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Letters to the editor: Elon Gold, Daniel Pearl, ISIS and Israeli field hospitals

Having just read “Drive-by Hate” (Aug. 29), as a Protestant of Italian descent, it occurred to me that everyone should read this, then close their eyes and imagine the scene, the Gold family happily enjoying Shabbat and their time together, when this happened).
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September 3, 2014

A War at Home

Having just read “Drive-by Hate” (Aug. 29), as a Protestant of Italian descent, it occurred to me that everyone should read this, then close their eyes and imagine the scene, the Gold family happily enjoying Shabbat and their time together, when this happened). Try to see the faces of the children who are seeing what every loving parent wants to shield their children from. Imagine the incredible fear in Elon and his wife and especially these kids. Now replace the image you have of those children’s faces with the faces of your own kids, or if you don’t have any, imagine kids you love. My suggestion is familiar and obviously borrowed, but it’s necessary, I think, to experience in a small way what this must have been like. Shalom Mr. Gold. Only the best to you and your family.

Joe Hampton via jewishjournal.com

Thank you, Elon Gold, for this well-stated and personal posting. I have been disheartened by the lack of Jewish entertainers speaking up for their people and Israel. Although I’m grateful for those who HAVE spoken up in the entertainment industry, there is a noticeable lack of some of the prominent names I would have hoped to see sharing their concern for, and love of, Israel. 

Beverly Bloom via jewishjournal.com

I’ve read Elon Gold’s unfortunate episode that he and his family had to experience what the police calls a “hate incident.” I feel sad that his young kids had to go through it. But, I feel proud of him for taking time to write about his experience and make people aware that we need to speak up and put the blame where it belongs. I do hope our city’s, state’s and country’s Jewish influential people take to heart what happened to the Gold family and speak up. Things like these should never happen in our city and our country.

Isaac Venouziou, Los Angeles


Remembering a Hero

I would like Daniel Pearl’s parents to know we, our whole family including grandkids, consider Danny Pearl a hero … and a Jewish hero (“The Pragmatic Fight Against Evil,” Aug. 29). We bought “A Mighty Heart” but couldn’t watch it … it was too sad. Almost like seeing our own family.

Rose Galston via jewishjournal.com


History of Healing

Those of us who are old enough to remember the civil war in Lebanon, which involved the Palestinians, also remember Israel’s Open Fence policy (“Why Didn’t Gazans Use the IDF Field Hospital?” Aug. 29). These were Israeli-run hospitals that were located right over the border into Israel that allowed any and all Palestinians or Lebanese to come into Israel for free medical treatment, which is something they could not get in Lebanon during the war because there were no medical shipments into the country. They did this in spite of ongoing terrorist attacks from the Palestinians, who were based in Lebanon before they got kicked out by the Lebanese. Jewish physicians have always been available to treat the wounded and sick, no matter what nationality, religion, or whether or not they were the enemy. Once again Hamas kills Palestinians for PR purposes. Once again the Jews show their humanity regardless of the lies told about them by their enemies.

Paula Bojsen via jewishjournal.com


Be the News You Want to See 

We need to move beyond pessimism and optimism and become the agents that change what is small, barely noticeable, yet nevertheless saves someone somewhere from misery and suffering. This is how civil society works — the accumulation of many healing acts (“The News Summer From Hell,” Aug. 29).

Janet Vickers via jewishjournal.com 


Gift and Burden of Hindsight

Reading Rob Eshman’s column about the ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) matter (“What Ramy Knew,” Aug. 29) is very similar to the Aug. 28 front-page article in the Wall Street Journal titled “The Islamic State’s Economy of Extortion.”

Seems the only way ISIS can be eliminated is to eliminate them — knowing very well that some other group — perhaps worse yet — will replace them.

Glad you and your weekly column are back.

Milt Cohen, Sylmar


correction

The op-ed “Why It’s Not About Ferguson” (Aug. 29) should have stated that there were 20 children (not 20 white children) murdered at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn. One of the children, Ana Marquez-Greene, was Puerto Rican and African-American.

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