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By Bernard Gray, , Bellevue I am compelled to write to you regarding an article by Bar Mitzvah teacher Ted Roberts (?Confessions of a Bar Mitzvah teacher,? Feb. 3). My wife and I have great objections to your article. We find it most demeaning to both the parents and theContinue Reading

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By Josh Basson , , Seattle The informative article by Andrew Silow-Carroll (?Looking for honesty in the Muslim world,? Feb. 17) raises some important questions on Islam. The cartoon, of Adolf Hitler in bed with Anne Frank, that was posted on a Belgian Islamist Web site, in response to theContinue Reading

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By Shelomo Alfassa, Executive Director, International Sephardic Leadership Council, In recent weeks, Iran has gone against the UN and has motioned to develop nuclear weapons. As governments in the west prepare to deal with Iran, a question must be asked ? if the US (or Israel) makes a preemptive strikeContinue Reading

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In: Columnists, What's Your JQ?

By Rivy Poupko Kletenik , JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, While recently waiting for a flight out of the Dallas airport to Seattle pretty early in the morning, a fellow passenger, obviously Jewish, took out his tallit and tefillin and, right there at the gate, proceeded to put them on andContinue Reading

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By Neil Goldberg, , The Palestinian majority has made their choice. More difficult days are ahead for Israel. Unified Jewish support for Israel is more important than ever. While disagreements may exist over how Israel runs Israel, wouldn?t it be nice if those disagreements were done without bringing harm toContinue Reading

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By Josh Basson , , Seattle The front page informative article by Ron Kampeas (?Cracks emerge over aid to Palestinians,? Feb. 3) highlights some of the unintended consequences of Hamas? victory in the Palestinian elections. The Bush administration suggests continuing financial support for ?humanitarian? services. That would be a seriousContinue Reading

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In: Rabbi's Turn, Viewpoints

By Rabbi Cindy G. Enger , Congregation Beth Israel, Bellingham It is a great privilege to work with candidates for conversion to Judaism. What an honor it is to accompany and guide other human beings as they take significant steps along the way of their particular spiritual journeys! We rabbisContinue Reading

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By Larry Jassen, , Seattle Do the Jews of Seattle have as much conviction as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani? Now is our opportunity to decide. The January 31, 2006, edition of the Seattle P-I carried a story under the headline ‘Olympic, Fairmont Hotels to Be Sold…Saudi behind $3.3Continue Reading

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By Steven Zwerin, , Seattle When I first read the JTNews article on readers? favorites for 2005 (?The best of everything,? Jan. 6) I was grateful, as I learned about a number of restaurants, businesses, and other service providers that had been heartily endorsed by my fellow Jewish Washingtonians. ThatContinue Reading

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By Rachelle Baruch , , Kirkland I find Nechemia Meyers? article (?Drug Ring Shatters Dreams?, Jan. 6) personally thought provoking, as I, also, was a member of Habonim and share similar hopes and dreams. Habonim led to me to live 16 years in Israel where I fell in love withContinue Reading

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By Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum , Congregation Herzl-Ner Tamid Rabbi David Wolpe of Los Angeles recently spurred controversy by suggesting that the Conservative movement should change its name to something more exciting. While Rabbi Wolpe’s remarks created the most interest among Conservative Jews, underlying his comments is an issue that shouldContinue Reading

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By Rivy Poupko Kletenik , JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, We have just finished 12 weeks in the Torah reading service of the book of Bereshit ‘ Genesis. I am left wondering about all the brutal sibling episodes found in the text. Are these stories that we should be telling ourContinue Reading

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By Rainer Waldman Adkins, Chair, Brit Tzedek v?Shalom, Greater Seattle Chapter, Seattle One possibility In response to Samuel Roskin?s letter (?One day too many,? Dec. 23), while it?s true that there is repeated reference to the six days of creation in the Torah text, Rashi in his commentary on KoheletContinue Reading

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By Rivy Poupko Kletenik , JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, As this Hanukkah season approaches, the issue of gift giving rears its complicated head yet again. What do you think? Should we be exchanging presents at Hanukkah? Is gift giving an authentically Jewish tradition or are we adopting a Christmas practiceContinue Reading

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By Neil Goldberg, , Kirkland Beyond the golden shtetl I was somewhat confused by your editorial on Jewish outreach in Issaquah. Three months after writing a glowing article about Chabad?s first anniversary in Issaquah, your editorial implies that they should have competition in their work for bringing Judaism to IssaquahContinue Reading

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By Rabbi David Fine , Union for Reform Judaism As both Hanukkah and Christmas approach I get concerned about Silent Night. I am not referring to the song sung by carolers, but of silence during dark moments, of not speaking and not acting when the situation demands our words andContinue Reading