By multiple authors, , A leftist engagement
Regarding Ò…ngage Iran DirectlyÓ (Viewpoints, May 26), first the good news: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States would join European negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. The bad news? Such negotiations are conditioned on IranÕ³ suspension of uranium activities that, inContinue Reading

By State Rep. Sherry Appleton (D-Poulsbo), Remy Trupin, Executive Director, Washington State Budget & Policy Center, Randi Abrams, , Seattle It has recently come to our attention that a former John Birch Society activist is peddling an initiative that will hurt educational opportunities for kids. We?re not sure what isContinue Reading

By Rabbi Rob Toren, Grants Director, Samis Foundation, Seattle We are very appreciative of JTNews? coverage of Samis? first decade of philanthropy (?Samis celebrates 10 years of giving,? April 28). We take great pride in supporting our community?s day schools, but our funding is broader than suggested in Manny Frishberg?sContinue Reading

By Becca Campbell, , Seattle It was great to read about UW Hillel?s Alternative Spring Break in El Salvador (April 28). Having had a long-standing relationship with El Salvador through my parents, I can completely identify with the feelings and observations of the ASB participants. I especially related to theContinue Reading

By Rabbi Dov Gartenberg , Panim Hadashot I used to be a congregational rabbi. I remember a conversation with a much-respected member of the synagogue during a fierce communal controversy. He told me that he taught all his children never to become rabbis. ‘It’s not a nice job for aContinue Reading

By Marvin Stern, Former Manager, Holocaust Survivor Assistance Office, Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Re: your recent story ?Funding dries up for state Holocaust assistance?: 1) It was an honor and a privilege to work on behalf Washington State?s Holocaust survivors and their families. Every Holocaust-era insurance claim filed wasContinue Reading

By Mike Kreidler, nsurance Commissioner, State of Washington, I am writing in response to the article by Morris Malakoff (?Funding dries up for state Holocaust assistance,? April 7). I believe that readers were left with the misperception that our Holocaust Survivors Assistance Office was shut down. Our office is stillContinue Reading

By Jane E. Relin , Director of Aging and Adult Programs, Jewish Family Service, Seattle, Seattle I am responding to the article ?Funding dries up for state Holocaust assistance.? I want your readers to know that, regardless of any cessation of certain funding streams for such assistance in Washington State,Continue Reading

By Jeffrey Weiser , , Redmond Lots of articles lately in the JTNews about Creationism vs. Evolution. Let?s face it. If the Darwinian Theory of Evolution is correct, then the Jewish religion is nonsense and we should pack up our prayer books, our Torahs, and our tikkun olam-ing and closeContinue Reading

By Josh Basson, , Seattle I commend Michael Richmond?s illuminating article (?Antisemitism in the guise of anti-Israeli propaganda,? Mar. 24.) There have been far too many biased one-sided articles about the cause of Rachel Corrie?s death in the national media. Whether Corrie was naï¶¥ or not, she had no businessContinue Reading

By Rabbi Will Berkovitz , Hillel at the University of Washington Before I moved to Seattle I used to work in Las Vegas. I wasn’t a dealer at the Bellagio or doing weddings dressed as Elvis, but at times I felt that way. I was working at a Conservative synagogueContinue Reading

By Robert S. Jacobs, Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region, Anti-Defamation League, Based on the large number of calls we?ve received at the Pacific Northwest Anti-Defamation League office, many within the Jewish community have seen the recent cover article in the Seattle Weekly, ?The ?Jewish? Con,? by George Howland, Jr. We?veContinue Reading

By Rabbi Zari Weiss , Special to JTNews Many of us are familiar with the story told at Purim. A young maiden, Esther, is taken by the king to be his new wife. As her uncle Mordechai bids her, however, she hides her identity as a Jew. Meanwhile Haman, theContinue Reading

By Nancy F. Geiger, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Seattle Some non-profit reform issues being considered by the Senate Finance Committee were included in the Senate Tax Reconciliation Act of 2005, which is now in Conference Committee between the U.S. Senate and the House. The billContinue Reading

By Albert Feldmann, , Seattle In her ?What?s your JQ? article, (?Three prayers and an airport,? Feb.17), Mrs. Kletenik replied to an inquiry about the propriety of donning tallit and tefillin to pray the morning prayer while waiting at an airport gate. She devoted half a page to a detailedContinue Reading

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

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

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