Jews in Office
Rob Eshman is exactly right when he writes, “If we want more Jews in office — and it is in our interest — we have to help make it happen,” in his recent column “Outsiders Again?” (May 8).
As I tell in my newly published book, “Los Angeles Jew: A Memoir,” in the early 1950s I was a member of the Westside Young Jewish Democrats when we learned of an open seat on the Los Angeles City Council. We reasoned that if we put as much effort into electing someone to the City Council as we have been doing for state and federal elections, we might triumph.
When someone suggested that I be the candidate, I deferred and suggested our group’s chair, a young Jewish girl named Rosalind Weiner. She consented, my mother and I were two of the first to sign her petition for candidacy, and sure enough we elected her. When she married, Roz became Rosalind Wyman, and she served the city of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Jewish community extremely well for many years.
It is time for a similar concerted effort.
Martin A. Brower, Corona del Mar
Brains Over Beauty
So The Jewish Journal finds it appropriate to celebrate Israel’s birthday by featuring Shirly Brener who is described as “hot” and having “a great (and I mean great) body” (“Beautiful. Intense. Israeli.” May 1). This is not a comment on her but rather on your staff writer. In earlier editions of your newspaper, Shifra Bronznick and her co-authors write about their book, “Leveling the Playing Field: Advancing Women in Jewish Organizational Life.” In another issue, Israeli researcher Yael Itzhaki discusses her research showing that women make better negotiators.
Since Jewish “smarts” is now topical, I would ask how smart this is? You have done a disservice not only to Israel but also to Jewish women generally.
Gene Rothman, Culver City
Pray and Wash
In Steve Greenberg’s Cartoon, he says, “Prayer is good, Hygiene is better” (“Greenberg’s View,” May 8). I believe that both are equally important. We should remember who gives us our health, while also doing our part to protect our health.
Name withheld upon request, Los Angeles
Passover Miracle
I am an 89-year-old Holocaust survivor, and during the seder this year I had my own miracle to relate to my son’s family.
In Hungary, from 1940, Jewish young men were taken for service by the Hungarian government (Munkaszolgalat); this was in lieu of military service. My brother Naftoli (Zoli) Friedman, whose memory my shul, Congregation Bais Naftoli, is named after, was in one of these labor camps near the Yugoslavian border for about two years. Without notice, an hour before the seder, we found out that his entire unit was camping in our little city, Kiskunfelegyhaza, many miles from his regular camp site. The authorities allowed Naftoli and a number of his friends to spend the seder with me and my aging parents. At that time, my father predicted that Naftoli and I will survive to build a new home after the war. My other four siblings were killed in Auschwitz. Naftoli and I did survive and I have one son, four grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
I thank God for all of His miracles.
Alex Friedman, Los Angeles
AIPAC Photo
AIPAC held its annual Policy Conference last week and Los Angeles seemed to have a wonderfully large delegation (“L.A. Brings Its Clout to AIPAC,” May 8). Los Angeles also has a large congressional delegation as well as two superb California senators.
As one who served a while back as the second in command at AIPAC and then began the work of encouraging Los Angeles people, starting with Barbie Weinberg, to come to that conference, I was thrilled that so many went from this community to meet with their representatives to express their unity with Israel.
But then I read the article and turned my attention to the attached picture — several unidentified people from Los Angeles posing not with a congressman or congresswoman from Los Angeles, but with one of the most reactionary Republicans from Louisiana, who has already shamed Congress with his having been caught on the list of a famous D.C. prostitution company owner.
Who on The Journal failed our community by such irresponsibility. We have great Jewish representatives from Los Angeles who should have been supported with a picture with their own people. But what did the community see — Sen. David Vitter.
I am ashamed of the Journal!
Al Mellman, Los Angeles
Doctor’s Woes
With some melancholy and emotional release I read the sad story of “The Good Doctor” in Rob Eshman’s column (May 1). As a father I cannot help but send my heart out to him and extend a deep condolence for his loss.
And, it appears that we can add him to the handful of Palestinian intellectuals who join with almost 80 percent of the world Jewish population in desiring a just and final end to this conflict for all concerned. If I could speak to the doctor, or if he has a chance to read this I would tell him the following:
You don’t have to waste time in the United States, Israel or Europe speaking to Jewish audiences. We are with you. We understand the need to find a just and reasonable conclusion acceptable to both sides. The vast majority of Jewish people inside Israel and out, want peace with the Palestinians. We want to move beyond the bloodshed and begin to build together our little corner of the world. Go back to Gaza, and begin speaking out to the Palestinians there. Make sure they understand our desire for peace. Explain to them in the same heart-wrenching terms that Eshman quotes in the article how the loss of your three daughters has given you an advanced mission in life. Make them understand that the Jews want peace. All they have to do is to stop trying to kill us and we can work everything else out.
The article on page 21 (“Palestinian Doctor Calls for Coexistence, Despite Loss” May 1) mentions that he speaks to Muslim audiences. I would like to know what audiences, where? I didn’t see anything like that in the article on page 21 and I assume, Mr. Eshman, that you did not bring this up. Call him back. Do not waste this opportunity to make a real impact. Tell him. It’s great that he speaks to Muslim audiences but he should not waste time speaking to Jews. It is his own people he needs to convince of this. It is the Palestinians that control the length and breadth of bloodshed in the Middle East, not the Jews. As long as the Palestinian philosophy is to teach their children hatred, bloodshed and the Nazi tactics against the Jewish people, Israel will continue to defend itself, and many more Palestinians will die in the future needlessly. This is what the good doctor needs to understand and relay to his own people. Before he is executed in the streets for being an Israeli shill we might be able to plant a seed that might grow into a real reconciliation someday. Well, to be honest it probably won’t happen but I am willing try, are you?
