A selection of letters published in the AJN print edition of January 22, 2010
Questions of cost in catering kosher simchas
I REFER to Lea Weiss’ letter regarding kosher caterers (AJN 15/01). I don’t believe her facts are complete.
There are caterers in Sydney who could quote similar prices to those of Melbourne Adass, but, in my opinion, the quality is not the same as Passion8, which I feel is equal to (or maybe better than) the best of the non-kosher caterers.
Further, I understand that Chabad families go to New York for their simchas to be in the proximity of their rebbe. The so-called cost benefit is a side issue for them.
Also, if the only criteria were cost, it would be cheaper to have the function in Israel, where the cost for a wedding can be as cheap as $US32 per person, glatt kosher. At least this would support the State of Israel and its economy.
Zvi Rona
Bondi Junction, NSW
Cheaper to marry in Melbourne
Following on from Lea Weiss’ letter (AJN 15/10), instead of Sydney Chabad families having their children’s weddings in New York to save costs, why don’t they have them in Melbourne – where they will save even more? I’m sure our excellent caterers won’t mind.
Sam Laser
Elsternwick, Vic
Jewish anti-Bush celebs had reason to speak out
URI Butnaru, in his recent letter (AJN 15/01), criticises American-Jewish entertainers for attacking President George W Bush and aiding the election of Barack Obama. He seems to be saying that the support of the Bush administration for Israel was the only thing that Jews should have taken into account.
Never mind that Bush was widely regarded around the world as a buffoon, a right-wing thug and, by some, a war criminal.
History may well judge Bush as one of America’s worst presidents, and it is hardly surprising that the majority of American Jews voted against him.
David Linder
Mortdale, Vic
Despite its covenant, Hamas can’t be ignored
NOT much of 2009 had passed before the Australian Jewish Democratic Society (AJDS) was attacked on the letters pages of The AJN. In 2010, they are doing just as well. The year is barely two weeks old, and the AJDS is already under fire for “seeming to think” that Hamas and its followers are “trustworthy, neighbourly, peace-loving people” (AJN 15/01) with heaps of moral authority.
Now, I don’t know how much moral authority can be attributed to an organisation whose covenant is openly based on The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, as has often been pointed out by the AJDS itself, but as long as Hamas has the support of a substantial number of Palestinians, its presence must be taken into account. This is a far cry from the AJDS lending it any kind of support, or seeing it as some sort of force for good.
But like it or not, Israel will eventually have to talk to Hamas, together with other Palestinian organisations, to hammer out a just peace settlement that will benefit all the war-weary peoples of the region.
Steve Brook
Elwood, Vic
Disputing stats relating to the Palestinians
STEWART Mills’ analysis of my statistics on the Palestinian standard of living (AJN 15/01) is, to my knowledge, flawed and requires a response.
His list of GDP per capita figures for the Palestinians compared with other Arab countries is based on raw data only and, because it does not include foreign aid, ignores the approximately 30 per cent of extra spendable funds available to Palestinians living in the territories.
Furthermore, any calculation of GDP per capita is necessarily based on the population size. The Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies documents the population of the West Bank and Gaza at 2.5 million people, however, the Palestinians inflate this figure to around 3.8 million to obtain more foreign aid, and in doing so create an artificially lower figure for GDP per capita.
Next, my data on Palestinian life expectancy (73.4 years) is based on United Nations figures for the combined West Bank and Gaza, but Mills quotes the CIA World Factbook, which states the life expectancy is 72.9 years. However, this refers to Gaza only; the very same publication lists the life expectancy of West Bank Palestinians at 74.5 years.
Notwithstanding the differences between the West Bank and Gaza, the Palestinians generally enjoy a standard of living that belies their claimed victimhood, but one that is largely based on welfare and which could be vastly improved if they ever abandon their aim of eradicating Israel and concentrate instead on building their own sustainable society.
Mills also objects to my statement that the Arabs reject the thought of a tiny Jewish state in what they perceive as their God-given part of the world, and suggests that if only we were more humble and understanding, we could quite easily be better friends with them.
A noble thought indeed, and one I would share if only the facts permitted it. Despite repeated overtures from Israel, it is patently obvious that the Arab world continues its hostile posture, and apart from a cold peace with Egypt and Jordan, seems perfectly happy to keep it that way.
If the Arab world ever wishes to normalise relations with Israel, they will find a willing interlocutor. But first, they need to accept Israel’s legitimacy in the region, and this is the real stumbling block to peace.
Alan Freedman
St Kilda East, Vic
Impact of media coverage of Gaza
“A BUTTERFLY flaps its wings in the Sahara and a week later there is a tornado in Texas.”
A march for Gaza is much featured in the media and the following week a nasty demonstration takes place against an Israeli tennis player in New Zealand with more protestors than last year.
On the subject of the media, I am much gratified to note that, at last, it has been noticed that Gaza has a border with Egypt where trade goes on – only via tunnels, illegally. Even legitimate trade goods, such as food, medicine and building materials, have to be smuggled in.
How is it that the question has never been asked why a country supposedly friendly to the Palestinians bars all normal trade that could benefit both sides, but keeps the border tightly sealed?
Also, I cannot help but wonder why it has taken the media so long to notice the existence of this border. Even recently, there was only one passing mention in ABC News last week.
It is still Israel that is portrayed as guilty of shutting those poor people in.
Adrienne Schwartz
Darling Point, NSW
Cast Lead poll does not reflect reality
WAS Operation Cast Lead a success? Your online poll states 59 per cent say no and 41 per cent say yes (AJN 15/01).
