I Don’t Understand Jews
Helen Freedman’s letter last week on Trump’s comments regarding Jews who vote for Democrats was right on the mark – as are all her letters.
The liberal Jewish penchant to support Democrats – no matter how those Democrats speak, act, or vote – never ceases to amaze and confound me. How can Jews who supposedly care about Israel’s safety continue to support those who speak against Israel and give succor to her sworn enemies?
Where are the leaders this party once had – leaders like Henry “Scoop” Jackson, Hubert Humphrey, and Pat Moynihan? Today we have Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, both of whom are cowed by the anti-Semitic “squad.”
Trump’s unprecedented support for Israel is scoffed at, belittled, denigrated, and ignored. Barack Obama, meanwhile, never a friend of Israel, had no problem getting the Jewish vote. What is this? Masochism? Mysticism? Stupidity?
I don’t care to quote Bolsheviks, but Lenin had it right when he referred to Jewish-Russian liberals as “useful idiots.” We should all take note of their eventual fate.
Myron Hecker
Stop Trump Before It’s Too Late
I have largely ignored President Trump’s hateful, dumb, stupid, and ignorant remarks until now, partly because I have believed from day one that he is a master manipulator and con man who doesn’t believe the ridiculous and moronic things he says but cleverly figured out that he could win the presidency by pretending that he does.
At this point, though, his hate-talk has become too dangerous. He is playing with fire. This big act has to stop. I call on all good-hearted conservatives and Republicans to call out Trump on his hate-talk.
He might have already damaged our country beyond repair. I hope it’s not too late.
Stewart B. Epstein
Rochester, NY
In Search of a New Elie Wiesel
In your August 2 issue, Yitta Halberstam asks, “Can Anyone Replace Elie Wiesel?” Indeed, someone can, and his name appears on the page facing her question: Rabbi Dov Fischer.
Few rabbis, if any, speak and write with Rabbi Fischer’s eloquence and wit, and few have his impressive credentials (he is a successful lawyer who teaches at, not one, but two law schools).
Elie Wiesel was not afraid to speak truth to power and neither is Rabbi Fischer, who pointed out in an op-ed in that issue that supporting the most philo-Semitic president in American history should be a no-brainer (the posture of several Jewish organizations notwithstanding).
After all, Trump “recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, moved America’s Israel embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, withdrew America from the hateful UN Human Rights Council, exited the disastrous Iran Deal, cut off American funding from UNRWA, and even closed down the Washington offices of the PLO.”
What this president may have done in his personal life before becoming president and what he has tweeted since then are not nearly as significant as his actions. Actions speak louder than words.
The only point of importance that did not appear in Rabbi Fischer’s article is that he is now on the executive board of the largest rabbinical organization with the courage and common sense to support the president who has implemented such philo-Semitic and Zionist policies: the Coalition for Jewish Values.
Ronald Y. A. Richman
New York, NY
A Modern Bubbe Meiseh
The Jewish Press did its usual excellent job with its editorial, “Tlaib-Omar Vs. Israel” (Aug. 23). In it, however, you let a bubba meiseh take on the mantle of established fact.
You wrote that the BDS movement seeks “to force Israel to abandon its policy toward the Palestinians.” While I’m sure many BDS supporters have been duped into believing that, the purpose of BDS is actually much darker.
One need only look at statements by Omar Barghouti, a principal founder of BDS, to see that the real goal of BDS is the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state. Barghouti seeks a single state for Jews and Arabs – which would likely be a state with an Arab majority and thus spell the end of the Jewish state.
Barghouti said plainly in 2014 that even full Israeli withdrawal from the disputed territories would not end the BDS movement. Clearly, then, it seeks much more than simply changing Israel’s “policy toward the Palestinians.”
Mark I. Fishman, Esq.
President of PRIMER-Connecticut
A Dangerous Electoral Strategy
Recent reports that “Justice Democrats” is pushing primary challengers against “too moderate” and “too pro-Israel” deep blue district congressmen are deeply troubling.
In New York City, Engel and Nadler are being targeted, and in Maryland, Steny Hoyer, a reliable friend of Israel, is in their cross-hairs. The electoral strategy behind such campaigns is quite clear: attack the incumbents’ multi-term record to demographically changing districts while banking on abysmally low primary voter turnout.
If you want to know the danger of low voter turnout for a primary, look no further than AOC, Bill de Blasio, and the radical pro-criminal woman who nearly became Queens DA the other month. More congressional representatives in the mold of “The Squad” would be bad for America and bad for the Jews.
