Haredim And The IDF
I fully understand and identify with the great service that young haredi scholars contribute to the state of Israel and all Jews with their intensive Torah study (“Israeli Yeshivas and the Draft,” editorial, March 14).
I strongly believe, however, that their greatest service to Klal Yisrael would be the sharing of their vast Torah knowledge and enthusiasm for study with Jews who are less fervent and knowledgeable than they.
This is the reason I support the government’s move to draft young haredi scholars into military service. I believe these young men would exert a strong positive (Jewish) influence on their fellow soldiers.
Jerrold Terdiman, MD
Woodcliff Lake, NJ
Traitors Among Us
Sara Lehmann’s monthly column, The Right Angle, is a welcome addition to The Jewish Press. Her most recent piece (“Traitors in Our Midst,” March 14) was on the mark regarding the Jewish fools who align themselves with the enemies of Israel and the Jewish people. The column’s title was perfect, not mincing any words to describe young people who’ve lost not only their way but their moral compasses as well.
Lenin first used the phrase “useful idiots” to describe Russian liberals who were eventually destroyed by the Bolsheviks almost 100 years ago. Those innocents hadn’t much history to guide their actions. Today’s Jewish BDS proponents, by contrast, have seen what Jew-hatred leads to and yet they enable and encourage the anti-Semitic elements (always present) to act with a warped sense of righteousness.
Among the six million martyrs were death camp kapos, forced, under constant threat of death, to perform unspeakable acts. Today’s kapos live under no tyranny and face no threats, thereby making them exactly what Ms. Lehmann called them: traitors.
Myron Hecker
New City, NY
J Street’s Dupes
I was in attendance when Boca Raton’s Temple Beth El hosted J Street on March 9. As an Israel-supporting Jew I was saddened at the presentation and by the apparent lack of knowledge on the part of the audience, exhibited by their rousing support of the speakers.
At no point was there any sign of appreciation for the almost insane moves Israel has made in order to appease the Palestinians. Israel’s release of murderous terrorists over the years, its handing over of Gaza to Hamas, its refusal to retaliate with full force to Palestinian terror, and its continually reaching out to those who daily call for its destruction were ignored.
The teaching of hate in Palestinian schools and the slaughter of Jewish innocents were brushed aside with ludicrous statements like “When the Palestinians see signs of hope for the future, all terror on their part will stop.” If I didn’t know any better, I would have concluded, as many obviously did, that Israel was the cause of all Palestinian hatred, terror and resentment.
Until the Palestinians give up their hatred for Jews and until the international community focuses on the Palestinians’ seemingly unquenchable quest for the destruction of Israel, there can be no peace in the area.
Alan Bergstein
(Via E-Mail)
BDS Hypocrites
It is very disconcerting, to say the least, that there are countries all over the globe that persecute, subjugate, and kill their own citizens and are completely exempt from any adverse consequences. No ivory tower critics or other irrational dreamers go so far as to clear their throats, much less say something.
There is Syria, with 140,000 dead under its belt; Iran, with prisons and torture chambers for disgruntled citizens and nuclear programs with which to threaten the world; Sudan, with its history of killing non-Muslims; as well as China and now, blatantly, Russia. Have you heard one word from the BDS hypocrites?
