LETTERS: Jewish Divorce, Business Practice, Sid Grauman

Jewish Divorce

Get rid of the get (“Community Rallies for Woman’s Jewish Divorce,” March 13). Women are not slaves, and women are not property. Power which continues in the hands of husbands and with the men who wrote the laws and continue to carry them out, corrupts.

When will women be accepted as human beings, the same as their male counterparts? Why aren’t the men considered agunah (anchored)? When will Jewish women be given the respect they rightfully deserve?

The get is inhumane and should no longer be part of the faith I love!

Linda Turner

Porter Ranch

Anti-Muslim Rhetoric

I just wanted to commend both the Jewish Journal and Rabbi Reuven Firestone for posting such a wonderful article, or I guess you would call it a Q&A (“An Appreciation of Islam: Q&A With Rabbi Reuven Firestone,” March 13). As an American-Muslim, it is so refreshing to see that there are people out there who are working toward understanding of each other. I truly believe that is what can bring peace in so many places in the world.

I especially want to thank you both because lately it has been quite disheartening to see so many hateful and scary comments on any article or blog online talking about Islam or Muslims. I know there is anti-Muslim rhetoric out there, but the more you read it, the harder it becomes to deal with it.

So thank you. Your article gives me … [hope] that the anti-Muslim rhetoric we face today is just a fad.

I really hope your article really opens people’s eyes and helps the community come closer to understanding one another.

Anbar Mahar

Mission Viejo

Anti-Zionist Jews

I respectfully disagree with Judea Pearl on his use of the term Marranos to describe anti-Zionist Jews in America (“Our New Marranos,” March 20). Marrano means pig in Spanish and was a derogatory term used by Catholics to describe Jews who converted to Catholicism but probably continued to practice crypto-Judaism.

They were never accepted into Spanish society, and their names were code for Jews (e.g., converso (convert), converse in English). They were persecuted victims and converted to prevent death by auto-da-fe or expulsion and loss of all their wealth. They are to be pitied.

Today’s anti-Zionist American Jews are not persecuted. They identify with Israel’s and Judaism’s sworn enemies.

My term for them is Jewish Jew haters — anti-Semites is an inacurate term, since Arabs are Semites, also — and perhaps Jewish Nazis, who like Haman and Hitler would be in the same boat on their way to Hades.

Unlike Pearl, I have no warmth for them, only revulsion. They truly belong with Bernard Madoff in the lowest, coldest level of hell as described in Dante’s Inferno.

William Brenner

Beverly Hills

Anti-Zionists, who in no way demonize Israel, have every right to be part of the Jewish community. However, the activists among the anti-Zionists, who make obscene analogies, promote every kind of libel against Israel and encourage writers and editors to omit all the key points from textbooks, articles, etc., that would make an overwhelming case for the Jewish state, have no right to be part of our community.

Pearl is wrong in comparing these people to Marranos. They rather compare to Theobald of Cambridge, the 12th century apostate, who made up the blood libel. Certainly it would be absurd to count him as one of us.

Ronnie Gribler

Los Angeles

Business Practice

I was very disappointed with David Suissa’s article, “Laboring for Ethics” (March 6), and its carping criticism of an innovative and bold ethics initiative before it has even been put into operation.

This kind of it-will-never-fly attitude manages to undercut many ideas with great potential. Suissa seems not to understand the main purposes of the initiative. It is not intended to be law enforcement; it is intended to sensitize the ethical sensitivity of the Jewish consumer toward conditions in their own community.

Just as many are very careful about all technical details of kashrut, they should be careful about all details of fairness and justice. This initiative is intended to educate the public and to allow them to use their consumer leverage in maintaining high standards.

The decision just to ensure that the businesses are following the labor laws and not to go further was an attempt to make the project doable, not to say we wouldn’t like more. If businesses are already following the law, they should have no objection, and if they are not, they should be held accountable at least by their customers.

Let’s give this initiative a chance to show if it will bear fruit before prejudging it before it is even tried.

Steven M. Lowenstein

Los Angeles

Sid Grauman

Kudos to Tom Teicholz for his profile of the legendary impresario Sid Grauman (“Laud the Life of Grauman, Hollywood’s Gold Standard,” March 13).

Fortunately, three of the four movie palaces that Grauman built between 1918 and 1927 are still standing. Sadly, the Metropolitan Theatre was demolished in 1960. But the Million Dollar Theatre in Los Angeles was recently restored, while the Chinese and Egyptian theatres in Hollywood still draw cinema devotees through their temple doors.

Les Hammer

Pasadena

Corrections

In the article, “Cohen, Iranian Jews Spar Over View of Jews in Iran” (March 20), a comment by Michelle Sassounian, a 24-year-old law student, was erroneously attributed to Jasmin Niku.

The article, “Latino Radio Show Stirs Concern Over View on Jews” (March 20), was mistaken in stating that KPFK does not receive government support. It is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which receives federal funding.