Mumps and Measles: Have We Forgotten?
I read the article on vaccinating by Dr. Rachelle Meth with great interest. What struck me about those who are afraid to vaccinate their children is their total lack of exposure to the diseases vaccines are designed to prevent.
The MMR vaccine was developed approximately 50 years ago, which means present-day mothers have no experience with these childhood diseases and therefore consider them minor inconveniences. Those whose memories go back further, however, know the truth:
Measles caused blindness, even death. The mumps caused infertility in teenage boys. Rubella – the “R” in the MMR vaccine – was thought to be a minor inconvenience as children appeared to suffer no lasting effects. But during the last epidemic in 1964, it was discovered that 80 percent of pregnant women who contracted rubella in the first trimester of pregnancy gave birth to children with severe handicaps, such as deafness and brain injury. Polio, for its part, caused death, paralysis, and other physical disabilities.
The cemeteries have special sections for those who die in childhood. Baruch Hashem, it is no longer a given that almost every family will suffer the death of young children. We are grateful for the knowledge Hashem has given doctors to develop these vaccines, and should not forget that they were developed to fight a danger that disappeared, but seems to be coming back.
Since a few cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, only by having everyone else vaccinated can we prevent the return of the scourge of these “childhood diseases.”
I. Rosenblatt
Transferring the Arabs Is an Old Idea
Yair Netanyahu, the son of the Israeli Prime Minister, has just proposed transferring the Arabs from Eretz Israel. He is not, however, the originator of this proposal – nor was Rabbi Meir Kahane, Hy”d.
In fact, many of the Zionist leaders, such as Herzl, Ben-Gurion and Chaim Weizmann put forward proposals for the transfer of Arabs from Eretz Israel – in many cases demanding a compulsory transfer.
Other who suggested such plans were notable non-Jews such as President Franklin Roosevelt and President Herbert Hoover (and the British Peel Commission, the British Labour Party, as well as some Arabs).
All this information is detailed in a book I wrote a number of years ago comprising 360 pages and 1,749 references. Entitled A Historical Survey of Proposals to Transfer Arabs from Palestine 1895-1947, the book – plus over 400 photostats of original documents – can be found on my website, chaimsimons.net/transfer.html.
Rabbi Dr. Chaim Simons
Kiryat Arba, Israel
The New Educational Guidelines: Who’s to Blame?
I was recently asked how our askanim could have allowed the much-discussed New York state education guidelines to have been issued. The answer is:
- Because we as a community have been voting for progressives that want to push the LGBT agenda above all else, which includes teaching the LGBT way of life in yeshivos.
- Because we as a community have not lobbied against bills pushing this agenda.
- Because chassidim have flaunted educational requirements that are not against the Torah, setting non-partisan people against us.
- Because we have the poorest towns in America, which means the Jewish community is a tax receiver rather than a tax giver and puts us in the position of upsetting the tax base that subsidizes us.
- Because we have made getting money for yeshivos our top priority, upsetting teachers unions and public-school parents, and have forgotten that “free” money usually comes with strings attached.
- Because we have acted in ways that have generated anti-Semitism and did not care about eivah.
- Because we did not fight for the right of yeshivos not to teach assur subjects when pushing Felder’s amendment and fighting YAFFED.
Yonatan Teleky
New York, NY
Talking in Shul and Public Embarrassment
On a Shabbos morning about a month ago, a man in my shul shouted at someone to stop talking. The man was stunned and embarrassed. Red-faced, he left shul immediately. I have not seen the man in shul since, and I don’t think he has not gone to a different shul.
I am well aware of the importance of keeping quiet in shul, But Chazal say, “Hamalbin p’nei chaveiro barabim, ein lo chelek ba’Olam Haba – Someone who embarrasses his friend in public has no portion in the World to Come.” Nowhere does it say that someone who talks in shul loses his portion in the World to Come.
Someone who feels compelled to admonish others should do so quietly and discreetly and keep his chelek in Olam Haba. I hope the second person in this incident reads this letter and returns to shul.
Robert Lowinger, MD
Flushing, NY
The Cost of Metro Cards Must Go Up
For those people who oppose any MTA fare increase: How do you propose the MTA handle its financial shortfalls? Which capital improvement projects should the MTA cancel to avoid fare increases? Which route(s) would you support service reductions in? Should employees be forced to increase their contributions toward their medical coverage and retirement pensions?
