Letters to the Editor

Yasser Arafat

The American Jewish Congress, which for years has been a firm supporter of the Middle East peace process, is engaging in painful soul searching right now as we ask ourselves whether our belief that Yasser Arafat was willing to make peace with Israel was a delusion. We were persuaded that despite his history of terrorism, Arafat had chosen the path to peace. Perhaps we wanted to be persuaded and so believed him to be a partner for Israel.

What is not delusion is Arafat’s turn to violence, which has brought the Middle East to the brink of war after peace seemed so near at Camp David. Like all people of good will, we have been profoundly shocked by this cruel wave of violence, terror and the cynical sending of children into an armed conflict fomented by the Palestinian leadership. And so we are left to wonder if Arafat ever really accepted that not only Israelis, but Palestinians, too, would have to make painful compromises for peace. We are also left to wonder – in the wake of Arafat’s sneering disregard of Jewish attachment to Jerusalem – if this agreement to work for peace was, all along, merely a subterfuge on the road to a dream of eliminating Israel.

These are very tough words from an organization that has never wavered in its hope to see the peace process succeed. Were we wrong about Arafat? Only his actions to stop the violence, to return to the peace table and at long last to begin the process of reeducating his people to accept the existence of Israel and the role Jerusalem plays in Jewish life can now convince us otherwise.

Gary P. RatnerExecutive DirectorAmerican Jewish CongressPacific Southwest Region

Jewish Education

Jacob Neusner is correct to be concerned (“The Intellectual Crisis of Jewish American Life,” Nov. 10). The blame does not lie with liberal rabbinical schools or with competition from university programs of Jewish studies alone.

Applicants to Hebrew Union College and Jewish Theological Seminary today have very limited skills in textual study. This is an issue of the quality of applicants rather than the numbers. The leading Reform and Conservative pulpit rabbis Neusner remembers from the 1950s came to the liberal movements from Orthodox yeshivas. What changed?

Not just that the seminaries are staffed with their own alumni nor even a shortage of faculty with doctorates. By and large, the leaders of American Judaism today came up through the liberal movements and as children were educated in public schools. As circular as it sounds, if “we are served by a rabbinate without Torah” it is because we do not educate our children in Torah. Talmudic debate is the paradigm for the “vital intellectual life” Neusner mourns. It is still alive and well in traditional yeshivas today.

Miriam Pinkerson, Long Beach

Rock Stereotype

It is no secret that a high percentage of Jews are overachievers in every area of modern society, so why not in rock music as well?

I take issue, however, with the wording of the headline which, although a cute turn of phrase, is an unfair stereotype of musicians (“Sex, Drugs… and Lots of Jews?,” Nov. 10). God knows, we Jews have enough to overcome.

Here are a couple of examples I know, out of the myriad of other Jewish musicians who are successful and of spotless personal reputation: Mark Schulman, Cher’s drummer, has performed with many top rock bands, and is a writer, producer and studio musician. He is also my son. His close friend, Dave Koz, a well-known saxophonist, is also an upstanding Jew of the highest integrity. Both of these young musicians have lent their time and talent to charitable causes, both Jewish and non-Jewish.

Sandra Schulman, Westlake Village

Israeli Tourism

I just returned from a vacation in Israel, a trip friends and family told me I was crazy to do. I enjoyed the sun, beach and people in Tel Aviv. The news has exaggerated the worst of times in the territories while ignoring the fact that life goes on even in Israel.

People go to work, go shopping, play, dance, laugh and take vacations. Because the U.S. issued a travel warning to Americans, economically many Israelis are suffering. Some hotels have actually closed, others are at 10 percent capacity. People in the tourist industry are losing jobs. I made friends with several shop owners that have lots of free time to talk since no tourists are walking in. More than one told me that I was the first tourist they had seen in weeks.

I encourage Jewish people to go to Israel – to lend both emotional and financial support by being present. Israel is the insurance policy for Jews around the world.

Donna Barnett- via e-mail

Kabbalah Center

In response to your clear and well-written introduction to kabbalah and some of its study options in Los Angeles, thank you. However, you have done a disservice to your readers with your article regarding the Kabbalah Center and the water (“Proof Is in the Pudding,” Sept. 29).

I’ve taken classes and observed Shabbat there for some time now. By focusing on the water and almost completely ignoring the center, you miss the point. Perhaps your readers would be better served by focusing on the positive aspects of studying Judaism, Torah, kabbalah and the large number of options we in Los Angeles are blessed with to do just that. The goal in all of these approaches is essentially the same – to transform individuals into more sharing, loving, proactive, powerful and effective human beings. This is also quite clearly the goal of the Kabbalah Center.

Joshua R. Newman- via e-mail