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Friday February 16, 2007

Letters

Limit the tent

The anti-Zionist Jews who falsely claim they are being “muzzled” (Feb. 9 j.) simply cannot accept the fact that their opposition to Israel’s existence is not shared by the overwhelming majority of Jews who belong to our synagogues and donate to, volunteer for and supervise our Jewish community organizations.

These anti-Zionist activists are frequently published in local newspapers (Mitchell Plitnick has even had columns published in j.), and no month in the Bay Area passes without some public presentation by a Jewish speaker condemning Israel.

These groups now insist that they should be allowed to spread their hatred of Israel via our synagogues and our community institutions.

They have no more “right” to do this than Jews for Jesus does to spread their gospel.

Healthy debate over what’s best for Israel is necessary and welcomed. But those who wish for the elimination of the Jewish state, and who stand in front of the Israeli Consulate with jihadists who chant “The Jews are our dogs,” should continue to be kept “outside the tent.”

Michael Harris | San Rafael

Gagging speakers

The silencing of campus speakers by what is considered the “right” has never been addressed on MuzzleWatch (Feb. 9 j.), and their claims of lack of free speech are unfounded.

The main issue is why should the Union for Progressive Zionists be allowed to be under the umbrella of the Israel Campus Coalition when their mission statement states the purpose is to bring “Pro-Israel hasbara” to the college campus.

We do not want to silence them — they should be sponsored on the campus by other groups that support their political agenda and are free to speak.

However, this should not be under the aegis of the ICC.

Our concern is not their ability to speak, but under whose umbrella?

We only would hope that the ICC would put their money where their mouths are, and stop the repeated and successful attempts to silence the pro-Israel groups. Then we all could have the ability to tell both sides of the story, supply full context and give students and others a chance to hear all the information.

Allyson Rowen Taylor | Valley Glen
associate director, Standwithus

Not stifling

Insults and accusations (Feb. 9 j. story on MuzzleWatch) are not restraint of free speech; rather they are part of its exercise. A specific exercise of free speech may be unwise, unkind and/or against the halachah; it may skew a debate in a reprehensible direction; but it cannot by definition count as stifling or strangling debate.

Nina Wouk | Menlo Park

Teachers needed

The Yiddish language, our “Mamaloshen,” is in danger of becoming extinct.

To help stop that, we at the Yiddish Club of San Francisco are planning to start a Yiddish class for children. For that, we need teachers who speak both Yiddish and English.

We consider attracting American Jews (speaking some Yiddish) to our club as something important and expedient.

The club was founded at the beginning of 2006. What is the main purpose which made us start? First, it is the extermination of 6 million Jews and with them the loss of the Yiddish language; second, the anti-Semitic policy conducted in the ex-Soviet Union and some countries of the Eastern Europe and Iran; third, the increasing assimilation of Jews in different countries, including the USA.

Our programs include the following:

• Socializing in Yiddish.

• Important information in Yiddish (about anti-Semitism, Jewish assimilation, Holocaust and others).

• Original reading in Yiddish (Sholom Aleichem, Biyalik and others).

• Telling short humorous stories in Yiddish.

• Special musical programs (Jewish music, Yiddish songs, films).

• Celebrating Jewish holidays and events.

Additional information can be obtained by calling (415) 387-4742.

Joseph Greenberg | San Francisco
chair, Yiddish Club of S.F.

Players welcome

I really appreciated Joe Eskenazi taking the time to come out and play hockey with the Oakland Kochavim. Joe really gave it his all during the game and portrayed his experience artfully in his Feb. 9 j. article.

We always enjoy having new players and hope to see Joe and many other new faces in our upcoming games. All you need is a pair of good running shoes and a positive attitude — no previous hockey experience required. You don’t even need to be Canadian.

Ian Framson | Oakland

‘Threats are low’

The Feb. 2 j. article discussing the launching of a divestment campaign by a student group at Stanford University has a number of serious errors of fact and omission.

The assertion that there is fear of physical harm on campuses and that the fear is coming to Stanford is wrong.

The threats of violence on all campuses are very low. Stanford’s environment of civil debate has encouraged Hillel and Jewish students to have meetings with the Stanford Daily editorial board and university administration.

In fact, student-led pro-Israel activism is quite high, prompted by the increasing anti-Israel activity.

Numerous campus groups, including the Hillel board, composed of university faculty, staff, students and community supporters, have sponsored pro-Israel programming.

Hillel staff has been outstanding in their responsiveness to students seeking information and guidance.

J. failed to include any of the factual corrections based on conversations with Adina Danzig, Hillel’s executive director. You also did not follow up the assertions by one disgruntled graduate student by speaking to any pro-Israel activist student leaders.

And finally, the sloppy editing failed to note that the resource guide for students is correctly entitled “Why Israel is Not an Apartheid State,” not a Palestinian state.

Paul Cohen | Mill Valley
N. Calif. director of campus advancement, Hillel

Happy memories

Regarding your Jan. 12 cover story on Homewood Terrace, my friend Janet sent me this great article, which brought back happy memories of my stay at HT from 1953 to 1955. It was there that my sole-mate, Dawn, and I fell in love and stayed married for nearly 40 years until her death in 1995.

I thank HT for being there at a time in my life that I needed a home, and for my friend Janet and the love of my life, Dawn.

Martin Glatt | Calabasas

JCF aids Pakistan

When called upon by the Jewish Community Federation for the 2007 campaign, I gladly renewed my pledge. I always knew of the needs of the many Jewish organizations in need of financial stimulus.

The confirmation letter received from the JCF was a real jolt. The hard-earned money which I pledged was earmarked for earthquake relief in Pakistan, a Muslim country, enemy of the state of Israel, where a Jewish journalist was kidnapped and brutally killed, a country where churches are burned.

What a shande (shame).

Irving Zale | San Rafael

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