for the lighting the first year, but she has persisted. She tells me that a number of non-Jews have attended to learn more about our faith. Barry Kluger Scottsdale Separation strengthens intimacyEditor:Kudos on your recent article about the important mitzvah of mikvah ("Body and soul purification," Jewish News, Aug. 20). As the Talmud says in Tractate Niddah (dealing with family purity laws), the concept of alternating periods of closeness and separation generated by the mitzvah of Niddah serves to retain the freshness of marriage. Over time, the excitement of physical intimacy in a marriage can become dulled by familiarity. The monthly separation acts as a way for a couple both to develop other areas of their relationship, while building anticipation toward the time when they can again be physically close. This rhythm is the Torah's prescription for a healthy marital bond. Rabbi Raphael Landesman Phoenix Community Kollel Phoenix Give Kerry a chanceEditor:A recent letter to the editor ("Historical insignificance," Jewish News, Sept. 3) faults "the Missing Peace," Ambassador Dennis Ross's book on the Middle East, for its criticism of President George W. Bush's role on Israel. It also faults the Jewish News' editorial on the book and also Sen. John Kerry and anyone who is critical of Bush. There are others who criticize Bush's role with regard to Israel. In a recent column, "Dump Bush, Help Israel," in the Jerusalem Report several months ago, Gershom Gorenberg wrote: "From here (Jerusalem) the Bush presidency looks like a disaster. The 'Bush is good for Israel' argument comes down to Bush doing nothing ... the argument assumes that neglect is benign." From here (Mesa) it doesn't appear as if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is any closer to being resolved since Bush became president. Let's give Kerry a chance. Irv Fellner Mesa
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