Misplaced Trust
Rabbi Tuly Weisz (“We Must Expand Outreach to Evangelicals, Despite the Risk,” July 2) puts too much trust in Christian evangelists helping to quell world anger against Israel. It says that if Jews in Israel do not follow the Torah, the land will spit them out. As long as Israel allows open and flagrant violations of the Torah – like gay parades, as an egregious example – hatred of Israel will continue and the conflicts will never end.
Israel must be run like a true Jewish state in every respect. Rabbi Weisz himself quotes the axiom that Israel is supposed to be a light unto the nations. Is Israel’s current behavior a light on to the nations? Not at all.
Shmulie Weinrib
Brooklyn, NY
Yes, Jews should welcome the support of Evangelicals vis-à-vis Israel. I studied Evangelical beliefs and support of Israel for two years before making this decision. If you disagree I have to assume you haven’t done the research. I am grateful for their support. Check out Pastor Victor Styrsky’s book Honest to G-d: Christian Zionists Confront 10 Questions Jews Need Answered.
Rabbi Uri Pilichowski
Mitzpe Yeriho
We should partner with Evangelicals – and not only on supporting Israel. Rav Moshe allowed cooperating with the Catholic Church on religious school funding. We should work with the evangelicals on things like resistance to LGBTQ agenda. But we should also be on our guard.
Avi Keslinger
Via email
Jews should have excellent relations with everyone (save those who seek our destruction), regardless of religion.
But do I believe our success or survival depends on anyone else? No.
Rabbi Shlomo Sprung
Miami, FL
Respecting Or Friending Parents
Re “Is it proper to be overly familiar with one’s parents?” (July 2): I never stood up when my parents entered a room; it wasn’t a question of formality, per se. But respect? Absolutely. My parents have always been extremely loving and affectionate, and I can absolutely joke with them. But it was also made clear that they (and other adults) were not “friends.”
Jennifer Starkman
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Kudos for ‘Collecting’
Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy the “Collecting Jewish History” column in the Jewish Press, especially last week’s discussion of rock concerts who defied BDS and held concerts in Israel (“Some Defy, Some Comply with BDS Demands to Cancel Rock Concerts in Israel,” July 2).
My husband and I spend the summer in Israel and I like to support American performers who go out of their way to come to Israel. Besides the ones you mentioned, we have recently seen Gloria Gaynor, Frankie Valli and the “Earth, Wind and Fire Experience,” which we enjoyed with a few hundred others at the Red Sea Jazz Festival in Eilat.
I find it interesting that you never hear about classical artists boycotting Israel, only pop singers. We’ve heard Renée Fleming, Emanuel Ax and numerous European opera companies. I had the privilege of performing the “Sacred Service” of Ernst Bloch with the Collegiate Chorale of N.Y., and the Israeli Philharmonic. I was one of a few Jews in the chorus, and the only Orthodox one. Our soloist, Thomas Hampson, enjoyed visiting Israel immensely.
By the way, I was also at Paul Simon’s concert at Park Hayarkon, which is how I know it was not in 2001 as you stated. I vaguely remember it being in 2011. I’ll forgive you the misprint.
Thanks again for your engaging articles!
Marsha Motzen
Englewood, NJ
Kudos to Saul Jay Singer for his wonderful article highlighting the great musicians who stand up for Israel and defy the BDS haters. Jewish Press readers always learn something new from Mr. Singer’s articles and this article was no different.
I grew up listening to these musicians and still enjoy them today. It’s great to know that there are still entertainers who have the backbone and resolve to do what is right with regard to Israel and will not be swayed by the falsehoods and threats emanating from the Left. Great job – and thank you Paul McCartney, Elton John and the Rolling Stones among others.
Gerald Jacobs
Boca Raton, FL
Another “Word” on Happiness
In response to last week’s “Word Prompt,” happiness is defined as “the art of being happy.” Happy is defined as being “satisfied with the quality or standard of…feeling or showing contentment.”
To me, happiness means no stress, no complications in my everyday life, no pain. It means feeling good as everything is going well. It means being kind to others whether or not they return that kindness. It means being financially stable. It means waking up every morning to birds chirping and not a worry in the world. It means having your children in your life after they did not speak to you for 10 years. It means having your family love you and protect you. It means being surrounded by friends and a support system.
