A selection of letters published in the AJN print edition of March 5, 2010

Let’s focus on al-Mabhouh not on the passports

OUR Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, talking on TV stations and on the front pages of the newspapers, made a huge fuss about three Australian passports, in which the pictures were probably changed.

The most important fact, though, is that Mahmoud al-Mabhouh will no longer murder innocent Israelis and will not transfer arms for that same purpose to other terrorists in the Gaza Strip.
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A selection of letters published in the AJN print edition of February 12, 2010

Treatment of Chazan and the NIF is shameful

THE furore over the New Israel Fund (NIF) has highlighted an ugly underbelly in both Australia and Israel.

The NIF and organisations that have received NIF grants work on civil and human rights; social and economic justice; religious pluralism and tolerance for Israeli Arabs and Bedouin citizens; the environment and assistance for immigrants – issues enshrined in Israel’s declaration of independence.
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A selection of letters published in the AJN print edition of February 5, 2010

Comparison with talking to Nazis is misleading

MESSRS Sztainbok and Lewis (AJN 29/01) insist that trying to talk to Hamas is like trying to negotiate with Hitler. But it is surely misleading to draw parallels between Hamas and Nazi Germany, for the situations are entirely different, even if Hamas is not above using Nazi propaganda for its own purposes.

My original letter was in response to another reader who had strongly implied that the Australian Jewish Democratic Society saw Hamas as peace-loving and a morally worthy partner in discussion. In refuting this, I simply said that Hamas has to be taken into account as long as it has the support of a substantial number of Palestinians. That was all. No good guys, bad guys scenario.
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A selection of letters published in the AJN print edition of January 29, 2010

Lack of coverage of Israel’s efforts in Haiti

AHRON Shapiro in his analysis piece (AJN 22/01) says “the global appreciation of IDF humanitarian lifesaving work in Haiti is richly deserved”. This may be the case in Europe or elsewhere but certainly not in Australia. I would like a dollar for every person that has commented about the lack of reporting [censoring] in The Age/Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) about Israel’s humanitarian efforts in Haiti.
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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.
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A selection of letters published in the AJN print edition of January 15, 2010

Community cries out for kosher competition

The issues mentioned in your article regarding Rabbi Moshe Gutnick and the Melbourne Adass Kashrut (AJN 08/01) should have underscored the sad situation that many people who would like to accommodate the needs of their observant relatives and friends at their simchas simply cannot afford the cost of Sydney’s kosher caterers.

Two of my family members were such people and because of the exorbitant charges by the Kosher Authority (KA) approved caterers, they had no choice but to have non-kosher weddings.
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A selection of letters published in the AJN print edition of January 8, 2010

Apology from Carter doesn’t ring true

One can only be sceptical about former US President Jimmy Carter’s request for forgiveness from the Jewish world for any offense he “may” have caused.

For the last few years, Carter has forged a career out of universally blaming Israel for the propagation of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and has further insulted the Jewish community by writing a book equating Israel’s policies with apartheid; a book replete with factual errors and versions of events that have been disputed by other people present at the time.
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A selection of letters published in the AJN print edition of December 25, 2009

Mazal tov also to those at non-Jewish schools

YOUR editorial, “A light unto our nation” (AJN 18/12), rightly and understandably praises the young members of our community for their scholastic achievements. You refer to them as the People of the Book. True enough.

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A selection of letters published in the AJN print edition of December 11, 2009

Just how friendly is Tony Abbott?

NAOMI Levin wrote in The AJN (04/12) that the community has “no need to worry” about Tony Abbott because he is a “friend of Israel”. Really? This is a man who wants to re-introduce the temporary protection visas, who denies that climate change is caused by humans, and who holds personal views that are against abortion, stem-cell research, and no-fault divorce.

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A selection of letters published in the AJN print edition of December 4, 2009

Dancing on the graves of our martyrs

I AM an old person, a Holocaust survivor. I pride myself on having a considerable sense of humour, but definitely not on the subject of the Holocaust. The word “humour” does not even enter this subject, there was nothing humorous about it. I am writing this on behalf of many of my friends also Holocaust survivors. We were appalled and deeply saddened after reading “Fresh take on Holocaust” (AJN 27/11).

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