MTA services continue to be one of the best bargains in town. Since the 1950s, the average cost of riding either the bus, subway, or commuter rail has gone up at a lower rate than either the consumer price index or inflation. The Metro Card, introduced in 1996, allows for free transfers between buses and subways. Riders formerly had to pay two full fares.
In the end, quality and frequency of service is dependent upon secure revenue streams. We all have to contribute. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Larry Penner
Great Neck, NY
The writer is a transportation historian, advocate, and writer who worked for 31 years for the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office.
Fight Back!
Beware of the emotion that can paralyze us and helped destroy European Jewry including most of my family in Poland: fear.
Every day we hear of Jews, young and old, being attacked. We say “Never Again,” but these words are meaningless we fight back. Fighting back means learning self-defense, walking in groups, demanding more police protection, and electing political leaders who side with Jews and Israel. Fighting back includes sending our children and grandchildren to universities that fire anti-Semitic professors and have a strong Hillel or Chabad.
Where is our pride in Israel? Where is our dedication to our religious beliefs.? Empty words mean nothing. Action means everything.
Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg
Bush Raised Taxes – and Lost an Election
Many eulogists are writing that President Bush showed political “courage” in breaking his “Read my lips: No new taxes” pledge. Wrong.
By 1988, the Reagan expansion – in no small part due to the reduction of the highest tax rate from 70 percent to 28 percent – was responsible for dramatically shrinking deficit spending. It would have headed below 2 percent if Bush had simply done nothing.
But the villainous Dick Darman, Bush’s budget director, persuaded him in 1990 to agree to raise income taxes in exchange for spending cuts from the Democrats. Instead of cutting government spending, however, the 1990 budget deal became a license for Democrats to spend. The budget deficit in 1991, which could have been below $100 billion, instead wound up being $269 billion due to the tax increase.
The economy lost 100,000 jobs and the unemployment rate went from 5.5 percent to 7.4 percent. Real disposable income fell. If this tax hike was a success, so was the Hindenburg.
Three enduring lessons must be learned from the 1990 budget deal: 1) tax increases always lead to more government spending, not less; 2) tax increases damage the economy and can make deficits worse; 3) when Republicans raise taxes, they lose.
Democrats would love Donald Trump to approve a tax hike just like Bush did. If he does, though, he might as well hand the keys to the Oval Office to his 2020 Democrat opponent right now.
Brian J. Goldenfeld
Woodland Hills, CA
Baker Aside, Bush Was a Blessing
George H.W. Bush’s dealings with Israel are partially marred by the deeds of Secretary of State James Baker. Baker was obviously anti-Israel and was not hesitant in castigating the Jewish state.
Thankfully, Bush’s innate regard for Israel partially counter-balanced Baker’s antagonism. Israel has lost a friend in George Bush. He will be missed.
Nelson Marans
New York, NY
Bush Should Be Commended
I consider two things about President George H.W. Bush to be very important. First, he was primarily responsible for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Second, he was very interested in the plight of Ethiopian Jewry, and played an important behind-the-scenes role in bringing these Jews home to Israel.
Reuven Solomon
Rego Park, NY
The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Peace Plan
How much longer must Jews in Israel suffer under their government’s unwillingness to prioritize their right to live securely in their homeland?
Prime Minister Netanyahu recently facilitated the second cash transfer – this time for $15 million – from Qatar to Gaza to pay for Hamas salaries. In the first cash transfer, Hamas “thanked” the prime minister by shooting 500 rockets on Southern Israel.
This time, terrorists shot and wounded seven Jews innocently waiting for rides at the Ofra Junction in the Shomron. Shiri Ish-Ran, 30 weeks pregnant, was deliberately shot in her lower abdomen by these Hitlerite-like beasts. Her baby delivered by emergency C-Section died four days later, Hy”d.
While I applaud Netanyahu’s pledge to take future “vigorous security and settlement actions,” he knows better than anyone else that the Palestinian Authority and Hamas are never going to lay down their arms against Jews unless forced to.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe was famous for saying: “Hamaaseh hu ha’ikar – Taking action is what counts! Here is the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s three-point peace plan:
1) Let military experts, who are not under political pressure, determine Israel’s security needs.
2) Let them plan strategy and follow through until the job gets done.
3) Declare Israeli sovereignty over every inch of land liberated in the Six-Day War and settle Jews there.
Tamar Adelstein, co-ordinator
Crown Heights Women for the Safety and Integrity of Israel
