Rabbi brings needed focus to important issue

Thank-you  for publishing the honest and moving piece by Rabbi James Stone Goodman, “Shanda/shame: There is None” in the Oct. 21 issue of the Jewish Light.  Rabbi Goodman writes with such honesty about the need for a community-wide response to the challenges of  mental illness/health.   

Isolated responses are not enough to tackle the sense of hopelessness, loneliness, fear and confusion that so many face, he tells us: “We could do better by putting our best resources to work on a community solution.”

Not only could we, but we should — we must.  

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Rabbi Goodman, thank you for shining some light in this dark corner and for enlisting us all to be nudges. And thank you, Jewish Light, for helping spread that light. 

Harriet Blickenstaff, Olivette

Calling attention to hunger in the St. Louis area 

One priority of the Ferguson Commission Report focuses on the theme of “Youth at the Center” and has a specific agenda to “End Hunger for Children and Families.” This call to action relates directly to the work of the Jewish Community Relations Council’s CAP Hunger Task Force to educate and advocate on the issue of hunger in our community. 

On Nov. 15 from 1-3 p.m. at the Ladue Chapel, the Hunger Task Force is sponsoring a program for teens entitled “Hunger Speaks” (see more information on page 3). The program facilitated by Operation Food Search will educate area teens of different faiths from grades 6-12 on the extent of adult and childhood hunger in St. Louis, encourage questions and discussion and end with a call for legislative advocacy to reduce hunger. Teens participating also will receive information on resources for continuing to work to reduce hunger in our region.

This is one example of how the Jewish Community is taking action to address the pressing concerns identified by the Ferguson Commission Report.

L. Louis Albert, Chair, JCRC Hunger Task Force; Executive Director, JF&CS

Response to commentary on Iran deal

In response to Professor Marty Rochester’s Oct. 28 commentary, “Top 10 reasons to oppose the Iran nuclear deal,” I would like to direct readers to an Aug. 8, 2015 letter by 29 leading American scientists addressed to President Barack Obama, voicing their support for the Iran nuclear deal reached by the U.S. and five other nuclear powers. The 29 included five Nobel laureates in physics, and the key designer of the hydrogen bomb. This support for the Iran nuclear deal by renowned scientists is most convincing. Read the full letter online at http://bit.ly/nyt-iran-letter.

Jack Cohen, St. Peters