In the Mail - Letters to the Editor

Editor:
It was indeed symbolic that the wedding of Larry Cutler and Randi Posner Beechamp, with Rabbi Albert Plotkin officiating, was the first such simcha to take place in the sanctuary of the historic Culver Street Synagogue in more than 57 years ("Chuppah in the sanctuary," Jewish News, April 1). It's not just because the site is now known as the Cutler/Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center but because of the key roles Larry Cutler and Rabbi Plotkin played in the reclaiming of the holy site.

It was Larry Cutler, then president of the AJHS, who provided the earnest money in 2001 for the original offer on the property. He was also the benefactor who, two years later, at the last minute, came up with the remaining big bucks to save and secure it.

As for Rabbi Plotkin, had it not been for him we might never have been given a chance to reclaim the property. The owners of the Mexican Baptist Church that occupied the site planned to open the property up to bids by developers, but was willing to sell it to the AJHS for less if Rabbi Plotkin were involved in the negotiations. They had met with him on numerous occasions at interfaith gatherings and were enormously impressed by his integrity.

Ira Morton
Phoenix

Benefactor offers free temple membership

Editor:
An anonymous benefactor for Temple Beth Emeth has pledged to give the first 10 people who contact us a free membership to our temple for one year, including High Holiday tickets, with the hope of their continuing membership for years to come.

Call Max Schwimmer, 480-421-0405.

Ruth Margolin
Scottsdale

Consecrated ground for 80 years

Editor:
A hearty mazel tov to Ray Perlman and Gerald Webner on establishing a new Jewish cemetery in the Valley of the Sun ("New Jewish cemetery dedicated in Phoenix," Jewish News, March 25). Ray is a wonderful funeral director and friend of our community.

I am, however, a bit uncomfortable with the marketing efforts in portraying Mount Sinai Cemetery as the only Jewish cemetery in the Valley. Temple Beth Israel Memorial Cemetery, at 35th Avenue and Van Buren, is not only a Jewish cemetery on consecrated grounds, but has been in existence since 1928, and until now served as the Valley's only all-Jewish cemetery.

Out of respect to our community's loved ones and their families, I hope that the Jewish News and Mount Sinai Cemetery will be sensitive to the hundreds of Jewish souls which have been interned on our grounds by acknowledging our existence in taking care of the needs of our loved ones for more than 80 years.

Rabbi Stephen Kahn
Temple Beth Israel
Scottsdale

Genetic disease program well attended

Editor:
On April 3, 132 young Jewish adults came to the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus to learn about Jewish genetic diseases and to be tested to determine if they are carriers for these diseases.

This program of education and subsidized carrier screening was created by the Greater Phoenix Jewish Genetic Diseases Project and made possible by generous support from the Jewish Community Foundation and from St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center.

A number of individual donors also provided support for this important event.

A front-page story in the Jewish News ("Empty pages speak of tragic loss," March 25) informed the community about the family heartbreak and tragedy that can result from these diseases. The young adults who came out for education and carrier screening have taken an important step to minimize the risks that their lives will be disrupted by the tragedy of a Jewish genetic disease.

In no small measure, the success of the April 3 event is related to the coverage provided by the Jewish News.

Thank you for the community service that you have provided.

Sherman and Andi Minkoff
Scottsdale

Remembrance not only a Jewish responsibility

Editor:
In the article on our efforts to realize a Holocaust survivors memorial ("Phoenix may get Holocaust memorial, "Jewish News, March 11), I was quoted as saying, "The Holocaust is not a Jewish event." I would like to clarify my meaning.

There are two ways the Holocaust was not only a Jewish event. First, as I am often reminded by non-Jews, there were other victims. Elie Wiesel's response is eloquent: "All the victims were not Jews, but all the Jews were victims."

Further, the Holocaust was caused by perpetrators and bystanders who were not Jewish. Any attempt by gentiles to "come to terms" with the Holocaust as a historical event strikes me as vulgar. A more defensible response is to be sickened, apologize (awkward as it is for a generation removed), and study to try to understand what happened.

Involvement with the survivor community has been an eye-opener. It has left me with the belief that the task of remembrance is not only a Jewish responsibility. It is the responsibility of mankind.

Bill Tonnesen
Tempe

Choose memorial through open competition

Editor:
As a Jewish artist I have no objection to a non-Jew designing a Holocaust memorial, but I think the entire process should be an open competition with the best design winning.

BJ Katz
Chandler

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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