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Hadassah's sensitivity

I hold with deepest respect and gratitude the leaders and members of Hadassah for canceling their scheduled event at the Westin St. Francis on Oct. 17 rather than crossing the hotel workers' picket line (Oct. 22 j.).

Hadassah is to be commended for its sensitivity for the 4,000 working women and men of Local 2 who are engaged in a fierce struggle for (among other things) fair and equitable health care benefits for themselves and their families.

It is by such solidarity that the universal human right to adequate health care will one day be achieved.

Sister Bernie Galvin | San Francisco




Bush 'exposed'

I feel that it is your duty to expose the truth to Americans: We have lost the world's respect because of George W. Bush's policies on the environment, international treaties not signed, the Geneva Convention trampled on, the invasion of a country under false pretences of weapons of mass destruction — the list goes on and on.

I believe you must expose the right-wing agenda of domination at any cost.

It is my belief the Constitution of the United States was created for all men, women and children to find their own religious beliefs. It does not specify that Christian fundamentalism is the only way.

I believe all Americans have a right, an obligation to follow whatever religion or spiritual "path" — Buddhist, Christian, Muslim or the Jewish faith — but that each of us must acknowledge the right of our neighbor to follow their own religious way.

How can Bush be so exclusive in his religious perspective and expect to bring the whole world to follow. Each religion, each person must be shown respect or our democracy will fail.

Mark Ehrmann | Sebastopol




Disqualifying Kerry

For Jews, only a presidential candidate's stand on the Arab conflict with Israel should be considered.

In a form letter to constituents in 2003, John Kerry looked back fondly on the Clinton years and blamed President Bush for what he called the "dilemmas" we face today. But the difference between the Clinton and Bush years is merely that Clinton's administration encouraged Israel to ignore the Palestinian terrorist murders of hundreds of her citizens, while Bush gives Israel virtually a free hand to defend herself.

Both the explanations that Kerry, despite his "experience," does not know the history of the area and that he thinks it's preferable for Jews to be slaughtered passively rather than fighting back should disqualify him from receiving any support from Jews.

Bush has clearly repented whatever pro-Arab inclinations he once had.

Most Israelis seem to favor the continuation of Bush's policies, and so should we.

Dave Sherman | Needham, Mass.




'A top priority'

If we are to break the cycle described by Jessica Ravitz (The Column, Oct. 1) regarding Jewish communal workers, we must make support of Jewish day schools a top priority in our giving. A strong Jewish future depends on it.

The majority of Jewish professionals and lay leaders of the future will be Jewish day school graduates. At the Contra Costa Jewish Day School, we have made the commitment to treat our professionals with respect and inclusiveness. Our compensation packages are more than competitive with other private schools in our area.

As a result we have attracted and retained an exceptionally well-qualified head of school, teachers, and staff. This requires a financial commitment on the part of the greater Jewish community.

As adults, day school graduates are significantly more generous to the Jewish community than non-day school graduates. Their support is crucial in creating the changes we so desperately need regarding our Jewish professionals.

Karla Smith | Alamo
president, Contra Costa Jewish Day School

Too sensitive?

There's few things I hate more than people who use "methinks" when trying to make a point (Oct. 15 j.). However, methinks columnist Dan Pine's a bit too sensitive.

I loved Rabbi Glickman — because I know all "Seinfeld" characters are written from the experiences of Jerry Seinfeld (and many other urban American Jews).

Pine's concern over "Seinfeld's" portrayal of the blabbing rabbi reminds me of a Woody Allen character complaining about rampant anti-Semitism. "That guy, that guy right there, he's anti-Semitic!" he says.

"What're you talking about?" says his non-Jewish love interest.

"Didn't you hear him? I asked, 'Did you see that Yankees game last night?' and he said, 'No. Dj'you?'"

"Seinfeld's" success came from the honesty of the characters. Whether Pine's ever known a blabbing rabbi, I believe Jerry probably has.

But my friend Ellen has to leave the room when George is on the screen. There was obviously a "George" in her life, and that character rings too true to her. Maybe she and Pine could start a "Jews driven crazy by obnoxious 'Seinfeld' characters" support group.

