Likes New Columnist
I really enjoy your new columnist Michal Popper’s Straight from the Heart column. Her inaugural piece (“The Conductor,” May 9) touched me on many levels.
What really resonated was the idea that God is the conductor and we are basically a smug orchestra that ignores Him once we’ve learned the music – until a mishap occurs and we look up to see who’s leading the orchestra and the tempo the music requires.
We all tend to “forget” about the Almighty, calling on Him for help when our “music” is out of synch and we want Him to fix it. The conductor analogy is perfect.
Ms. Popper’s conversational writing style is comfortable, and I feel she and I are sitting and chatting. I think she is gifted and can touch people, something a writer wants to do, and her simple but powerful “conductor” analogy shows she can break down even the most difficult concept and make it accessible.
Lois Greene Stone
(Via E-Mail)
Pompous Elites
Jason Maoz’s May 23 op-ed, “Liberal Denigration of Republicans Is Nothing New,” was on the mark, relevant, hard-hitting, and accurate.
I especially loved his description of Cindy Adams : “The New York Post’s gossip queen and resident deep thinker.”
Mr. Maoz correctly identified a mean-spirited attitude and groupthink on the part of America’s East and West coast “intellectuals” who for too long now have looked down on many millions of Americans.
I’m saddened to observe that many of our Jewish brethren are in the forefront of this nasty, pompous group of self-proclaimed elites.
Recent elections, most obviously the presidential in November and the House race in Georgia earlier this month, have served notice on this group of snobbish, smug people that while they’re certainly entitled to their opinions, they’ve overreached by their denigration of millions of their fellow citizens.
The Americans these elites view as rubes, yokels, bumpkins, slow-witted, and worse sit at their dinner tables and worry about their jobs, the economy, the defense of their nation, opioid epidemics, terrorism, and porous borders – and not so much about global warming and LGBT rights and/or demands.
They are patriots who, unlike their counterparts on the Left, did not mount violent protests during the eight long years of Mr. Obama’s presidency.
Myron Hecker
(Via E-Mail)
Broken Families (I)
Reader Rifk Wechter laments the seemingly growing phenomenon in the frum community of young adults estranged from their families (Letters, May 16).
I fully identify and sympathize with any family in that predicament. A few years ago our son married a young woman who has turned our lives into a living hell.
She has influenced him in just about every negative way possible, convincing him we were not fit parents and that it’s a miracle he didn’t turn out to be as “crazy” (her word) as we are. She also became noticeably less frum in the first months after the marriage and has managed to turn our son away from Orthodoxy as well.
Fortunately we have two other children – daughters – both of whom are married to stable husbands who treat us with the utmost love and respect and who are deeply committed to Torah and mitzvos.
But even with all the nachas we get from them and their children, there will always be a void in our lives until our son realizes how much he’s hurting us, his sisters, his brothers-in-law, and the nieces and nephews who hardly know him.
We are working with a rabbi who is close with our family and who knew our son when he was growing up, and we hope he will be able to bring about some form of reconciliation.
To avoid embarrassing anyone in our extended family, I’m signing this letter with a pseudonym. I know that violates your policy but I hope you’ll understand and make an exception in this case.
H. Bronner
(Via E-Mail)
Broken Families (II)
I know several families who have gone through the tribulations described by Rifk Wechter. In all but one case things turned out well, though it took some time. Even in the one case that still remains unresolved, there has been real movement in the past year or so.
I know it sounds trite, but anyone dealing with alienated children can never give up hope.
Sarah Feinman
(Via E-Mail)
Uniting Against Islamic Fascism
The media often portray religions in a one-dimensional manner. Judaism especially is a victim of this narrow characterization, so it is important that we not only confront myths about ourselves but other religions too.
The Rambam defended Islam against charges by Christians that is was “idol worship.” We need to be equally honest. There are large numbers of Muslims who recognize that Israel was promised to the Jews (in the Koran) by Allah. There are imams who proclaim this in public. The Charter of Medina (composed by Muhammad) guarantees equal rights to Jews and commits Muslims to protecting Jews.
This is not to deny our checkered relationship with Muslims. There have been a number of ups and downs but we have risen to positions of prominence in their governments and led their armies. And we never have been subjected by Muslims to mass extermination as we were by the pagan world and Christianity.
Today Jews and Muslims are faced with the threat of Islamic fascism. It is vitally important that we unite against this threat. As the Rambam noted, we are both monotheistic in our faith.
Dr. Ari Harris
Dr. Afshan Haque
(via E-Mail)