Richard D. Wilkins
Syracuse, NY
An Anti-Vaxxer Responds (I)
Respectfully, I found Esther Moskowitz’s open letter last week illogical and incorrect. She claims there is a one out of 10,000 chance of a child reacting adversely to a vaccine. Even if that statistic were true, it still would be greater than the chances of a child getting measles without the MMR vaccine.
I wonder if she has ever read the insert that comes with each vaccine. Risks such as death, coma, or seizures are plainly listed (but hardly ever read).
The chance of an adverse reaction to vaccines is, in fact, extremely high. Look at the enormous increase in childhood cancers, hyperactivity, ADD, and even childhood suicides over the last 50-60 years. Look at the huge number of yeshiva kids taking some kind of psychotropic drug.
No vaccine has ever been tested in a double blind placebo study as other drugs are. They have never been proven to be safe. No inspection for safety or purity in these vaccines has ever been conducted.
The four vaccine makers are immune from lawsuits. They give pennies from the sale of each vaccine to a national vaccine fund from which the U.S. government pays damages to the parents of kids harmed by vaccines. Billions of dollars have been paid.
We are not telling you that you cannot vaccinate. Please don’t tell us that we must.
Shimshon Rozenberg, O.D.
Jamaica Estates, NY
An Anti-Vaxxer Responds (II)
Dear Bubby Moskowitz,
It feels really nice to hear that people care. The publication of your open letter marked the first time since the vaccine debate began that we got some sort of public recognition of the tremendous challenges we face.
Your letter, however, misses the point. We are not depriving our children of an education because of a foolish belief. Many of us have been personally affected by the side effects of vaccines. No one chooses to become anti-vax. We join this group because vaccines have wreaked harm on our kids or loved ones, and we want to spare others this horrible pain.
Have you ever held down a child seizing at all times of day and night? Do you spend your life in a cancer ward with a vaccine-induced cancer-ridden child? Does infertility, dangerous allergies, or autoimmune disease ruin your child’s quality of life?
It’s easy to judge others. It becomes harder when your kid is the one suffering.
M. S. W.
An Anti-Vaxxer Responds (III)
Dear Mrs. Moskowitz,
I read your open letter to anti-vaxxers with much interest. It appears that you and I have much in common.
You see, my heart is also broken for children who have lost their childhoods – children who have asthma and cannot run around with their peers, children who have terrible food allergies and cannot enjoy Shabbos nosh and birthday parties, children who have ADD and cannot sit still, children who are autistic or so disabled that they cannot function.
What about them, Mrs. Moskowitz? Does your heart break for them as well? The above conditions have been caused by vaccines. The chances of something going wrong from a vaccine is much greater than the .01 percent figure you gave.
Anti-vaxxers – or, more aptly, “ex-vaxxers” – live their lives entrenched in bitachon and emunah in the One True Healer. Blind faith in humans simply because they have an MD after their name is not emunah at all. It’s foolishness.
Liba H.
Illegal Ilhan
Hopefully, as the legal transgressions of both Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib become more publicized and their lack of credibility more evident, their vendetta against Israel and their blatant anti-Semitism will be challenged.
Already preliminary investigations about the marital status of Omar have become public knowledge, and it seems now that she may have used campaign funds to pay for her planned divorce.
Will these reports be only the tip of the iceberg of her illegal activities? Further investigation is certainly required.
Nelson Marans
New York, NY
Hezbollah’s Tunnels
In June of this year, the IDF completed the destruction of Hezbollah’s largest and most technically-advanced tunnel into Israel.
This concrete tunnel, reinforced by steel bars, was 22 stories underground. It contained electricity, transportation, and enough space for a tactical unit of hundreds of terrorists to attack Israeli towns. As a retired MTA employee, I know a tunnel of this nature to be quite costly.
Had this tunnel remained undetected and used for terrorism, many Israeli lives would have been lost. I believe most Lebanese people would rather have prosperity and peace than conflict and destruction. The government of Lebanon should protect its citizens and not permit atrocities to be staged from its territory.
If the Lebanese government is afraid of Hezbollah, it should ask for help.
Arthur Horn
Fort Lee, NJ
I Don’t Care if Trump Is Good for the Economy
President Trump said at a recent rally that he has improved the economy and, therefore – whether you love him or hate him – you must vote for him since he puts more money in your wallet.
If I woke up tomorrow and found that President Trump had put a million dollars in my wallet, I wouldn’t vote for him. To me, there is something more important than money, and that is honor and respect in how we speak to all Americans, not just the ones we agree with.
I recently saw a news story in which a woman, who voted for President Trump, said, “He doesn’t speak for America.” I couldn’t agree with her more.
Alan Howard
