Leo Frank Case, Smart Jews

Leo Frank Case
I just read portions of Mr. Steve Oney’s book [on the Leo Frank case] on your Web site (“The ADL and America’s Worst Case of Anti-Semitism,” Nov. 7, 2008). 

God bless him for bringing out the truth and God bless your efforts to do the same.

I grew up in Marietta, Ga. During my childhood I often heard the word “Jew” used in such a derogatory manor that I thought it was a “cuss word.”

I left Marietta when I was young. I’ve recently been intrigued by the story of Leo Frank. I’m flushed with emotion to learn the names of those responsible for him being murdered in such a vile way.

There are roads, schools, etc. named after these men! I grew up on these roads! What these men did to Mr. Frank was simply awful; but what was equally horrible was the mentality they conjured — the spiteful manner in which the word Jew is still used today. They spewed hatred that invaded the minds of the citizens of my hometown.

I left and saw the world for myself. Indeed, seeing the world opened my eyes and forced me to openly challenge ideas poured into my head as a child.

I became Catholic many years ago. I stand with you. I’m ashamed that Marietta still proudly garnishes the names of those who took the law into their own hands and took control of projecting their ideas about who should and who should not be accepted in this world. It’s time to change the names of those roads and schools. Those people were wrong. And, I’m convinced they had the wrong guy. But, even if they did think they had the right guy, I cannot quote any scripture that gives them the right to do what they did. It was wrong in the eyes of God and Georgia law.

Change the names! Set the record straight, Marietta! Until you do, I’ll assume you are still carrying sinful pride for what happened long ago!

Thanks for providing me a venue to express my emotions.

Anonymous, via e-mail

Smart Jews
Listen, boychik, science has merely confirmed (or at least affirmed) what we’ve known all along:  some people have a Yiddishe kopf and some have a Goyishe kopf (“Smarty Pants,” April 24). Of course, there are gradations, exceptions and crossovers. For example, President Barack Obama clearly has a Yiddishe kopf, whereas Sen. Joseph Lieberman has the Goyishe variety (as witness his failure to dump John McCain on the trash heap when the latter chose Sarah Palin for concertmaster). In the main, however, the distinction holds.

Irwin Spector, Toluca Lake

Bigger Issue
Karmel Melamed’s article, “Car Wash Brothers Face Labor Abuse Charges,” focuses so much on the case of the Pirian brothers that it obscures the larger point: Employers in every industry in California have a clear obligation to comply with labor and health-and-safety standards (April 14). The majority of California businesses manage to operate in compliance with these minimum standards. When an employer chooses to ignore minimum wage and workplace safety laws, whether in pursuit of profit or for any other reason, real harm occurs both to the workers whose rights are violated and to law-abiding competitors whose businesses are undercut. Whatever a jury eventually finds as to the innocence or guilt of the Pirians, the real story is that the car wash workers and the entire industry suffer when unscrupulous employers shirk the law.

Mitchell A. Kamin, President/CEO of Bet Tzedek Legal Services
Kevin Kish, Director, Employment Rights Project Los Angeles

Remembering Wally
On April 14, our city and our communities lost a giant champion of justice, Wally Marks (1931-2009) (“Wally Marks, Developer, Social Justice Activist, 78,” April 24). Wally and his wife, Suzy Marks, were the seed and sustained funders of our joint program, NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change, which brings together Muslim and Jewish young professionals to hold frank and honest dialogue on issues related to identity, faith, gender, and Middle East peace.

When we created NewGround, it was a rare, risky and exciting venture — the kind that we know Wally took pride in. Wally settled for nothing short of boldness in addressing the issues he cared about most, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its reverberations throughout the world. He and Suzy consistently wrestled with the work of peace, bridge-building, and conflict resolution, often exchanging articles, films, and ideas. 

Wally believed that great change and progress came from unexpected partnership and cooperation. It is his belief in change and partnership that has inspired the young Muslims and Jews who are transformed by NewGround every year. (Visit newgroundproject.org to read our fuller statement about Wally’s contributions to NewGround and our communities.)

We are filled with gratitude to have had the opportunity to work with such a dedicated and inspiring individual.

Elissa Barrett, Executive Director,Progressive Jewish Alliance
Salam Al-Marayati, Executive Director, Muslim Public Affairs Council

Role of Federation
Michael Berenbaum and John Fishel present their views of The Jewish Federation (“Has Federation Abandoned Its Central Role?” and “Services Mean More Than Infrastructure,” April 24). Sure, The Federation does support certain Jewish agencies and charitable activities to an extent.  But, since it forced the constituent agencies to be responsible for their own funding and for covering their own costs, as noted by Berenbaum, why do we need the costly infrastructure of The Federation?

When The Federation was established, as I recall, its purpose was to do the fund raising so the constituent agencies would be relieved of that task — avoiding duplication of efforts. For many years, The Federation did that quite well. That all changed several years ago when The Federation refused to support the Jewish Community Centers in the Los Angeles area. Go out and raise your own funds, they were told. At that point, many of us ceased to contribute to The Federation.

If The Federation is to continue to operate, it must reassess its mission and return to its original raison d’etre: To support the constituent agencies so they each do not have to seek donations from our citizens. Otherwise, at this point, The Jewish Federation, with its high salaries and elegant/costly artwork and furnishings, has become a costly burden that we don’t need. The Federation’s property on Wilshire Blvd. can be put to better use. The funds it holds can be distributed to the constituent agencies for their functions. The Federation has, by its own actions, become irrelevant. Its time has passed . . . 

George Epstein, Los Angeles