Let’s champion IDF’s diversity
Jared Foretek has written a refreshingly informative article about the diverse makeup of the Israeli Defense Force (“Minority Israelis speak at GMU,” March 1). It is refreshing because many American Jews who support Israel regard President Donald Trump almost like a knight in shining white armor.
For me, the “white” in shining white armor is really the underlying issue. The focus of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign was not about providing peace and security for the State of Israel. It was about identity politics, which questioned whether non-whites such as President Barack Obama were truly American citizens, or should be citizens. In other words, would Trump be such a strong supporter of the State of Israel if its prime minister were not white?
Instead of adopting a narrow definition of support for Israel by complimenting specific presidential policies which the Israeli government supports and criticizing specific policies which the Israeli government condemns, we should take a different and broader view by embracing the diverse makeup of Muslim, Druze, Bedouin and Christian reservists serving in the IDF.
BARRY DWORK
Alexandria, Va.
Looking for more arts coverage
The WJW strives to be an indispensable source to the community it serves (“‘Wedding in Bukhara’ revives Jewish dances from the Silk Road,” Feb. 15). Our community depends on the WJW primarily for its coverage of local Jewish news and events.
As an avid consumer of the arts, I seek information about upcoming theater and music performances. I especially appreciate reviews and cultural arts writing from a knowledgeable, Jewish perspective. These articles provide readers with a better understanding of the Jewish context of locally performed Jewish arts. I often compare reviews from the secular media with ones in the WJW and find that the WJW offers a broader historic and Judaic background with which to understand what I’ve seen (or am about to see).
It’s disappointing when events of Jewish interest that one would expect to be covered by a Jewish paper, such as the recent Idan Raichel concert, or the intriguing “The Last Night of Ballyhoo” do not appear in the WJW. I hope to see more of the high-caliber arts coverage that we’ve come to appreciate in the WJW.
GAYL GUTMAN
Rockville
Time for Arabs to pick up UNRWA’s slack
UNRWA has outlived its usefulness in supplying aid to the so-called Palestinian refugees (“UNRWA is not the issue,” Feb. 1). It is the time for Arab states, where most of the descendants of Palestinians live in squalor, to give them citizenship status with all that implies. After 70 years, certainly rich Arab nations not only have the funds but also the means and territory to make Palestinian Arabs permanent residents, contributing to their economy.
As far as Gaza is concerned, UNRWA supports a terrorist organization: Hamas. Money has been spent by the agency with little oversight, sometimes even encouraging Hamas to the extent that it feels empowered to mount terrorist attacks against Israel.
UNRWA has outlived its usefulness and now the responsibility for Palestinian Arabs should be on the shoulders of of their Arab peers.
NELSON MARANS
Silver Spring