Larry Hart, West Hills
I just read your article, much awaited, in the online version of The Jewish Journal. You, predictably, captured it so well. If only [Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish] could be in charge of peacemaking. He said to me, “I cannot look back. I must only look forward.” To lose his wife, already horrific. Then even if he’d only lost one daughter, but three, and the niece. How can there be such a human being on this earth?
Dodi Fromson, via e-mail
Switching Sides
Sen. Arlen Specter’s move from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party exposed the man for what he really is: a self-serving career politician who will do anything to try to keep his seat in the exclusive club known as the U.S. Senate (“Specter Switches Sides!” on Jews Choose blog, April 28). It also gives conservatives a better shot at his Pennsylvania seat.
There is another upside. By switching parties, the turncoat will save former Rep. Pat Toomey the trouble and expense of another long, bruising primary challenge.
Mr. Specter’s double-dealing leaves some Republicans red in the face. Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, snubbed conservatives by making clear the party would endorse and support the liberal Mr. Specter against the conservative Mr. Toomey rather than stay neutral.
Mr. Specter’s announcement destroyed the myth he peddled for years that he was above politics and ideology, and that his decisions merely reflected the will of his constituents. In the April 9 Newsweek, Mr. Specter assured, “I’m a Republican, and I’m going to run in the Republican primary and on the Republican ticket” and that he was “not considering” running as a Democrat. The only new factors are poll results showing him badly losing a Republican primary to Mr. Toomey. Next year’s Pennsylvania Senate contest will pit principle against political opportunism. The match-up favors Mr. Toomey.
Brian J. Goldenfeld, Woodland Hills
Federation’s Relevance
Between the lines of this report is a larger and perhaps more significant message underlining an issue confronting our Los Angeles Jewish community: the abandonment of the Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) by The Jewish Federation (“Valley Cities JCC Will Close in June,” May 1).
If the JCCs are not sufficiently worthy and do not merit financial support by The Jewish Federation, then certainly The Jewish Federation does not merit my donations. The Jewish Federation has ceased to be relevant in our Jewish community. I suspect there are many others who agree with me.
George Epstein, Los Angeles
Jewish Political Values
If only Jack Weiss had brought the Jewish values of “open government and accountability” with him to City Hall (“Outsiders Again?” May 8). Instead, he has repeatedly flouted the demonstrated will of his constituents in deference to deep-pocket real-estate developers who back his campaigns. The result? Overbuilding, traffic congestion and billboard blight in Los Angeles. When asked by a constituent weeks ago to provide a copy of his calendar, so that one might know why he was absent from City Council meetings about a third of the time, Weiss’ staff responded that it was complicated to grant the request and would “take more time.” Until after the election, perhaps? Integrity and transparency are what we need in elected officials; back-room deals aren’t good for L.A.’s Jews or anyone else.
Rosanne Keynan, Los Angeles
I support Rob Eshman’s broad premise that Jews bring a particular set of values to the table, including open government, accountability and the rule of law. Unfortunately, neither of the two Jewish candidates currently running for city office embodies those values, least of all Jack Weiss, who voted against independent audits of the city attorney, cut back-room deals with developers and billboard companies, and refused to return campaign contributions from money launderers. As one of Mr. Weiss’s constituents for the last eight years, I can assure Mr. Eshman that Jewish representation is not necessarily the best way to represent Jews. Jews will always be best represented by candidates whose conduct is consistent with Jewish values, regardless of identity.
Shelley Wagers, Los Angeles
Nuclear-Armed Iran
Congratulations for an excellent article by Martin J. Raffel (“Act Now to Stop Nuclear-Armed Iran,” May 1). I could not have written any better myself. However, Mr. Raffel does not indicate what to do when all conversation and diplomacy, in good faith, runs out of time. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently told the gathering at AIPAC, by video, “that Iran must not be allowed to become nuclear.” I, therefore, propose when all the discussions have been exhausted and not resulted in Iran’s “stepping down” from their ambition to attain a nuclear weapon, the following: the U.S.A. take a pre-emptive surgical strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and missile emplacements. This can be accomplished with the U.S. Navy and Air Force stationed in the area. No land army is required such as in Iraq and Afghanistan. This would be a limited action without the need to attack the population centers. Furthermore, based on my analysis and experience of many years in that region, the vast majority of the good people of Iran will then have the opportunity to change governments, bring democracy back even better than existed at the time of the shah some 30 years ago.
Bernard Nichols, via e-mail
Gaza Outcomes
I would like to commend Rob Eshman on a very fine editorial “Gaza Outcomes” (Jan. 2). It is both even-handed and humane. I also do not like to see dead or wounded children of any kind. Like Rob, I recently returned from my 19th mission to Israel, of which I spent three days in Sderot as a guest of the hesder yeshiva, a great bunch of guys. I did not interview as many people as Rob. However, the sentiment was how long do they have to suffer? After considerable thought and analysis, I believe the only real and permanent solution — a total separation between Jews of Israel and all Arab people residing in all parts of Israel, including Jerusalem. Israel must be for Jews only. The few million Arabs, whatever names they give themselves, are to be encouraged, one way or another, to find their beautiful homes in the existing 22 oil rich and large Arab nations. Simply put. A quid pro quo.
Bernard Nichols, via e-mail
Correction
Rob Eshman’s editorial, “Outsiders Again?” (May 8), incorrectly identified a Jewish Federation-funded program for engaging young people in urban issues. The correct name of the program is the New Leaders Project.
