Letters to the Editor

Indifferent to Israel’s Plight

Dear Editor:

The last several days since the attack on Israel by Hamas have been difficult. But I can’t help but be struck by the vast amounts of those on social media who are somehow shocked that a good portion of the Western world is either indifferent to Israel’s plight, or actively supports and defends Hamas. Indeed, Jonathan Greenblatt, current head of the Anti-Defamation League, even went on MSNBC to decry the network’s embrace thereof.

These reactions, however, are only news to those who have had their heads buried in the sand the last several years. The ability to determine objective truth, and the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, was lost long ago in this country and throughout the Western world. When a society, among other things, can no longer distinguish between a man and a woman, somehow believes that a country can exist with no discernible border, and tolerates, if not encourages and promotes, looting, rioting, and open-air drug markets in the name of “equity”, any sensibility of morally-based reason and logic can no longer be expected.

Much the Jewish community, particularly those in the reform, conservative, and modern orthodox movements, has been infected with these mind-viruses under the guise of “social justice”, backdoored into our institutions through Tikkun Olam (a kabbalistic concept which has absolutely no connection therewith). But the Torah is clear that Tzedek, or justice, has no qualifiers, and has no relativistic interpretation; there is indeed clear right and wrong under Torah law, whether we want to accept it or not. Yet we are all responsible for either having encouraged, adopted and promoted these ideas, or sitting idly by while they were infecting the world around us. Moral relativism has come to bite us all in the rear end.

For too long the Jewish community has sat quiet while the society around us crumbles moralistically. The clearest and loudest voices are, oddly enough, often Christian evangelicals who, despite having somewhat different religious beliefs, generally have a well-tuned moral compass, and are not afraid to boldly state their views. Yet, somehow, despite knowing our own history, including the very recent slaughter of six million of us, we sit silent. For our own sake, and that of our brothers and sisters in Israel, we can no longer afford to be quiet. Our duty of receiving both the gift and responsibility of the Torah is not to sit in our shtetls while the world burns around us; to the contrary, we are to be a shining light among the nations, and show humanity what it means to live a Torah-based, moralistic life.

Yes, pray for the safety of Israel and all Jews, do more Mitzvot, and proudly stand up for the Jewish State, but we must also now loudly stand up for objective truth and justice in all facets of our lives. Otherwise, we are no better than Lot living in Sedom, and we know how that story ends. It is time to wake up from our malaise.

Sincerely
Drew S

Kudos to Inna Vernikov

Dear Editor:

We have a significant number of would-be jihadists and certainly many more advocates of jihadism in our city and state.

Why do Jews have firearms in their synagogues? Why do Jewish institutions require so much NYPD and other police resources? Jews have been assaulted by demonstrating jihadists. Inna carrying her firearm is no different in this case than if she did so at her synagogue. She was available to aid Jewish students in the very possible case that an assailant acts. Further, as a mega-Israel supporter and a public figure, she is absolutely a target.

She qualified psychologically and in every way necessary to be granted that carry permit. The issue raised here is another distraction by hoodlums.

Sincerely
Jeffrey S. Wiesenfeld
Great Neck

Witnessing Hamas Barbarity

Dear Editor:

After witnessing Hamas barbarity this week, there is no “however”.

It’s time for the media to learn the facts of radical Islam’s war against the west and to use accurate terminology.

Article 80 of the UN’s charter clarifies that Israel includes Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) and Gaza. That is the international law that governs territorial questions.

There is no occupation. There are no Palestinian territories.

There is no Palestine. The Palestinian people are a recent pseudo-ethnicity. Only Jews were called Palestinians until the Soviet KGB and Egypt created the Palestinian Liberation Organization in 1964. The Soviets simply called Israel ‘Palestine’ and all the Arabs living there, ‘Palestinians’

The PLO’s modus operandi was terrorism. They called for killing Israelis. They still do. They hijacked aircraft, bombed targets around the world and slaughtered athletes, all to publicize their issue.

The PLO fomented civil wars in Jordan and Lebanon. They drove 700,000 Christians out of Lebanon. They supported Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

The Oslo Accords, 1993, allowed the PLO to temporarily govern parts of Israel until a 2-state solution could be implemented.

Israel gave Gaza to the PLO/PA in 2005, Jew-free, so they could demonstrate their ability to run a state. In 2007, Hamas threw out PA supporters and Bedouin, turning the strip into a terror-base. Egypt and Israel set up a weapons blockade, which obviously was ineffective. The UN said the blockade was legal and necessary.

Radical Islam has been fighting a 100-year old war against the west. The international community must support Israel in its fight against Hamas. Hamas must be vanquished for peace to have a chance.

When the smoke clears, the Arab League can prod the PA to sit down with Israel and resolve issues. The American ‘Peace to Prosperity plan’ can point the way.

Sincerely
Len Bennett –  Author of ‘Unfinished Work’
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada