Keep an Eye on Lower Education
Most media, the general public, and even Congress are now focusing on the problems of higher education and campus radicalism as a locus of antisemitism and anti-Israel feeling, among other ills. Adding to this is the well-known leftist political orientations and biases of so many faculty and school administrators who contribute to, or turn a blind eye to, campus bigotry. There is no question that a toxic atmosphere on college campuses is a real problem.
However, what most of the public doesn’t seem to grasp is that students in grade school and high school are also now being heavily indoctrinated. A good example comes from a recent Harvard Crimson student newspaper survey, which showed that 64 percent of the incoming freshmen class of 2027 described themselves as politically left of center, and only eight percent as right of center. Remember this is Harvard, which has students from the most affluent segment of the population. This indicates that it is probable that most students are already radicalized and politicized before they even enter college. It is therefore inexplicable that Jews decry the fact that Palestinian children are taught to hate Jews from the time they are in kindergarten while they ignore the fact that a similar thing is happening right here.
There may also be an attitude among yeshiva students, parents and supporters that the problems of secular schools and colleges are not their concern, that the yeshiva world is immune to the problems of the goyim in the “outside” world. They have to be strongly reminded of what happened to the yeshiva worlds in Germany, Poland, Russia, Hungary, Italy and the rest of Europe, which were all equally caught up in the slaughter of the Holocaust when Europe became almost completely Judenfrei. An even greater eradication of indigenous Jewish populations than by Hitler, was the complete ouster of all Jews in Arab/Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa; today these countries remain completely Judenfrei.
Today’s problems in education aren’t only at the college level or only in the secular world. They affect all of us at all levels. It should be kept in everyone’s mind that the phrase “Never Again” is only a slogan, not a guarantee.
Max Wisotsky
Highland Park, N.J.
Israel Must Stay the Course
The lessons of history must be applied now – today. Reclaiming the Temple and the miracle of Chanukah happened in 164 BCE, a few years after the Maccabean revolt started. However, the conflict between the Maccabees, Hellenized Jews and the Seleucids (Greeks) continued until 134 BCE, with the Maccabees eventually attaining independence. That is, it took another 30 years to finish the job! The same thing is needed now. The real test for Israel will be to hold true to a course of several decades of “demilitarization” and “reeducation.” In short, Israel needs to follow the example of our ancestors, not the political correctness of the leftist media, Kamala Harris, the Biden Administration, and other Hamas enablers.
Michael Marcus
Hollywood, Fla.
Another Way to Propagandize the Ignorant
Many government leaders across America are only partially aware of the enormous influence and power of TikTok. Many millions of high school and college-age students get their news and information only from this source. Propaganda and false information are of great concern, especially considering that TikTok is owned and controlled by the government of Communist China and reflects the viewpoint of our antagonistic, dictatorial rival.
Communist China and Iran now have a warm relationship, mutually and with Russia and North Korea. Iran, the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism, hates both Israel and the United States, calling them the Little Satan and the Big Satan. This should also concern us. It is easy to envision both China and Iran doing favors for each other. Iran sells China petroleum at a discount, and China posts material hostile to Israel and the United States.
As a former educator of both high school and college students, I am well aware of their limited grasp of issues and information. Therefore, I find it remarkable that so many are up in arms over Gaza. Until a few short months ago most had never heard about it or its issues. While many chant “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free,” a recent survey showed that only about half know which river or what sea is involved. When shown a map of that area and told that the implementation would mean the elimination of Israel and possible genocide, fewer than a quarter supported that goal.
The continuing power and influence of TikTok threatens the national security of America and must be addressed by Congress and the White House.
Charles Winfield
Boca Raton, Fla.
Kissinger’s Hatred Toward Judaism
I found Saul Jay Singer’s article, “Henry Kissinger – No Friend of Israel and the Jews” (Dec. 8) to be right on target. Most interestingly, Kissinger was an Orthodox Jew in his youth when he lived in Europe, and upon his arrival in America, he was a faithful congregant at Kahal Adat Jeshurun Washington Heights, a strictly Orthodox shul that embraced American society.
When the Americans learned of Kissinger’s fluency in German, they assigned him to military intelligence and later to counter-intelligence, where he was put in charge of tracking down Gestapo officers and saboteurs and was awarded a bronze star.
As the secretary of state, Kissinger took the oath of office on a Christian bible, with his Orthodox parents compelled to walk to the swearing-in ceremony, which was on Shabbat. One of his first acts was to revoke the practices and standards by which Jews were allowed to take days off on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
As Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm said, Dr. Kissinger is an illustration of how high an assimilated Jew can rise in America.
Raquel Hanon
Via Email