What’s interesting is that on the same page, five people were asked the same question and four of the five replied very positively? (Kol hakavod to them.) Perhaps the fifth person didn’t understand the question, because Gilad Shalit’s case, which she mentioned, had nothing to do with Operation Cast Lead.
This would mean 80 per cent say yes and one doesn’t count.
I don’t have to repeat why after eight years of rocket attacks the operation was a must and if the firing of rockets was reduced to minimum as a result, it was a success too.
It would be interesting to know how many people constituted the 59 per cent, because even if 1000 people were to take part in an online poll, that’s just one per cent of the Jews living in Australia. And I don’t believe that to this question 59 per cent of the entire Jewish population here would say no.
Ivan Singer
Castle Cove, NSW
Intermarriage has detrimental effect
I WONDER how Les Rosenblatt (AJN 15/01) can believe, as implied in his letter, that if one marries out it can be refreshing for one’s Jewish identity.
If one really cared about the fact that one is a part of the Jewish people, one wouldn’t marry out in the first place. One would value Jewish continuity. Marrying out kills the Jewish identity of future generations, marrying out results in weakened Jewish observance and marrying out causes a decline in our numbers.
What is really refreshing for Jewish identity is increased observance of kashrut, increased and regular synagogue attendance and, of course, marrying in to ensure that one’s children and grandchildren will be Jewish. That is the best thing for Judaism and the Jewish people. We definitely are justified in being alarmed at the current assimilation rate.
Josh Bartak
St Kilda East, Vic
No faith in Mitchell to bring peace
THE famous troubleshooter George Mitchell, who was supposedly sent to resolve the problems between Israel and the Palestinian, demonstrates another failure of the US President Barack Obama and shows the constant denial of the real problems Israel is facing.
Mitchell has been hailed for his success in resolving the Irish problem between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Protestant Northern Ireland. But it was actually down to the people of Northern Ireland, who got fed up with the killing and bombing, and the willingness of the British government to create a fragile peace between two different Christian groups supposedly praying to one God.
Outside Israel, nobody knows the real situation in the Middle East.
The so-called peace activists in Gaza and the hand-wringing pacifists in Israel and Lebanon have just one problem to deal with – if they could stop the rockets and the fanatical suicidal extremists killing so many innocent Israelis, then the Israeli government would not need to retaliate and would have a chance to sit down with the Palestinian leaders who sincerely want peace. Then there may be a chance to move towards a peaceful resolution.
Israel would be happy to spend the money the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) saps up to build more schools and research institutes for healing, instead of mourning dead children, on both sides of the border.
No Mitchells or Smitchells, who never lived in Israel, Lebanon, Jordan or Gaza, and never knew the history of the Jewish tribes and the history of the region, can succeed.
No Mitchells or Smitchells, who do not know the make-up of the Holocaust survivors’ children who created Israel, can understand the desire of those who really want peace without the murderous religious fervour and revenge killings that destroy all logical and humane ways to resolve any problems in the world.
Tom Sinclair
Bondi Junction, NSW
In defence of climate realism
I DON’T quite know where to begin in addressing Pablo Brait’s attack on climate realism (AJN 08/01). However, I guess a good start would be the notion that “deniers take advantage of the fact that people are more likely to read the letters pages of a newspaper than reputable scientific journals in order to spread their myths”.
I am, therefore, surprised that Brait has lowered himself to spread the climate-change myth in a mere newspaper letters column. I can’t work out why he objects to me using the same forum in the name of objectivity.
Regarding the “actual climate scientists” he mentions who have countlessly refuted the arguments of objective observers such as myself, do they include the likes of Professors Plimer, Carter and Lindzen, whose scientific ability is unarguable? Or is Brait referring to the cabal of so-called scientists who have been exposed as data fixers and frauds, who have corrupted the process of peer review and the erstwhile reputable scientific journals that he lauds?
Brait cites Australian bushfires and drought to support the global warming scam. He should talk to my daughter in London, who is enduring one of the coldest winters in memory, along with the rest of the Northern Hemisphere. Does this suggest global cooling?
Unlike climate alarmists, I always leave my mind open to objective persuasion, and I don’t try to deny the alarmists a voice, even in a newspaper letters page. But as things stand, Bernie Madoff would be kicking himself for not thinking of the climate scam before Al Gore tied up the Alice in Wonderland market for carbon credits.
Terry Davis
Lindfield, NSW
Rabbinical role in earthquake miracle
WE were interested to read Yossi Aron’s report of the devastating earthquake that killed 5000 people in the Tzfat area in 1837 (AJN 08/01). He talked about several rabbis of the time and how they came to be in the region, and the wide devastation caused by the earthquake.
As descendants of another rabbi, Rabbi Avraham Dov Ber of Avrutch, we would like to share the remarkable part he played in the saving of many lives during that earthquake.
Rabbi Avraham Dov Ber settled in Tzfat in 1833 from the Ukraine. He predicted the earthquake was coming and moments before it struck, between Mincha and Ma’ariv, the rabbi urged his congregation to come and stand by him at the ark if they wanted to be saved. The faithful rushed to the ark, which was situated on the southern wall of the synagogue and they prayed.
After the earthquake hit, the western part of the synagogue collapsed, as had most of Tzfat, the roof was hanging in mid-air, but the area near the ark remained intact and all of the people around it were saved.
The synagogue is still standing in Tzfat today – now called the Hameiri Synagogue – and the miracle is recorded on a plaque on the wall.
We are proud to be some of Rabbi Avraham Dov Ber’s descendants in Australia.
Tamara Lowbeer, Bertha Moser
Sydney, NSW
Atida Naphtali, Rae Lachman
Melbourne, Vic
If you would like to submit a letter, email letters@jewishnews.net.au
