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Friday May 27, 2005

Letters

Peaceful burial

I was very distressed at the opinions of the rabbis and scholars cited in the article about cremation (May 13 j.). I was brought up in an Orthodox house and then we became Conservative. I was brought up to believe cremation was an absolute no-no. I now believe there is no right or wrong in death.

Last year my unmarried son died at 52. My husband and I bought our plots many years ago. We didn’t take into consideration what we would do if one of our children died before us. My husband died 10 years ago. When our son died there was no plot available near us. The only option I had was to have him cremated and buried at the foot of his father. I am more peaceful with this than if he were buried far away.

Maxine Pollak | Daly City

Choose life

In the article “Ashes to Ashes” (May 13 j.), we read about people choosing to ignore yet one more halachah (Jewish law). The Torah tells us that we indeed have freedom of choice, but it exhorts us to “choose life.” This means choosing the path established by G-d in the written and oral Torah and expounded by the sages. When we choose against Torah, we are following our physical desires, our “animal” soul if you will. The task of every Jew is to choose the Torah way, and therefore attain transcendence and connect to our spiritual source and to the Divine. Otherwise we’re no more than slaves to our own physical desires. As the Talmud beautifully states: “The only truly free person is the one who is commanded [by G-d] and obeys.”

The choice is indeed ours to make. Let us “choose life” and follow the path to freedom. In this case, it would mean a proper Jewish burial.

Oh, yes, a quick note to Rabbi Ted Alexander: Moshiach is coming, and very soon! May we all rejoice in the Third Beit HaMikdash together, speedily in our days.

Marcos Frid | San Carlos

Not funny

I find the Goldberg joke (May 20 j.) to be disturbing. The theme relates how a Jewish father accepts interfaith marriages by his two sons. Initially questioned, the father’s acceptance becomes genuine when each son claims that his happiness requires the marriage. To the father’s delight, in contrast, the third son announces his impending marriage to a woman named Goldberg, who, in the last line, turns out to be “Whoopi.”

While one may note that the joke is juvenile and distasteful, my main objection pertains to the theme. It depends upon a surprise; the father is initially fooled by a Jewish name only to learn that it belongs to a black woman. The joke’s impact depends upon a clearly racist conclusion, the scene having been laid by two prior interfaith situations.

I know that the jokes used by j. are submitted by readers. Perhaps those of a more mature nature could be selected, or, failing their availability, little would be lost by discontinuing the joke column.

Hillel Levine | Castro Valley

Stop pestering PETA

Rabbi Avi Shafran has accused PETA of missing the point in its apology for the “Holocaust On Your Plate” campaign (May 20 j.). But, in fact, it is Shafran who has missed the point by overlooking PETA’s intent.

PETA never intended to offend the Jewish people and its apology is a genuine expression of regret for that result. PETA did intend to awaken human compassion by showing just how cruelly animals used for food are treated by humans. PETA never intended to equate Jews with non-human animals but to equate unjust suffering with other unjust suffering. PETA’s intent was to encourage human compassion for those less fortunate species that most humans exploit. That intent is consistent with the highest of Jewish values.

Shafran reminds us that humans and animals are different because, “Humans make moral choices. And animals do not.” Given the Jewish mandate to refrain from causing pain to animals and the horrific cruelty inherent in factory farming and assembly-line slaughter, one can only wonder when the rabbi will find the compassion to make the moral choice that so many Jews have already made, to go vegetarian and make compassion a way of life, not just a slogan.

Pete Cohon | San Francisco
Veggie Jews founder

SFWAR took action

The article (May 13 j.) on SFWAR’s funding loss states: SFWAR “never issued an apology to the Jewish community.” Actually, SFWAR addressed these concerns with many steps, including an “Open Letter to Diverse Jewish Communities.” In that letter SFWAR wrote: “SFWAR is not a Zionist or anti-Zionist organization. Instead we stand against racism and anti-Jewish oppression wherever and however they occur.” In mediation with the JCRC, SFWAR took responsibility for their mistakes and committed to internal training on anti-Jewish oppression. Additionally, SFWAR agreed with the JCRC to issue a joint statement on their discussions, yet the JCRC did not respond to SFWAR’s attempts to draft such a statement.

There is no evidence connecting the SFWAR/JCRC dispute to SFWAR’s funding loss. Yet JCRC spokesperson Abby Porth seems anxious to claim credit for it. Unfortunately, San Francisco’s women are the biggest losers. That is hardly cause for Jewish celebration.

Porth said she does “not believe an open Zionist would be welcome [at SFWAR].” Yet we know from experience that not conforming to JCRC’s position on Israel means many Jews are not welcome in their group. SFWAR took meaningful action to address issues of inclusiveness. Maybe someday the JCRC will do the same.

The board, staff and membership of Jewish Voice for Peace in the Bay Area

Partnership needed recruiting leaders

“Who will fill these shoes?” (May 20 j.) suggests that federations are having trouble finding leaders, in part because “fewer potential donors and leaders have the deep-rooted connections to Judaism or Yiddishkeit than their parents or grandparents.”

If true, then I would expect our S.F.-based federation to make a serious effort to use its considerable resources and expertise, if for no other reason than self-interest, to partner with those of us who are trying to make synagogue affiliation more attractive and important to Bay Area Jews through improved programming, personnel and management.

In the worldview of the federation, what institutions support strong connections to Jewish life and community? Our schools and JCCSF may be doing well, but a two-legged stool cannot support anyone’s weight. How deep is a strategy that revolves around developing future leaders just for federations without working to support the ability of Jewish spiritual institutions to more effectively carry out their missions? The time is now and we are ready to work together in a creative way.

Sanford M. Goldstein | San Francisco
president of Congregation Beth Sholom

letters policy

j. the Jewish news weekly welcomes letters to the editor, preferably typewritten. Letters must not exceed 200 words and must be dated and signed with current address and daytime telephone number. j. also reserves the right to edit letters. The deadline is noon Monday for any given week’s publication. Letters should be sent by e-mail to letters@jweekly.com or by mail to j., 225 Bush St., Suite 1480, San Francisco, CA 94104.

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