It means finding love. And last, it means knowing that Hashem will protect me throughout all my hard days and complicated hours. Because life happens and not everything we wish for goes perfectly as planned, I wake up every morning and say to Hashem, “Guide me today and have my back. Let’s go have the best day ever!”
For me, happiness can be attained if you look to the Above and pray. And never ever take anything in our lives for granted.
Liz Rosenblatt
Via email
No Right Way to Be Antisemitic
Regarding Ben Cohen’s article “The right way to be Anti-Semitic, According to Human Rights Watch” (July 2), the hypocrisy surrounding this organization, and their constant attacks on Israel, is nothing surprising. Rarely do I hear it mentioned that this group is in large part funded by George Soros. Soros recently announced a one hundred-million-dollar donation to this group, ensuring that the warped morality of this well-funded organization will continue. We have very little to be ashamed of when criticized by such a misguided organization.
David Altman
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Misdirected Jewish Endorsement
The spirited races that we have witnessed for mayor, comptroller and other offices are evidence that democracy thrives, despite efforts by the radical left to shut down opinions that it finds “unwoke.”
Of course, our community leaders seek influence among candidates (as do the leaders of other communities). However, when their endorsements overlook major moral and policy flaws among the candidates, I am obliged to protest.
Such is the case with City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who sought to become the Democratic Party’s choice for comptroller. (Preliminary results show him losing.)
Around Election Day, I received a disquieting email that urged the Jewish community to vote for Johnson. The message stated: “Most rabbanim, askanim and community leaders agree that the best choice for comptroller of New York is Corey Johnson.”
Let us take a closer look at Corey Johnson, the man and the politician.
Regarding his personal life, Johnson publicly celebrates the fact that he is gay and that he has a male partner. I don’t begrudge Johnson his private moral choice. I do, however, find it untenable for Orthodox organizations to support a man who, if elected, would further legitimize a lifestyle that we believe undermines the moorings of society.
Politically, Johnson was at the forefront of the movement to cut one billion dollars from the police budget last summer. As the city burned, Johnson went out of his way to prevent police from protecting us, by undermining fiscal support for New York’s finest. Do we so quickly forget the unbridled looting and burning that we witnessed?
Finally, in 2019, Councilman Kalman Yeger tweeted a truism: “Palestine does not exist.” Johnson summarily booted Yeger from the city’s immigration committee, despite the fact that Yeger’s tweet was objectively true: there has never been an independent state called “Palestine.”
In light of the above, I am appalled that some of our leaders bowed their knees before Corey Johnson. We deserve better.
Avi Goldstein
Far Rockaway, NY
Stop Apologizing
Ilhan Omar has again attacked the American Jewish community, and once again American Jews have failed to respond honorably. It is shameful how the Jewish establishment whines that Jews are indeed “partners in justice” (the classic “more German than the Germans” cry) when they really ought to drop defense and hit back with earned indignation against a vicious anti-Semite who constantly denies Jews their natural right to life and security.
BLM does not debase itself by virtue-signaling the African-American community as an inherent force for justice but simply calls all the critics racists. Yet Jews, still having failed to recover their numbers lost in the Holocaust, are the only ones who feel their very existence must be justified on extrinsic social concepts. Had they any self-respect the American Jewish establishment would rally in the streets against this outrage and use all their vaunted influence to silence the haters while they still can.
Steven Davids
Via email
Matot and Massei: Stick-Like Flexibility
Concerning this week’s parsha, how can Matot and Massei coexist together? Matot connotes leadership, harshness, unbendingness and stick-like behavior, while Massei connotes travels, boundlessness, openness and mutual togetherness.
Borrowing on an idea from my late relative Rav Avrohom Genechovsky, zt”l, previous rosh yeshiva of Tchebin, perhaps the contradiction can be solved.
He said we should use the world as a model for our behavior. We should be flexible on the outside just like water that covers the outside of the earth. On the inside, we should be firm and unbending like the inner rock of the universe. In our center, we should be consumed by the flames of Torah just as fire is at the center of the earth.
Therefore, with others we must be open and flexible as a traveler who must enter new terrain with accommodative behavior. But on the inside, we must be firm like a stick in our belief and practice.
Steven Genack
Via email
