Echo of the Rosenbergs
Thank you for Saul Jay Singer’s article, “The Jewish Features of the Infamous Rosenberg Case” (March 29). Documents released after the fall of the Soviet Union show that Julius Rosenberg was a Soviet agent.
The extent of his involvement, the questions about the fairness of his trial and the imposition of the death penalty, especially to Ethel Rosenberg, remain legitimate questions. It is sad that too many Jews of that generation were drawn to the evils of Communism and betrayed their country and own people.
The far left of today is also joined by too many Jews and take positions that are destructive to Israel and Am Yisrael.
Torah study and adherence to Judaism are the solution to this type of sickness.
Harvey (Chaim) Herbert
Brooklyn, N.Y.
What Was That About Chareidim?
Regarding “The Charedim Are Our Secret Weapon” (March 22): I love the diversity and quality of your paper’s views, and regularly buy it. That said, Rabbi Dee’s subject piece was a real head-scratcher. First, to call one of the Gedolei HaDor’s comments bizarre while taking them out of context of his other speeches on the topic is not only inappropriate but downright dangerous.
“Their bite is the bite of a snake,” the Gemara puts it about talmidei chachamim. And as an ordained rabbi, Rabbi Dee should know that. That’s what’s truly bizarre. An apology to Rishon L’Tzion is certainly in order. Second, his general conclusions about the chareidi contributions to society are equally strange. I’d expect a religious and even ordained man to praise the chareidi contributions to Torah learning, mitzvot observance and material sacrifice for the sake of their lifestyle, and how the general society can learn from those while debating the draft issue. Instead, he’s chosen to focus on chareidi kids going off the derech being the main asset and “the golden goose,” as he puts it. Just a completely twisted way to evaluate the chareidi society. And I am writing this as a chardal person, not even chareidi myself!
Kirill Vorobeychik
Chicago, Ill.
A Call for Unity
I would like to thank Rabbi Dee for his positive comments in “The Charedim Are Our Secret Weapon” (March 22).
We Jews are a family, siblings. We sing the song of Acheinu all around the world because we are all one. We all have our strengths that we contribute to our nation. As Rabbi Dee said, our secret weapon is the chareidim.
Rabbi Dee explained that he was referring to the demographic dimension of the birth rate and the contribution by a default population of chareidim into Israeli society and joining the army. And that is one way to look at our secret weapon. Also; the chareidi yerida rate from Israel among this population is minuscule; they are dedicated and devoted to living in Israel. Along with the demographic contribution of this population is another secret weapon. If two out of six children of the general chareidi population default to general Israeli society, as Rabbi Dee states, then four out of six remain within the chareidi population, and their secret weapon is our real secret weapon, learning Torah. Just like there is a general population of Israelis who work and fight in the army, so is there a general population of religious Israelis who work and who learn in yeshiva hesder programs that incorporate the army into their learning. And just as demographically the chareidi population adds to the working and army base, so too does this population add to our learning base on a significant scale. So, really, we have a double-sided two-way secret weapon that no other country can claim.
Right after October 7 the emphasis was on our togetherness and love for one another as one family, as brothers and siblings. We have to hold on to that. We cannot start dividing ourselves between different factions. We can’t divide ourselves between chareidi and dati or secular Israelis. It’s not the time to emphasize our differences. Not in dress, not in customs and not in ideology. The secret weapon of the Jewish people is in our unity. In the Megillah that we just read, the term “all the Jews” is used numerous times. At this time, when we are again alone in the world against all other nations, it is time to remember that it is all the Jews together who will be victorious, with Hashem’s help.
Ann Leder
Via Email
On Trump, Haley, Biden and the News
Last week’s Jewish Press published reader’s letters that warmed my heart and exemplified the word “brethren.” The subject was Chuck Schumer’s monumental betrayal of Israel, masked (unsuccessfully) as a criticism of Bibi Netanyahu. The writers, Dr. Mel Waldman, Gerald Jacobs, Larry Penner, Jack Lipsky, Brian Goldenfeld and Charles Winfield, poignantly and eloquently depicted Schumer as more than misguided.
They held him up as a terrible example of a Jew not just forgetting he’s a Jew, but one who hurts his people, his (so-called) brethren, far more than the non-Jewish antagonists we are confronted with daily.
