Letters to the editor: Feb. 19, 2014

Intermarriage

It’s not a coincidence that the lead story Feb. 5 on intermarriage (“After lull, intermarriage debate reignited”) coincided with the Torah reading of the week, Tetzaveh. In the reading, we find the mitzvah of lighting the menorah and adding olive oil.  The Midrash comments, why is the Jewish Nation compared to olive oil?  Just like oil, which does not mix and floats to the top when put into other liquids, so too a Jew must not mix with the non-Jewish world in a manner where he would develop a strong relationship. The Midrash is teaching us this type of a relationship could lead to intermarriage. We must be nice and considerate, but we can’t get intimate.

Chaim Edelstein, University City 


Response to Kerry editorial

I cannot believe the Light would print criticisms of Israeli leaders concerning their response to remarks and/or suggestions advocated by Secretary of State John Kerry (Editorial, “Kerry On,” Feb. 5).

Years ago, as a senator, Kerry indeed was a staunch supporter of Israel, but those years are all history. Israel’s minister of economy, Naftali Bennett, stated what all supporters should be saying: Israel needs all the support they can get from all over the world. How can the Light be so ridiculously supportive of Kerry, who recently advocated that Israel give up the territory they got back in the 1967 war? That ridiculous suggestion would be close to national suicide for Israel.

Finally, we hear not one iota about the rockets still being fired into Israel. Kerry keeps suggesting things that Israel should do; why in the world doesn’t he advocate what the Palestinian factions should do? They openly express the lunacy of driving Israel into the sea, and the Light’s editorial board has the audacity to ignore such events. 

While I, along with all Jews, pray hopefully for Israel’s survival, I suggest the Light get its priorities straightened out, and  as previously stated, show better signs of support for the Jewish Homeland.

Howard Sandler, University City