Letters

The rest of the story

As a member of Netivot Shalom, I thank you for your May 27 coverage of our move to a new building on University Avenue in Berkeley. However, you missed the most amazing part of the story — the sweat equity members contributed to the completion of the building.

Joe Meresman, a congregant, was responsible for coordinating the huge project. It was amazing to be onsite on a Sunday and watch people painting, planting, wiring, hauling boxes of floor boards. These congregants are teachers, social workers, consultants — you name it. Anything other than construction workers.

Like other members who participated, I feel such pride when I look around the new building. I think there's an interesting story here because I've never heard of congregants helping to build their own synagogue.

Mina L. Gobler | Albany




Chabad and the Messiah

Your June 17 JTA article "Chabad shul spat spills into N.Y.'s high court" had a misleading headline: New York state's supreme court is an ordinary trial court, analogous to California's superior court, whereas the New York Court of Appeals is that state's highest court, comparable to the California Supreme Court.

The JTA article — by a Monterey County-based writer who authored a book The New York Times reviewer said exhibited "a somewhat worshipful tone" toward the Chabad-Lubavitch movement — calls the messianists "a vocal minority of Lubavitchers who, against the wishes of the Chabad leadership, publicly declare that [the late Rabbi Menachem] Schneerson is the Messiah."

The key words here are "publicly declare" and "against the wishes of the Chabad leadership" — a leadership that apparently and understandably doesn't want the world to become aware of the true extent of continuing Schneerson-focused messianism among some Lubavitchers, including those who do not express their messianic beliefs publicly.

To shine a spotlight on ongoing messianism within Chabad might adversely affect donations to that group and remind people of a religion that long ago started out as a Jewish sect that anticipated, and today still awaits, the return of its dead messiah.

Yisroel Pensack | San Francisco




Not democratic

The New Israel Fund's full-page June 17 ad shows just how disconnected from Judaism they really are.

The ad, seeking support for the Gaza evacuation plan, clearly shows that democracy ranks far above Judaism on their scale of values. Yet their claim that the evacuation plan is democratic is completely false.

From Ariel Sharon's reversal of his campaign pledges, to his firing of Cabinet ministers who disagree with him, to his strong-arm tactics of silencing opponents and his refusal to permit a national referendum, the evacuation process has been anything but democratic.

NIF warns of "extremists" who are threatening violence to derail the evacuation. But who is really threatening whom? It's the government that threatens to forcibly expel thousands of innocent Jewish families from their homes and surrender their land to Israel's enemies in the foolish hope that this will somehow bring peace.

The evacuation is far from being a done deal. Perhaps wisdom will prevail and Israel will receive a new spirit to replace the spirit of retreat and defeat. God willing, we'll yet see a nation that stands firm on the Torah and the Covenant, including the right of Jews to live everywhere in Eretz Israel.

Martin Wasserman | Sunnyvale




Nixon saved Israel

While Henry Kissinger, Leonard Garment and William Safire sat on their tongues, President Nixon quickly authorized the sending of necessary armaments, airplanes (many with the U.S. marines still on them) and equipment to Israel, thus saving Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Politically, I am not a lover of Nixon. But a spade is a spade.

Alvin Z. Tucker | Walnut Creek

Affront to Jews

Rafael Medoff and Dov Fischer's old article posted on your Web site is an affront to all Jewish people, to the Holocaust and to history.

Hiriam Bingham IV is not a hero of the Holocaust. Yad Vashem recently rejected such a claim and the petition of awarding him the "Righteous Among the Nations" medal. In fact, Bingham IV later in life transformed into a hater of Jews and a Holocaust denier.

Bruce Attman | Malden, Mass.




I (Heart) Israel

I am in the U.S. but breathing Israel.

That is exactly how I feel. I couldn't believe when I read Michal Lev-Ram's column ("Half my heart's in San Francisco, " June 10). It is as if I wrote it. Thank you for putting my feelings and thoughts into words.

Rikki Nudelman | El Sobrante




Missed opportunity?

I was disappointed and saddened to read Dan Pine's June 3 column "Feeling warm and fuzzy." He missed out when he chose not to visit Joyce at the convalescent home.

He knew her history with fondness, and I quote, "It was her piece of tikkun olam," but why did he not reciprocate with tikkun for the aged?

Lynne R. Firestone | Hillsborough




Puzzling column

Regarding Dan Pine's June 3 column, I have noticed a pattern of a person troubled by coming to terms with being a Jew. He seems to have many negative impressions he is wont to share. I found this latest column, with his recounting of his connection with a lady named Joyce, particularly puzzling. He pointed out how lonely she was, but he never saw her again.

Obviously Pine did not learn from the Jewish values of mitzvot, which would have him doing something about helping her have visitors either from her temple or himself.

Jon S. Levinson | San Carlos




Closed to activists?

Your May 20 article about Jewish establishment organizations struggling to find leaders was quite interesting. Even more interesting was the comment that some of the interviewed people were making: "We are not able to find leaders among young activists."

Guess why? Maybe because you, the establishment organizations, have alienated young activists? Maybe because you don't support their causes?

Tell me why such grassroots organizations such as San Francisco Voice For Israel and Northern California Israel Action Committee have sprung up? Because establishment organizations such as JCRC were not willing to support active demonstrations to support Israel. Apparently, it was too hot for them to touch. They would rather leave the hate of anti-Israel demonstrations unchallenged.

By the way, isn't it precisely the job of JCRC to confront hatred of Jews and hatred of Israel?

These grassroots organizations are run by very capable young activists. But they are literally turned away by the establishment. And don't worry, they will become leaders, but not within the structure of the "good old boys" establishment.

Simon Sababa | San Francisco





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