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Thursday November 15, 2007

Letters

Knowledge first

It’s wonderful that after witnessing the celebration of the controversial mural honoring Edward Said, Jewish students at SFSU felt “an opening for a meaningful exchange with Palestinian students” (Nov. 9). We all hope for peacemakers.

My only concern is that those who advocate for Israel and peace will arm themselves with knowledge first. We have enough critics of Israel. What we don’t have are enough articulate, knowledgeable advocates for Israel and the Jewish people. That takes work. Much more work than learning to throw out words like “occupation” and “apartheid.”

Did you know there were more Jewish refugees from Arab lands than Arab refugees from Palestine? Or that Arabs immigrated to Palestine from other places too? Or that Ehud Barak and Bill Clinton offered Yasser Arafat a contiguous 98 percent of the West Bank? (It’s on page 936 in Clinton’s book “My Life.”)

The two books that helped me understand the conflict better and come out swinging for a Jewish Israel are “From Time Immemorial” by Joan Peters and “The Right to Exist” by Yaacov Lozowick. May our peacemakers please read these before they jump into the fray. I hope others will recommend their favorite books to us as well.

Sheree Roth | Palo Alto

Explosion of Jewish programs

While j.’s article “Russians develop Jewish TV stations” (Nov. 9) is interesting, it strikes me as ironic that j. would devote so much space to this story about what has not happened and yet so little space to what is now happening in Jewish TV, radio, podcasting and webcasting. There is a dramatic explosion of Jewish programming occurring on the Internet, but j. gives it very little coverage.

There ought to be many stories about the wonderful programming that is now available as well as a weekly listing of available programs on the Internet. Our Web site, www.Jewishwebcasting.com, is a portal to Jewish TV, radio, webcasting and podcasting and lists more than 350 such programs.

Lawrence I. Grossman | Director, Jewish Webcasting Service

My real role

I want to thank you so much for the article on RKs (Nov. 2) and the honor given to me and especially my father. Spending a lifetime as a rabbi is in itself an honor ( I really mean it), and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. That is why I must correct the kind author, Rachel Marder, who gifted me with the title “director of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley.” That role is admirably filled by our CEO, Jyl Jurman. I am the Jewish community chaplain, serving under the auspices of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley.

Rabbi Leslie Alexander | Los Gatos

Applauding French Jews

The news of the dedication of a site in a Paris park honoring Israeli captives Eldad Regev, Ehud Goldwasser and Gilad Shalit speaks volumes about the guts of French Jewry.

These folks are surrounded by a hostile Muslim population that outnumbers them 10 to one. They have suffered multiple heinous hate crimes committed against them, and must take their lives in their hands when they wear outward symbols of their faith.

For all that has been said of the cowardice of the French, that certainly doesn’t apply to their Jewish community, or the mayor of Paris who facilitated the dedication. Bravo to them.

Desmond Tuck | San Mateo

We must awake from our malaise

Saudi Arabia does not allow Christian churches or Jewish synagogues anywhere in the country.

Saudi Arabia does not allow Jews or Israelis to obtain visas.

Saudi Arabia does not allow women to drive or vote.

Yet Saudi Arabia is financing construction of Wahhabi mosques throughout Europe and the U.S. that promote Islamic fundamentalism and jihad against Israel, Europe, and the U.S.

Israel, Europe and the U.S. allow all places of worship to exist, and women can drive and vote.

One can’t help but wonder what would happen if Europe, Israel and the U.S. imposed the same ban on mosques.

Dare we suggest the Saudis and Islam be on equal footing with everyone else?

When will we awaken from our malaise and recognize Islam is using the very liberties that make this country great to destroy our way of life?

Dan Calic | San Ramon

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