Nancy Gorman
(Via E-Mail)
Rice And Israel
It appears that UN ambassador Susan Rice will be nominated by President Obama to replace Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. While Hillary Clinton has not exactly been uncritical of Israel these past four years, worse can be expected from Rice.
As secretary of state, Rice would present an existential threat to Israel, as she has shown a pro-Arab bias during her tenure at the UN. As The Jewish Press has noted in recent editorials, even while casting votes at the order of the White House against various Israel-bashing proposals and initiatives at the UN, she managed to find a way to signal her discomfort at appearing too pro-Israel.
While her votes in favor of Israel were obviously at the behest of the White House, her exiting the UN chamber in September as Prime Minister Netanyahu delivered his speech appears to have been a personal decision, showing her contempt for the Israeli leader and essentially equating him with Ahmadinejad of Iran.
Nelson Marans
Silver Spring, MD
Dangerous Decree
When we light the menorah and say “Al Hanissim,” we use the phrase “bayamim haheim b’zman hazeh.” Centuries ago the Greeks tried to abolish the study of Torah, the sanctification of the new moon, the keeping of Shabbos, and bris milah.
We in New York are now facing a terrible decree against metzitzah b’peh, an attack against circumcision as we perform it. One might think it harmless to require parents to sign a document saying that despite the (alleged) medical dangers inherent in this act they nevertheless are prepared to go ahead with it. But enemies of bris milah will say: “Look, even the Orthodox are signing statements that bris milah is dangerous; let us protect their children by not allowing the parents to be negligent.”
The next step would be the abolishment of metzitzah b’peh and the step after that the abolishment of bris milah altogether. And if the decree against metzitzah b’peh becomes law here, it will have a ripple effect in other states as well.
The ruling against metzitzah b’peh will have its day in court on the fourth day of Chanukah. We must use every day of the month of Kislev and the holy days of Chanukah to daven and give tzedakah so that Hashem will save us from this potential calamity.
Breindy Reiss
(Via E-Mail)
Help In Searching Jewish Roots
I am requesting help from Jewish Press readers. My grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from Riga, Latvia, and may have changed his name. In 1918 his wife (age 29) left Oklahoma for New York to help my grandfather’s sister with her family due to the flu and to the fact that they had so many children to care for. Unfortunately, three months later she died from the flu while still in New York.
If anyone is related to or working on the genealogy of this family, we may be able to help each other. Please contact me at J. Feld, PO Box 721, Placitas, NM, 87943.
In 1918 the family in New York consisted of Henry and Jennie Klein and their children – Joseph, Benjamin, Sarah, Eva, Percy, Louis (all born in Ireland), Mildred, Lily, Max and Hyman (all born in the U.S.).
In 1918 the family resided in at 597 E. 56th Street and in 1930 at 3761 61st Street.
Jennifer Feld
Placitas, NM