Also, a letter from Joshua Rosenthal prompted this letter. Mr. Rosenthal expressed a great liking and respect for Nikki Haley. Nothing wrong with that. I’ve liked Ms. Haley for years, although I was disappointed by her manner of dropping out of the Republican primaries after Trump’s decisive victories. She was petulant and refused to endorse Trump. Not exactly the party unity that many of us are constantly seeking from Republicans.
Mr. Rosenthal, after criticizing Schumer’s betrayal, moved on to a bitter portrayal of Donald Trump, laced, in my opinion, with gross distortions and patently untrue statements. He mentioned Haley’s highly commendable support of Israel when she was our UN ambassador. I agree, but did Mr. Rosenthal forget or ignore the fact that she was President Trump’s choice to represent the United States? Or, the more obvious fact that Trump, in his lifelong support of Israel, specifically appointed such an advocate for Israel?
Some excerpts from Mr. Rosenthal’s letter: Questioning Trump’s support for Israel as being “motivated by a political agenda.” Yes sir, and one of those motivations led him to declare Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and approving Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights, thereby ending Syria’s ugly strategic advantage, a northern dagger pointed at Israel’s heart.
When Trump ordered our embassy moved to Jerusalem, did Mr. Rosenthal rejoice as I did and as the letter writers named above surely did?
Speaking about Trump, Mr. Rosenthal wrote: “Donald Trump will never accept defeat, is becoming more and more unhinged, threatening, and is solely focused on himself and taking revenge on all his personal enemies rather than on our country’s interests.” Unhinged? Threatening? Taking revenge on enemies? Solely focused on himself? May I ask, respectfully, according to what facts?
As for “our country’s interests,” I would point out that that particular job is now held exclusively by one Joe Biden. Trump has his opinions, as we all do, and those opinions have earned him a notorious, insidious, unfair assault carried out by minions of Biden who are masquerading as state Attorney Generals and following the dictates of Biden and his White House advisers. Blatantly ignoring our Constitution seems perfectly fine and quite acceptable to today’s “news” outlets. Personally, I’ll always be indebted to Trump for giving us the great and accurate “fake news” description of our vile and biased mainstream media.
As declaring that Joe Biden, “has a more upstanding character, ” I wanted this to be a serious letter, but I’m compelled to ask: Are you joking? Are you serious? Have you been following the news the last few years that points to massive amounts of money, many millions, paid to Joe Biden, his brother and his son by foreign, often hostile nations such as Russia and China, as well as monies paid by Ukraine and others.
Congressional Republicans appear to be wrapping up a case in that direction, armed with many documents, bank accounts, wire transfers and emails. Either way, justice will hopefully prevail. It’s an ugly term, admittedly, but many Americans are currently referring to the “Biden Crime Family” when the above matters are discussed.
Mr. Rosenthal castigated Trump and the entire Republican party as a “cult.” Was his incredible leadership that created the Abraham Accords an action of his “cult?” Was his refusing a salary as president another example of his nefarious agenda? Something that the “upstanding character” of Joe Biden would ever consider?
Many voters wisely look at the current term of a sitting president and compare it to the term of his predecessor. They ask: Am I better off or worse off, mainly in terms of economics, than I was four years ago?
As I’m typing this the TV is showing the latest local tragedy, the murder of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller. A split screen shows on one side the image of the wake in Nassau County, where Donald Trump has just arrived to pay his respects, and the other half shows a New York City hotel awaiting the arrival of Joe Biden for a fund-raiser with Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. After all, priorities are priorities.
On that somber, heartbreaking note, I’ll conclude with, “Shame on Biden, Schumer and the Democrat party for their abandonment of Israel, but it won’t prevent Netanyahu from ending the evil presence of Hamas in Gaza because “Never Again” is now. Am Yisrael Chai.
Myron Hecker
Via Email
Who Cares About Jews and Haitians?
I think it’s interesting to note that since the murderous attack on Israel in October the international news media has been critical of Israel. We hear daily reports of other countries, the UN and the court in the Hague condemning Israel for causing the deaths of “Palestinians” and the starvation and suffering in Gaza. The same countries, UN, Hague and news agencies are strangely quiet on the sexual atrocities, murders, looting and violence occurring daily in Haiti.
I guess that 1,200 Jews who were murdered at a music festival and on kibbutzim, and the average citizens of Haiti, don’t really mean anything. But the poor “Palestinians” suffering at the hands of the Jews is all that matters.
Harold Rose
Via Email
