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October 15, 2004/Tishri 30 5765, Vol. 57, No. 7
Letters to the EditorOctober 15, 2004
Bush a true friend to IsraelEditor:I must refresh the memory of all when I see statements of endorsement for John Kerry. The first debate showed one thing for certain: John Kerry hasn't the vaguest idea about foreign policy. His is a policy of appeasement. If he had been president on Sept. 11, we may not have invaded Afghanistan and instead treated the terrorism as a police action, but only after the United Nations chimed in. If Kerry had been president, Saddam Hussein still would be in power and paying money to the families of homicide bombers in Israel. If Kerry had been president, the nuclear proliferation in Iraq and North Korea would be much worse because he, like Clinton, turned a blind eye to the obvious build-up. Bush is a true friend to Israel and is committed to peaceful coexistence in the Middle East. He knows that Arafat is a terrorist but also realizes that we can't make him a martyr for the terrorist whackos who want to destroy Israel. Let's not be sucked into Kerry's veneer of caring. He is an elitist liberal without regard for anyone or anything outside of being elected. Cory Mandall Phoenix Bush bad for U.S. and for IsraelEditor:I am totally baffled by comments I hear about voting for Bush because he is so good for Israel. I would like to start by saying that I am absolutely in love with Israel, she is like an appendage to me. I am also devoted to the U.S.A., where I was born and raised. I hope others who are thinking of Bush because of the Israel issue will stop to consider issues important to our country, such as the preservation of the separation of church and state, the impact of a right-wing Supreme Court for many years to come, the erosion of women's rights and the enormous debt we and future generations will have to deal with. And that's just skimming the surface. Bush delegitimized Arafat but we are no closer to peace than we ever were. Neither candidate has discussed Israel in this campaign, although Kerry did mention Israel in the debate. But if you have any doubts about Kerry, I would urge you to go to his Web site and read his policy statement. He will not deal with Arafat and maybe he will help move the peace process on. His record in the Senate has been 100 percent pro-Israel and there is no reason he won't be a strong advocate in the future. Selma Kreitman Phoenix Mesa needs a synagogueEditor:I live in Mesa and when I go to temple, the nearest one is in Chandler. I walked to temple all my life when I lived in New York. I feel that Mesa needs a temple. There are many Jewish people who really would like to live close to a temple without having to use their cars on the High Holidays. It's about 25 minutes from Mesa to the temple to which I belong. That's a long ride on the holidays. We need a temple in Mesa very badly. Maybe someone is reading this who also agrees. Alan Cohen Mesa The legacy of a great teacherEditor:I met Rabbi Herbert Silberman as a first-year Melton School student. I would ply him with questions before class began. They were challenging questions and he answered with humor and wisdom. He obviously loved teaching and I for one will miss this gentle teacher as will all the other former students of the Melton School who were fortunate to have him as their teacher. Lila Markowitz Ahwatukee
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