Letters (Page 5)

By David Shayne, , Seattle Last week, I attended a talk given by Gershom Gorenberg, who authored the nuanced and well-written “Accidental Empire,” a history of Israeli settlements following the Six-Day War. I am sorry that I cannot say as much for his talk. Like many on the Zionist left,Continue Reading

By Donna and John Mollan, , Anderson Island We read the article on the Titanic survivors (“Continue Reading

By Wendy Elisheva Somerson, , Seattle The article “A chronology of the cancelled invitations to gay and lesbian Israelis“ (March 30) left out important details. As one of the people who was present when the LGBT Commission made their decision to cancel the StandWithUs event and who later spoke atContinue Reading

By Mark Bloome, , Seattle We suffered a great public opinion defeat with the City of Seattle LGBT commission’s egregiously bad decision not to meet with the Israeli LGBT group (“A chronology of the cancelled invitations to gay and lesbian Israelis,” March 30). While I know that all sorts ofContinue Reading

By Zach Carstensen, Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Ron Leibsohn, Chair, Community Relations Committee, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle , Seattle When Seattle’s LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Commission canceled a scheduled reception with six Israeli LGBT activists, the strength of aContinue Reading

By Rainer Waldman Adkins, , Seattle Philip Scheier writes (“An insult,” letters, Feb. 29) that J Street “claims it is pro-Israel, a claim rejected by all Israeli leaders, including Bibi, along with most observers, who have all turned down many invitations to address the J Street lobby.” Former Prime MinisterContinue Reading

By Paula Libes Chester, , Mercer Island Dear Mr. Wilkes: Did you neglect to wear reading glasses when you perused my letter bemoaning “wasted tomatoes” (“Repair and defend,” Letters, March 2)? I am a proud and active member of J Street. We are busting our kishkes trying to keep IsraelContinue Reading

By Philip R. Scheier, , Shoreline Your Feb. 10 article by Emily K. Alhadeff, “Moving beyond the one-trick pony,” where the University of Washington’s Stroum Jewish Studies guest speaker Simon Greer alleged one of his goals is to change the tide of American Jewish politics from Israel-focused to America-focused, isContinue Reading

By Robert B. Godwin, , Lacey In the previous issue of JTNews is a review by Edward Alexander of Michael Weingrad’s marvelous work, American Hebrew Literature, published by Syracuse University Press in 2011 (“Continue Reading

By Robert Wilkes, , Bellevue In Paula Chester’s letter (“Wasted tomatoes,” Feb. 10) she states that my column (“Barghouti’s Own Life Reveals BDS Deception“) is offensive to those who “sincerely seek to repair the world.” All Jews I know long to repair the world, but some of us want toContinue Reading

By Mark D. Blitzer, , Seattle I applaud the opening of a Jewish delicatessen in Olympia (“Olympia deli tickles mind, soul and stomach,” Feb. 10). Obviously, an expanded Jewish presence in a place like Olympia is a good thing — and what better than a deli showcasing good-tasting Jewish food?Continue Reading

By Rabbi Oren J. Hayon, Greenstein Family Executive Director, Hillel UW I was grateful to see the editorial by Wayne L. Firestone, Hillel’s president and CEO, reprinted in the JTNews last week (“Colleges playing catch-up on Israel,” February 10). Firestone is absolutely correct when he points out that the restContinue Reading

By Paula Libes Chester, , Mercer Island I am frankly puzzled by Robert Wilkes’s extensive dissection of Omar Barghouti’s January 5 talk at our local landmark, St. Mark’s Cathedral (“Barghouti’s own life reveals the BDS deception,” Jan.27). Let’s begin by separating objective facts from opinion. BDS stands for boycott, divestment,Continue Reading

By Barbara Cooper, , Anacortes I am very disappointed in your response to Martin Jaffee’s article about Myron Cohon (“To the family of Myron Cohon and our community,” Dec. 23). He made a mistake. I’m sure his apology is sincere and he should be forgiven for his lapse. I amContinue Reading

By Perry Weinberg, , Seattle I was saddened and disappointed to read that Professor Martin Jaffee will no longer be writing his column for this paper (To the family of Myron Cohon and our community). He obviously made incorrect and hurtful assumptions in his last column about Myron Cohon, andContinue Reading

By Paul Baenen, , Seattle Undoubtedly Jaffee made errors (To the family of Myron Cohon and our community). Nothing excuses William Cohon’s “he occupies the Samuel and Althea Stroum chair in Jewish Studies, at the University of Washington, which means that both the State of Washington and the Stroum familyContinue Reading

By Sidney Stock, , Bellevue Martin Jaffee blew it. Jaffee used an individual’s life and death to illustrate a continuing concern of the Jewish community, the loss of member(s) to the majority culture. Jaffee assumed incorrectly that in the last part of Myron Cohon’s life, Cohon was lost to theContinue Reading

By Hillary Lipe, , Seattle Thank you for the letter addressed to Myron Cohon, his family, and the community, published in JTNews on Fri., Dec. 23, 2011 (To the family of Myron Cohon and our community). I was horrified to read the cruel, arrogant column written by Martin Jaffee, publishedContinue Reading

By Keith Cohon, , Seattle I’m sorry, but while I appreciate your apologies (To the family of Myron Cohon and our community), you have still missed the mark. In fact, you and Professor Jaffee are still on the same page, though you profess not to be. You both apologize, asContinue Reading