Letters to the Editor: Egypt unrest, Tehran, God

Israel and the Egyptian Unrest

I wanted to take a moment to praise your journal and Mr. Suissa for his article, “Israel Never Looked So Good” (Feb. 4). Sometimes it is difficult to hear the voice of reason over so much shouting, but Mr. Suissa’s words ring out loud and true.

My gratitude to him for writing and to you for publishing.

Jonathan Beninson
via e-mail

David Suissa’s column was a masterpiece. He managed to put the years of hypocritical Israel bashing into the bright light of truth. He has written a textbook that should open the eyes, hearts and minds of those Jews who have made Israel the cause of all the Arabs’ suffering. For those who shout “freeze the settlements,” I say, save enough of your breath to shout “save the Arabs from their real oppressors.”

Hershey Gold 
Los Angeles  

I just read David Suissa’s column. What a breath of fresh air. What an insightful perspective into the convoluted world of intellectuals and “activists” who have been bashing Israel for decades. It takes courage and understanding to balance the much-needed self-criticism of Israel and the Jewish world with the hypocritical double standard by which the so-called international community has been judging Israel.

While we should have the audacity to criticize Israel for its faults, we should never lose sight of the beacon that she is in a troubled part of this world.

Behrouz Soroudi
Beverly Hills

The article by David Suissa on the Middle East political situation is superb.

It can be summed up in one word: WOW.

Manfred Teller
via e-mail

David Suissa’s article is an extremely insightful, articulate, succinct and yet complete commentary on the stark contrast between Israel’s democracy and the complete lack of democracy in all her hostile neighbors, and on the alarming contrast between the worldwide opposition to Israel and the “screaming silence” in the face of the denial of basic human rights to tens of millions throughout the Arab world.

Rather than reflecting common sense, the thinking on the part of all the supposed experts on the subject reflects a “global obsession with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict” — an obsession that has only one goal in mind, which is the demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel. Instead of demonizing and delegitimizing the only democracy in the midst of an oppressive Arab world, wouldn’t it make more sense to join with Suissa and challenge all “those Israel bashers” to just ask the Arab world: “Why don’t you try to emulate the Jews?” 

Tricia Aven
Redondo Beach

Encouraging Signs

Allow me to be “perfectly clear.” I am not a fan of Rob Eshman — many of his editorial decisions irk me to no end — don’t get me started! Having said that, I must admit that his piece this week on Egypt (“The ‘F’ Word,” Feb. 4) is well thought out, and, well, right on. Many of my friends and fellow congregants might disagree, but I find the change in Egypt to be encouraging.

Jon Merritt
Beverlywood

Keep Church and State Separate

Gina Nahai’s column “Tehran to Cairo” (Feb. 4) was not only beautifully written, but also clearly made the case that religion should have no place in the government of a modern, educated and open society. Both the ultra-Orthodox in Israel and the New Testament zealots in our country aggressively violate this message. I have always felt that all Holy Books should be considered as literature. You can believe as much of them as you wish, but do not try to impose your dogma on the entire population if you want to perpetuate a true democracy.

Martin J. Weisman
Westlake Village

 
Morality without God

I’m surprised to read an article by Dennis Prager (“No God, No Moral Society,” Feb. 4) in which he claims that “every atheist philosopher I have interviewed or debated has … acknowledged that if there is no God, morality — i.e., good and evil — are only subjective opinions” so soon after Sam Harris published a book arguing that morality is objective independent of God’s existence. Harris and Prager have debated in the past. Is there a lapse in Prager’s memory? Furthermore, Prager rewrites history when he suggests that Washington, Jefferson and Franklin envisioned a God-based society.

Guy Handelman
via jewishjournal.com