If you will it, the dream gets complicated
Saul Golubcow’s reflections (“Reading Herzl’s ‘The Jewish State,’ 125 years later,” Opinions, Feb. 11) would be unambiguously uplifting were it not for the reality that the Jewish state was founded on territory that, for well over 1,000 years, was the homeland of people who were not Jewish.
Given the nature of anti-Semitism in the West, Herzl’s dream was understandable. But let us not pretend that its fruition was not without terrible cost to the non-Jewish inhabitants of the land and to our own self-image as a just people.
The tragic history of nationalism has been the displacement and oppression by one group of another. How we deal with this horrible dilemma when we become the displacers will determine the spiritual and, perhaps, the physical fate of our people.
DAVID S. FISHBACK
Olney
Remembering Bill Kapner
William “Bill” Kapner will be missed (Obituary, Feb. 11). I will always remember his generosity in hosting at BigDough.com, our annual JNF Green Sunday phonathon, for many years. We had a lot of fun working with Bill and the staff in setting up the event. He was always so open and willing to accommodate all of our needs.
STUART DIAMANT-COHEN
Co-executive director, JNF MidAtlantic
Corrections
“Jewish group assists food insecure neighbors at Holy Cross Hospital” (Feb. 11) was unclear about the source of the funding for fresh produce. The synagogue that hosts the pantry purchases fresh produce from Shalom Kosher with funds they raise from their members.
“Getting involved in Northern Virginia with Alexis Cohen” (Last Word, Feb. 11), incorrectly listed her age. It is 43. She attended Lehigh University, not as stated in the article, which incorrectly noted her mother’s Jewish communal involvement: She started the Hebrew high school of the family’s synagogue. And the anti-Semitism event mentioned in the article was at a local synagogue.
