By:
On:
In: Letters

Thank you Rabbi Hayon for an honest assessment of the risk of limiting our response to boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) and all criticism of Israeli policy with the blunt and stultifying tools of the past (“How much have we lost?” May 30). While your commentary may draw the ireContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters

It’s wonderful that UW students working together, with the support of Rabbi Oren Hayon, StandWithUs Northwest, and others, helped defeat the anti-Israel divestment resolution considered by the UW student senate. But I would like to respectfully disagree with Rabbi Hayon’s characterizing their victory as possibly “Pyrrhic,” so costly that itContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters

How could this newspaper feature on its front cover a handwringing and unnecessarily lengthy editorial about the cost of turning back the BDS (boycott, divest and sanction) resolution at the University of Washington student senate (“How much have we lost?” May 30)? Rather than simply reporting the news on itsContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters

I commend Rabbi Oren for his article in this week’s JTNews (“How much have we lost?” May 30). His argument that winning the battle against the divestment vote at UW came at a high cost of alienating many of Hillel’s students. Those who specifically were in favor of the divestmentContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters

I was shocked and deeply disappointed to read Janis Siegel’s article (“Arrest made on inappropriate behavior charges,” May 30). There is no greater sin than the public humiliation of a fellow Jew. What possible purpose does this article have other than destroying this young man’s reputation and well being, beforeContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters

I was astonished by Rivy Poupko Kletenik’s misreading of Paul Greenberg’s intent in his article, “Holocaust Day Again” (“Be quiet? Not a chance!” May 9). To my mind, what he expressed is the very opposite of Kletenik’s claim of his disrespect for remembering the Holocaust. He is telling us thatContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters

Two recent articles in The Jewish Sound caught my eye regarding language and words. In “A story of Polish-Jewish reconciliation, propelled by history’s personal gaps” (Dec. 20, 2013), the wordage — however unintentionally — defeats the purpose and intent of the story re: the goals of the person the articleContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters

I just spent a couple of fun-filled hours perusing the archives in the Jewish Transcript (since renamed JTNews). It was a walk down memory lane — checking in on many of my relatives who I knew as a child but who have since passed away. I also learned about relativesContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters, Viewpoints

The rejection of J Street’s application for membership in the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations is curious (Presidents Conference rejects J Street’s membership bid). Never mind what some may consider J Street’s controversial Mideast positions or its separately incorporated political action committee, the rejection speaks worlds aboutContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters, Viewpoints

Emily Alhadeff’s reflections (“Court’s decision highlights a bigger problem,” April 25) on the Olympia Food Co-op’s decision to cleanse its shelves of Israeli products are very acute in suggesting that nearly all BDS agitprop against Israel can fairly be labeled “Jews Against Themselves.” But she overlooks one paradox: The symbioticContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters

Your recent article (“The Jewish Zen master to make Seattle appearance,” March 5) detailed an appearance by Bernie Glassman in Seattle. Aside from the question of why a Jewish organization would host a Jew who has chosen to be a Buddhist, there is another troublesome issue. His organization, called ZenContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters

Foreign Minister of Israel Avigdor Liberman has proposed that the State of Israel budget $365 million annually for Diaspora education, the objective of which is “to serve as an antidote to rising assimilation, intermarriage, and disengagement from the Jewish community.” A threshold question is how many additional students can beContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters, Viewpoints

In response to “Ariel Sharon: A depreciation,” Jan. 24. According to Alden Oreck on Jewish Virtual Library: The Israeli attack on Qibya, Jordan, came against the backdrop of repeated cross-border attacks by Jordanians on Israeli civilians in the years after Israel’s War of Independence. After the June 1949 cease-fire betweenContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters, Viewpoints

Joel Magalnick’s interview with Andy Stern, former president of Service Employees International Union (“Where the next jobs won’t come from,” Jan. 24), was illuminating. Mr. Stern is accurate, I think, about the challenges he sees for American workers, but admits to being clueless about where we are headed. Mr. SternContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters, Viewpoints

The opinions expressed by Rabbi Anson Laytner in JTNews (“Ariel Sharon: A depreciation,” Jan. 24) are very wrong. The actions of Ariel Sharon on behalf of the state of Israel should be applauded, not criticized. As a 14-year-old, he joined the Haganah to protect his country. As head of UnitContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters, Viewpoints

I read that the Jews were pushing gun control (“Injured Congresswoman, Jewish leaders speak on behalf of gun control initiative”). Please remind them what Hitler and Stalin did to their population. They first restricted gun ownership, then confiscated the guns. We all know what happened afterward and if you believeContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters, Viewpoints

Ed Harris (“The Parallel America,” Dec. 20) believes that the mere existence of “dozens of religious institutions within a 10-minute drive of his home” is proof that religious liberty is alive and well in America. He writes that the idea that “Christians get pushed around” is not just wrong, butContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters, Viewpoints

In response to Keith Dvorchik and Rabbi Aaron Meyer‘s discussion on “For the Sake of Birthright” (Dec. 13 and 20), I think both are right. As a young Jewish adult, I know friends that have gone. Some have had amazing experiences that made them more committed to their Hebrew heritage,Continue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters, Viewpoints

Keith Dvorchik and I recently wrote of our dissenting opinions regarding the efficacy of Taglit-Birthright Israel for JTNews (“Why Birthright Israel is hafuch,” Rabbi’s Turn, Dec. 13; “Why Birthright makes a difference,” Dec. 20). Truly this is “an argument for the sake of heaven,” as we both care deeply aboutContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Letters, Viewpoints

By Charlene Freadman Kahn, , Seattle Yasher Koach to Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum for writing, and to JTNews for publishing, one of the most heartfelt and thought-provoking opinion pieces relating to the conflict in Israel and Palestine I’ve read in any publication. (“Getting Caught Trying,” Rabbi’s Turn, Nov. 15) In theContinue Reading