Letters 11/14

Meaningful article
I would like to express my deepest heartfelt appreciation for the very meaningful article “Interfaith group educates Maryland communities,” in your Oct. 31 issue by Ian Zelaya.

Mr. Zelaya discusses in significant detail the work of the Caravan of Reconciliation — ”The Interfaith group educates Maryland communities,” including a wonderful color photo of various members. It emphasizes their dedication so vividly.

Such news should continue to receive much needed publicity to make our world a better place.
GOLDIE NADKARNI
Rockville

Belongs in the ‘Journal’
Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) executive director Matthew Brooks’ “Jimmy Obama” (WJW, Nov. 6) screed lacked any substantive Jewish focus. As such, as an apologia for neoconservative global whimsy, rather than WJW, its more appropriate publishing venue would have been the Wall Street Journal.

Let us remember: The RJC is not a Jewish advocacy/defense group that happens to vote Republican; it’s a GOP organization that targets Jews for outreach.
In other words, the objective of the RJC is not to raise Republican awareness of a Jewish community consensus on a given issue, but to persuade Jews to accept the Republican consensus. And these days, alas, that “Republican consensus” is tea party-centric and beholden to the Christian Right, especially Protestant fundamentalist evangelicals.

For example, if there is one issue that unites American Jewry across the board — from ultra-Orthodox to secular humanist Jews — it is embryonic stem-cell research; yet, as a loyal Republican, Brooks defended President George W. Bush’s veto of this legislation, undertaken at the behest of the Christian Right.
Another example: The RJC has never taken issue with GOP and conservative icon Ann Coulter’s pronouncement that Jews, in order to be “perfected,” should all convert to Christianity.

This alone raises the question of the integrity of the group, and demonstrates its lack of independence from the Republican Party.

The Christian Right’s outreach efforts to the Jewish community takes two forms. The first is religious and direct, in its the underwriting of Messianic Judaism. The second is political and indirect, via the Republican Jewish Coalition.

What’s in a name? It is not accidental that for the RJC, in its title, “Republican” precedes “Jewish.” (By way of contrast, their rival is the National Jewish Democratic Council, with “Jewish” preceding “Democratic.”)
STAS COHEN
Newark, Del.

Lessons from Kristallnacht
Do we ever learn from history or are we doomed to repeat the same mistakes? Seventy-five years ago, German Jews suffered Kristallnacht, the prelude to the Final Solution. Hitler used Kristallnacht as a test of international conscience to see whether democratic governments would take action over the violent treatment of Germany’s Jews. When Germany suffered no serious action or condemnation, Hitler had the green light to continue persecution of Jews. If only the world had taken on Germany in the 1930s, perhaps some 52 million lives could have been saved.

Fast forward to today’s increasing danger to Israel and to the Free World in general. Are the same naive appeasers leading the world down the path of repeating history? Iran has demonized Israel and world Jewry and is threatening to unleash nuclear devastation. Palestinians continue to delegitimize Israel, seeking its elimination. Both have announced their intentions, as did Hitler in his Mein Kampf. Yet we see a pliant American government leading the charge, accommodating the Iranian goal of attaining nuclear weapons, and emboldening the Palestinians.
John Kerry refers to a third Intifada unless Israel allows a Palestinian state, ending its “perpetual military occupation” of Judea and Samaria, and agrees to conditions jeopardizing the Jewish state. He trashed the Oslo peace negotiations, in the process stating that Israel is “gonna get it.” Nothing was demanded of the Palestinians.

The administration is signaling that sanctions against Iran would be watered down on the promise that Iran will not seek nuclear weapons. Can anybody believe that Iran will halt its development of nuclear weapons?
The administration needs to learn from the lessons of Kristallnacht. The world, not only Israel, is in great danger from a nuclear armed Iran and a weak American foreign policy
WARREN A. MANISON
Potomac

Not an honest play
Sarah Groner writes in the Theater J Blog (theaterjblogs.wordpress.com; “DCJCC to present controversial play as workshop,” WJW, Oct. 17)) that The Admission is “an important portrayal of the personal and political conflicts that make up the tapestry of Israel.” Theater J intends to conduct a workshop presentation of this play next spring.

Groner’s piece is a perfect illustration as to why I am offended by The Admission, and deeply offended by the misappropriation of funds by local charities to produce it. She lauds the play by stating:

“It is important for me to write this response and to share that this play portrays an honest and thought-provoking story. For many in the U.S., it may be difficult to come to grips with the reality of the conflict, and the pain experienced on all sides, but in order to help us heal we must be able to shine light on the past and learn lessons.”

Because the story is not honest, real or experienced by anyone, it cannot “shine light” on anything.
JEFFREY WARD
Potomac

Why do Jews love Obama?
It really is difficult to understand the continued high regard, one might almost say adulation, that so many of my co-religionists have for President Obama.

Am I really alone in questioning how our president could not be engaged during the killing in Benghazi of our ambassador and three other Americans? Ludicrous as that sounds, It would be the equivalent of suggesting that he knew nothing about the gun running of Fast and Furious, the IRS targeting of Conservative groups, the monitoring of foreign leaders telephone conversations and the launch of his signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act. If we are to believe media reports, he was ignorant of all these events until he saw reports in the morning papers.

We can all understand the reasons why White House staff might shield the president from direct contact with events that might lead to yet another crisis of confidence in his administration. But lest we forget prior to his election, Barack Hussein Obama had long been a member of Rev. Wright’s church in Chicago, yet claimed he had never been aware of Wright’s outrageous rants against Jews and America. No one was protecting his back then, he was denying obvious truths himself. Do others not see a pattern here?

I had the privilege of briefing Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on the American SDI program. She was fascinated by the technology supporting the program, as well as the policy implications for national and international security. At no time would Mrs. Thatcher ever have admitted she was unaware of major events affecting her government.

Then again Mrs. Thatcher has long been recognized as a true leader; perhaps that explains why our President remains detached.
DR. STANLEY ORMAN
Rockville