Perhaps Dan Pine won't agree, and that's his right. But if he doesn't, I say to him, "No soup for you!"

Mike Zelinsky | San Francisco




The same act?

Regarding Dan Pine's Oct. 15 column, I find it fascinating that he is kvetching about lashon hara ("slander speech") when he commits the very act in his own column.

Pine referred to Bill O'Reilly as a "character assassin." It's obvious that Pine knows nothing about O'Reilly. Indeed, I seriously doubt that he has even seen "The O'Reilly Factor"; otherwise, he would know better. 

Lewis Gray | Antelope




No restrictions

Rabbi Josh Zweiback (Oct. 22 j. opinion) misuses this joke in his advocacy of Proposition 71: Two Jewish grandmothers are sitting in a park, watching their grandchildren play in the sandbox. Sadie says to Rachel, "So, nu, how old are your grandchildren?" Says Rachel to Sadie, "Well, Benjamin, the lawyer, is 3 and Naomi, the doctor, is 5 1/2."

The joke is about a Jewish grandparent predetermining the future of a child. That is precisely the problem with Prop. 71. It has no restrictions on the use of growing human embryos. The restriction desired by most people who want to avoid human genetic engineering is a ban on implanting modified human embryos in a uterus. Prop. 71 doesn't have that vital restriction.

The joke becomes a reality if Prop. 71 passes. Unknown and uncontrolled scientists will be able to genetically engineer embryos and implant them in a uterus to become humans. If there were a gene for being a lawyer or a doctor, it would certainly be manipulated. So would a gene for homosexuality if it existed.

I don't think Zweiback wants genetically engineered humans, but he has condoned this outcome with his endorsement of Prop. 71.

Michael Phillips | San Francisco




Task force report

A while ago Len Traubman published an article in j. playing down incitement in Palestinian textbooks and depicting Israeli texts as equally disparaging. An Israeli governmental task force examined 26 Palestinian textbooks just introduced in grade four and junior high. The report's findings were published in Ha'aretz and in The Jerusalem Post.

Following are some quotes: "The PA textbooks continue to deny Israel's right to exist and claim that the only solution to the current conflict is violence. ... Palestine not Israel appears on all of the books' maps and all the villages, cities and towns located in Israel are referred by their Arabic names. ... The PA does not teach pupils about coexistence or peace and the overall policy appears to be one of delegitimization of the State of Israel and Zionists. ... Jews and Judaism are portrayed negatively, but martyrdom is depicted as a positive national trend."

The report also notes that the term jihad appears to be far less used than in the past.

David Aviel | San Mateo




Nobility in remnants

I've been on vacation and returned to find several recent issues of j. I was particularly disturbed by the Aug. 20 editorial "Are we really helping Jews in the Old Country?" in which you essentially say it's a worthless venture and a study in futility for American Jews and, by extension, American organizations, to invest their funds, energies and thinking to strengthen the condition of Jews in Eastern Europe.

Rather than make it the statistical equation you did — 30,000 Jews in Poland equals "x" amount of concern — perhaps you should have given some thought to the history of Jewish life in its full dimension. Apparently you disagree that one can find nobility even in those remnants of Jewish communities who are willing to struggle to anchor a Jewish setting, even in a hostile environment.

Jewish history teaches us that through the generations our survival was reinforced by just such fragile outposts.

Ernest H. Weiner | San Francisco




Not black and white

It is time we stopped portraying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in black and white. In your Sept. 10 article, "Dovish U.S. Jewish groups call for appointment of a Middle East envoy," peace seekers are once again categorized.

If you support peace, you're a dove in a conflict that seeks strong figures to feel secure. Supporting peace and not referring to all Palestinians as terrorists is simply humane, not weak or insulting to Israel.

I am tired of our own extremists prioritizing land over human life, and negating the deeply found humanism within our own tradition.

Those who are "insulted" are uninformed of Israeli youth's longing to be a part of this world as opposed to being apart from it. To me, loving Israel and being a Zionist means caring for its long-term health. Hate of the other, stigma and generalization of Palestinian intention can only be a detriment to the core fabric of Jewish and Israeli society.

Tiffany Schneider | San Francisco




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