In the Mail - Letters to the Editor

Editor:
While Judaism teaches that "The Earth is the Lord's" (Psalms 24:1), and that we are to be partners with God in preserving the environment, there are daily news reports about water shortages, air and water pollution, the effects of global climate change, and soil erosion and depletion.

Tu B'Shevat is the new year for trees, the date on which the fate of trees is decided for the coming year. Hence, it is an ideal time to consider the rapid destruction of tropical rain forests and other valuable habitats. While Israel has made remarkable progress in many areas, it faces recurrent droughts, badly polluted rivers, severe air pollution in its major cities and industrial areas, rapidly declining open space, congested roads and an inadequate mass transit system.

In view of the above and much more, I urge Jews to use Tu B'Shevat as an occasion to start to make tikkun olam, the repair and healing of the planet, a central focus in Jewish life today.

Richard H. Schwartz
President, Jewish Vegetarians of North America
Staten Island, N.Y.

Historical inaccuracy mars article

Editor:
It is unfortunate that an important article ("Black-Jewish relationship reaches new phase," Jewish News, Jan. 14) is marred by careless and inaccurate reporting about the historical background. The JTA article, noting a recent arrest in the 1964 murder of civil rights workers Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman (erroneously referred to in the article as Goodwin), said that until now the murders have been "unresolved." That is simply not accurate. In 1967, seven Klansmen were convicted for violating the civil rights of the murdered civil rights workers, an investigation depicted several years ago in the movie "Mississippi Burning." What is unique about the current prosecution of Elden Ray Killen, the elderly Klansman who organized the murders 40 years ago, is that it is the first murder prosecution in the state courts of Mississippi for the Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney murders.

Michael Dulberg
Phoenix

Abbas: same as the old boss?

Editor:
Some of the more interesting events to watch as the Palestinian campaigns went forward were what the candidates were telling their own people. Mahmoud Abbas has showed an almost Arafat-like manner with his people, telling them in their own language that he will never disband Hamas or Al-Aksa and that he would never seek to disarm them. Yet to the rest of the world he spoke, in English, about going to the bargaining table with Israel in hopes of reviving the peace process. Which is the real policy here?

Now, in light of more terrorist attacks on Israelis, the Israeli government has broken off contact with the Palestinians until the terrorism stops. This will no doubt cause more rhetoric among countries like France, Germany and almost the entire Arab world against Israel.

This is a historic time for the Middle East. With Yasser Arafat gone, there is real hope for peace in the region. But Abbas must step up and use all the resources at his disposal to disband, disarm and destroy the weapon that has been used against Israel for the better part of 56 years: hate. There is no easy solution to hate, but the rhetoric must be aimed toward peace.

Israel has taken many steps to observe the road map set down by our president, like removing settlements and pulling out of the Gaza Strip. Isn't it time to expect and demand the same accountability from the Palestinians that we expect from Israel?

Cory Mandall
Phoenix

Letters to the editor must be 200 words or less; include the writer's first and last names; city of residence; and a phone number or e-mail address. All letters may be edited by Jewish News for content, style and space allowance.

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