Loving The Jewish Press
As a frum woman I really love reading The Jewish Press every Shabbos. It is my treat of the week. Barbara Diamond is a talented writer and I admire the patience she has for her husband every day and night.
The Is It Proper question in the July 12 issue was about taking kids to a water park The responses were very insightful. I had previously booked a little getaway for my family in August to a park that had water slides and pools. After reading the responses from the rabbis I immediately changed my plans to just an amusement park.
Thank you for teaching me new information every single week!
Shana Rubin
Via email
Remembering Dr. Fred Rosner
So much has been said or written about Dr. Fred Rosner (beginning with the detailed obituary you published July 12 by Hillel Fuld) by the time the shloshim was recently commemorated, with much consistent repetition by so many different people, yet I am confident that the following will not have been said by anyone until now.
Decades before I began my hobby of writing about the Daf Yomi and current events, I had a hobby of serving as the editor of the Yeshiva College Alumni Bulletin in the 1970s, and a sub-hobby of reviewing books – mostly sent to me by Ktav. One was a book by Dr. Fred Rosner. But I also had a “sub-sub hobby” of showing a draft of my review to every author, to give him or her an opportunity to suggest revisions or corrections before publication. (Better before than after!) Most authors ignored my offer or just wrote “thank you.” But Dr. Rosner was so punctilious that he actually was the only author to take my offer seriously enough to object to one of my statements in my overall favorable review, and to engage in a written pre-pre-Internet debate with me, which resulted in a compromise acceptable to him, and another reason for me to appreciate this incredibly creative and meticulous person!
Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel, Esq.
Queens, N.Y.
Justice System Discourages Self-Defense
In his article, “At The Ready” (July 26), Rabbi Hayim Leiter writes that people should have taken the initiative and thwarted the Trump shooter, the way people do in Israel. He makes an excellent point. There was ample opportunity to stop this shooter, and he could have been stopped by a number of individuals.
The only problem with Rabbi Leiter’s suggestion is that it makes a lot of sense. Logic and reason are not exactly how our justice system works.
Bodega clerk Jose Alba was arrested and charged with second degree murder in July 2022 for an act of self-defense. The charge was later dismissed, basically because of a public outcry. But considering there was video of the incident clearly showing that his actions were in self-defense, he should never have been arrested in the first place.
Marine veteran Daniel Penny was arrested and charged with criminally negligent homicide in 2023 for killing a homeless man on a subway who was threatening passengers.
If someone had killed the Trump shooter before he got off a shot, there’s almost no question he would’ve been charged with murder. It seems that people who kill in self-defense or to prevent serious bodily harm to others are often dealt with more harshly than we deal with those who commit serious crimes themselves. If our justice system ran with Rabbi Leiter’s mindset we’d all be a lot safer.
David Balsam
Brooklyn, N.Y.
What’s So Bad About Water Parks?
A few weeks ago in the Is It Proper column, it was discussed whether or not frum Jews should go to water parks, where the sexes would be together, during the warm weather. The rabbis responded that it would not be in keeping with tzniut (modesty) for Jews to go water parks where the sexes would be mixed and might even be a sin. I think that this is a bit extreme.
Of course, we should always strive to behave in a manner consistent with Torah-true Judaism. But no matter what we do or where we go, there is always a chance that something might not be in keeping with tzniut or Torah-true Judaism. There’s a chance that when we go to a public library, concert venue, movie theatre, shopping mall or retail outlet, we might see some men or women who are dressed stylishly, but not in keeping with tzniut. I have been to a Glatt kosher restaurant where a lady entered to pick up an order. She was dressed in a tank top, shorts and sandals. Many similar incidents have occurred at the kosher section of a local grocery store. Men and women were ordering kosher food but they were dressed in a revealing manner.
Instead of going to public places where we can be guaranteed that we won’t be exposed to something not in keeping with Torah, we should use these incidents as learning experiences for ourselves and our children. We should not close ourselves off from society at large because of what might happen. Nor can we expect society at large to kowtow to our sense of morality.
Harold Rose
Via Email
The Dems & Anti-American Protesters
Regarding “Prime Minister Netanyahu Makes History with Fourth Address to U.S. Congress” (July 24, www.JewishPress.com):
Prime Minister Netanyahu delivered an impressive speech to Congress last week Wednesday, making the case for Israel’s just war and laying out a reasonable plan for what’s next. Israelis can be proud; Americans, less so. Besides the boycott by dozens of Democrats – no way to treat an ally at war – protesters ran wild in Washington, breaking the law with impunity while trumpeting their hatred for America, Israel and Jews. That deserves greater attention.
A mob outside Union Station tore down U.S. flags and burned one to chants of “Allahu akbar.” In place of Old Glory, they sent up the flag of Yasser Arafat’s Palestine Liberation Organization. An outnumbered police officer was dragged and thrown to the ground.
The mob defaced federal property, writing slogans such as “Hamas is coming” on the Christopher Columbus monument and “Qassam, Qassam, make us proud,” cheering Hamas’s military wing, on the American Legion’s Freedom Bell. A protester shouted on video about killing the Jews. A few waved Hamas and Hezbollah flags.
The obscene acts underscored Netanyahu’s point that “many anti-Israel protesters choose to stand with evil. They stand with Hamas.” To their fellow travelers, he said, “You have officially become Iran’s useful idiots.” Sen. Chris Murphy criticized these lines as unfair, only to have to condemn the “pro-Hamas cheers” hours later.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who skipped the speech to address a sorority, lauded the anti-Israel protest movement earlier this month: “They are showing exactly what the human emotion should be, as a response to Gaza.” On Thursday she, too, condemned the “despicable acts.” How about prosecutions? Credit to House Speaker Mike Johnson, who led several Republicans to Union Station on Wednesday night to raise new American flags.
Not all pro-Palestinian protesters are this despicable, but most of the anti-Israel movement despises America and seeks to intimidate Democrats into submission. This faction of the Democratic coalition could spoil the Chicago convention – and a public place near you.
Brian Goldenfeld
Oak Park, Calif.
Where Does Gov. Shapiro Stand?
Regarding “Democrats Could Face ‘Some Risks’ Naming Jewish Governor as VP, CNN Correspondent Says” (July 23, www.JewishPress.com):
I’m waiting for a reporter to ask Gov. Josh Shapiro the following:
- Governor, please comment on Vice President Harris’ decision not to attend PM Netanyahu’s address to Congress?
- Follow up question, what message does that send to Israel’s enemies?
- Harris is quoted as saying that she understands the message of these campus protesters. You have two children in college. What do you think has been the impact on them and other Jewish students? What can they expect from Harris if these protests continue?
- The protesters have brought down the American flag and replaced it with the Hamas flag. They’ve burned the American flag and defaced countless monuments. Yet, we’ve yet to hear a condemnation from Harris or a desire to put an end to it. What is your comment?
- Harris has failed to call out Hamas for using Palestinians as human shields. The blame for these tragic deaths she put on Israel. Can you comment on that?
Zachary Margolies
Via Email
