Your Letters

Bill Clinton

The “darker doppelgangers” Rob Eshman cites as Clinton’s “organized forces of destruction” are no more then self-inflicted wounds (“A Beautiful Mind,” Jan. 18). Example: While cases are waxing, the U.S. Public Health Service’s ability to trace and fight the disease is waning because AIDS activists demanded privacy.

Eshman writes, “Current events do not reflect well on the architects of the Oslo accords. But to give [Clinton et al] a forum to explain, justify, analyze and reflect on what went wrong is a worthy communal service.”

Eshman needs to be reminded that Arabs with Nazi ambitions are slaughtering Jews because Oslo emboldened them. Consider the article “From Their Lips to Our Ears” (Jan. 18) that reports how the Middle East Media Research Institute (www.memri.org) translated Arabic news and political sources and found that Arafat and his terrorist brethren are speaking with forked tongues; like human beings in English and murderous barbarians in Arabic.

Eshman quotes Clinton as saying, “There is not a military or terrorist solution to the problem.” This is Neville Chamberlain returning from Berchtesgarten and pronouncing “Peace in our time.” There is indeed a military solution to the terror problem and a document to go with it. It is called an “unconditional surrender.” The Germans and Japanese did well after submitting theirs.

It is astounding that Jews at Clinton’s $100,000 evening shouted “Run again!”

They should have shouted, “Run for the exits!”

Noel Anenberg, Encino

Am I the only person in the Jewish community who thinks it was a shonda (shame) for the University of Judaism to invite former president Bill Clinton to their lecture series and then pay him an obscene amount of money for the pleasure of his company?

The man was impeached for lying in front of a grand jury while president of the United States of America. He is an admitted adulterer who had an affair with a 22-year-old intern in the Oval Office. On his way out the door of the White House he not only pardoned Marc Rich but Hillary’s upstate New York ultra-Orthodox pals, as well.

I’ll say this for the man, he’s no anti-Semite.

Have we no shame? Is this the type of person who should be honored by the University of Judaism? Is this a role model for our children? Just because he sells tickets, should he have been invited? Monica Lewinsky would probably sell tickets, too, and she never lied to a grand jury.

Bobbi Leigh Zito, Porter Ranch

David Lehrer

As a lay member of the ADL’s Holocaust Education Committee, which for the past 25 years has been instrumental in offering teacher workshops on the Holocaust under ADL auspices, I find the actions of Abe Foxman toward David Lehrer shocking and unbelievable.

The capriciousness and arbitrariness of the actions toward David are unconscionable. David has been a strong supporter of our many activities and workshops during his meritorious tenure as regional director. For a national organization whose efforts are people-oriented, common decency was not extended towards a truly knowledgeable, articulate and dedicated ADL staff member.

When errors in judgment and actions are made, one would hope that an immediate apology and withdrawal of the unwarranted actions will come forthwith, and David can be returned to his rightful position as ADL leader in Southern California.

Ronald Frydman, Granada Hills

Not all of us in the West Coast Jewish community condemn the firing of David Lehrer as the ADL’s regional director. Under Lehrer’s leadership, the ADL here in the West appeared to differ little from the extreme leftist organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Peace Now.

Though this stance may have pleased the far left, the ACLU and others, many of us in the Jewish community will not miss the likes of Lehrer. Good luck to him. Good riddance to him.

Ted Goldman, Los Angeles

For 25 years I served on the local ADL regional board and executive committee. It should come as no surprise that National Director Abe Foxman would peremptorily fire David Lehrer without consulting the local board. My service on that board convinced me that the self-appointed lay leadership exists only to raise money and aid the staff, whose agenda and policies are set by Foxman, who does not kindly brook dissent. David, ostensibly hired by the local board, could disagree with Foxman only at his peril, as would anyone who incurred Foxman’s enmity.

Seven years ago, Foxman forced the resignation of several regional board members in other states who publicly disagreed with the content of his published attack on the religious right.

Foxman has worked for the ADL since graduation from law school; it has been his only job, for which he is reportedly paid over $300,000 yearly. In March 2000, Foxman was given a lavish banquet with 1,200 attendees honoring him for 35 years of service to ADL. He was called “rabbi” by CIA Director George Tenent, and President Clinton hailed him, in the words of Isaiah as “a light unto all nations.” Foxman’s problem is that he has come to believe them.

Carl Pearlston. Torrance

Marlene Adler Marks

What an odoriferous column (“Nothing’s Fishy,” Jan. 11). If Marlene Adler Marks doesn’t receive an award for this one, there is something rotten in Denmark — no, make that Norway. Her writing was so descriptive I could actually smell the fishy odor. And darned if I didn’t go out and buy a tin of those cramped little critters. Then I made a sandwich of chopped black olives, a few drops of lemon juice and sardines — yummy. Thanks, Marlene, for reminding me of a long-forgotten way of making a quick, tasty lunch.

Ruth Prinz, Santa Monica

Irv Rubin

I have known Irv Rubin for over 30 years. You could find no finer Jew concerned about the future of the Jewish people than Irv. He has put his life, body and soul on the line for his fellow Jews for the past three decades, despite the hate groups and the shameful shunning of our own liberal establishment. He is a moral and principled man, and, yes, a patriot who served in our armed forces. This is much more than I could say for some of his detractors, including Steven Jacobs.

When the truth wills itself out, Irv Rubin will be found innocent of the FBI’s nefarious and odious charges.

Alan Rockman, Upland

Islam Is the Answer

I have never written a letter to the editor before, but I had to write to tell you how impressed I was with the article by Reuven Firestone (“Islam Is the Answer,” Dec. 14).

His concise explanation of the genesis of the Muslim attitude toward war was presented in a way that was very easy to grasp. It was the first time I ever read a piece that made the current behavior of the Arabs so easy to understand.

On the other hand, it was a very depressing article to read. How can we ever achieve peace with a people for whom war and conflict is so deep-seated and who see the world as “Us vs. Them?”

Barbara Algaze, Los Angeles

J.D. Smith

I look forward to reading The Jewish Journal every Friday. Today, I was shocked and outraged by an article written by J.D. Smith (“Bundles of Joy,” Jan. 18). I cannot believe you would allow such an insult to be written in your paper.

Every other week, this man writes disgusting articles ranging from degrading Jewish women to insulting a newborn baby.

With all the wonderful talented Jewish writers in Los Angeles and with all the single Jewish events in this city, I do not understand why you can’t find someone else to fill Smith’s shoes.

Smith should apologize to the new parents. From now on, I will use the back part of The Jewish Journal to clean my dog’s poop with, because it is certainly not worth reading.

Elizabeth Finebaum, Santa Monica

Corrections

In the Jan. 11 article “The Art of Hollywood Survival,” Mike Medavoy’s family was misrepresented. Medavoy has one sister and his eldest son’s name is Brian.

The photo of Linda Gach Ray in the Jan. 18 article “Torch Song Trilogy” should have been attributed to Randy E. Nonberg.

In the Jan. 18 articles “A Beautiful Mind” and “Clinton Talks at UJ Series,” Peter Lowy should have been identified as the treasurer of the University of Judaism’s board of directors.