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Synagogues and steeples can coexist

It was pleasing to read about Kehilla Community Synagogue's purchase of a former church in Piedmont (Feb. 11 j.). Yet it was sad to see that the congregation feels it will one day have to remove the steeple, "since that pretty much designates it as a church."

The third-oldest congregation in the country, Mickve Israel of Savannah, Ga., in 1878 built a new synagogue in neo-Gothic style, complete with steeple. Designed by a nationally known New York architect, and handsome both inside and out, it is still the Reform congregation's proud and well-used home on Monterey Square.

In an era when many suburban temples are hard to distinguish from motels, medical offices or elementary schools, I hope Kehilla will remember Mickve Israel in Savannah and decide that synagogues and steeples can live in harmony.

Revan Tranter | Berkeley




'Deeply offended'

My wife and I went to see the highly acclaimed play "Caroline, or Change" (Jan. 21 j.) yesterday and were deeply offended by the gratuitous exploitation of Jews.

Jews and their love of money serve as a convenient backdrop for the playwright's unsuccessful attempt to work out his own guilt-ridden angst about being a modern Jew.

This play, really a mini-opera with no memorable tunes, is a missed opportunity where the two groups, Jews and blacks (both with a history of slavery), never connect.

I almost walked out when Caroline says the harsh and unnecessary line "Hell is the place where Jews go when they die."

At a time when Israel fights for its very survival, and Jews again are experiencing global anti-Semitism, this play further feeds the flames of Jewish stereotypes by depicting Jews as more concerned with pocket change left in the basement's washer where the maid Caroline works than with the internal struggles of the black protagonist.

Readers should save their precious time and avoid this play.

Henry Michalski | Napa




Consulting with Congress

Congress recently approved the Frist-Reid and Blunt-Hoyer resolutions congratulating the Palestinians on their election and calling on them to live up to their obligations to fight terror. The resolutions passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, in the Senate by voice vote and in the House by 415-1.

AIPAC was instrumental in advocating for the passage of these resolutions. In fact, congressional leadership consulted with AIPAC in the early stages of drafting the legislation.

A JTA article inaccurately depicted AIPAC's role in the Feb. 11 j. As JTA itself now acknowledges in an editors' note distributed this week, AIPAC played a critical role in the approval of these resolutions. JTA writes: "In light of new information, we now believe AIPAC had more input into the congressional resolutions behind the scenes than what our story led readers to believe."

This bipartisan support and trust from Republicans and Democrats doesn't happen by itself. It happens because AIPAC advocates from the center, representing the mainstream pro-Israel community.

Moving forward, AIPAC looks forward to working with Congress on legislation that helps the Palestinians dismantle the terrorist infrastructure and provide Israel with a sincere and credible partner capable of making progress toward peace.

Amy Friedkin, AIPAC national chair of the board
Varda Rabin, Northern California chair
Zack Bodner, Pacific Northwest regional director

'Don't isolate yourself'

I understand Dan Pine's frustrations about synagogue politics, but I hope he'll give synagogue membership another chance (Feb. 11 j.).

At Congregation Beth El, Rabbi Ferenc Raj is not a king and does not make an exorbitant salary. He's a kind, caring scholar looking out for the welfare of the congregation.

If Pine chooses to join Beth Hillel, Rabbi Margie Jacobs is also not a queen and lives on a modest salary.

The Beth El board is a group of very thoughtful, hardworking people. Board meetings begin with an inspirational d'var torah given by a member. I know it's hard to believe, but I often find myself uplifted by board meetings, even when they deal with thorny difficult issues. I think Pine might be (pleasantly) surprised by them.

Jewish congregations don't pass a plate during worship. Synagogues depend on membership in order to provide a multitude of services: regular prayer, religious school for young people, study opportunities for adults, meals for homeless, social groups for seniors, etc.

I know Pine's experience in Los Angeles was troubling, but perhaps it's not as representative as he thinks. Our rabbis teach: Al tifrosh min hastzibur — do not isolate yourself from your community.

Rabbi Jane Rachel Litman | Berkeley

rabbi educator, Congregation Beth El




Recalling a tragedy

In his powerful and moving Jan. 21 opinion, Tad Taube recalls that "the chimneystacks at Auschwitz kept belching their black smoke, even as Allied planes rumbled overhead, in quest of more rewarding targets." Ironically, they found those targets minutes from the death camp.

During the summer and autumn of 1944, Allied bombers repeatedly struck German oil factories less than five miles from Auschwitz's gas chambers.

Among the pilots was future presidential candidate George S. McGovern, who flew a B-24 as part of the 455th Bomb Group of the U.S. Air Force.

"There is no question we should have attempted ... to go after Auschwitz," Sen. McGovern said in a recent interview. "There was a pretty good chance we could have blasted those rail lines off the face of the earth, which would have interrupted the flow of people to those death chambers, and we had a pretty good chance of knocking of those gas ovens."

Even though Allied leaders knew what was happening, and even had diagrams of Auschwitz provided by escapees, they refused to allocate even minimal military resources to interfere with the mass-murder process.

My thanks to Taube for reminding us of that tragic but critically important chapter in our nation's history.

Rafael Medoff | Melrose Park, Pa.
director, David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies
Stephen J. Solarz
member, institute's advisory committee

A place to start

Nice column by Joanne Hartman in the Jan. 21 j., but she should remember: We are all beginners in Hebrew.

Here's a great place to start: www.njop.org/html/interactive_hebrew.html.

Yehuda Ferris | Berkeley




Finding 'lost' Jews

Regarding your Feb. 18 cover story, "Bye-bye, bimahs," if so many rabbis will be retiring in the near future, perhaps they will consider giving some time to finding all those Jews not now known to the Jewish community: those in non-Jewish institutions (ranging from assisted-living facilities all the way to those for the mentally ill).

A phone number where anyone who knows of an "isolated Jew" could leave information that could be useful and even life-saving?

Arnoldine Berlin | Oakland




Libeskind 'live'

Just wanted to tell you that we loved your Daniel Libeskind story (Feb. 18 j.). You so accurately depicted the character and style of this unique personality that you "brought him to life."

Harry W. Gluckman | Alameda




Hopeful summitry

The summit meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is a hopeful step in a new effort by the parties themselves and their Arab neighbors to achieve a durable Israeli-Palestinian peace.

The resumption of direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations is encouraging. An opportunity has opened since the passing of Yasser Arafat, a chance for a fresh Palestinian approach that combats terror.

The new Palestinian leadership's ability to meet the challenges is untested, especially stopping terror and presenting Israel with a genuine and reliable partner in the search for peace, though their rhetoric is a marked improvement from the Yasser Arafat era.

The Palestinian Authority will need to confront directly Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terror groups whose mission is the destruction of Israel. I am hopeful that Israel's Arab neighbors will help the Palestinians fulfill their commitment to halt violence by choking off all financial, logistical and political support for Palestinian terror organizations.

A permanent peace settlement must be based on a secure Jewish state of Israel next to an independent Palestinian state achieved through negotiations, as set forth by President Bush in June 2002.

Milton Jacobs | San Francisco
vice president and chair, Israel Task Force
Kelly Ramot
associate director, American Jewish Committee, Northern California Region

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