How the mighty have fallen as we witness a true Greek tragedy.
By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)Fall guyI feel very sorry for this poor “soldier-child” who has been tarred and feathered by the “wise men” of the IDF and our biased media (“The voice of a soldier-child caught in a tragedy,” July 25). In the Ethics of the Fathers, we are told that wise men should be careful with their words, for their students might learn the wrong thing and bring tragedy.I think the person who should be on trial is the officer who claimed: “I turned him and he has no belt.” If he was so sure, why did he not open the jacket? Or was this so risky that he called in a police sapper? It is so much easier to cover your *ss by accusing an 18 year old and make him the fall guy! How are the mighty fallen as we witness a true Greek tragedy.EMANUEL FISCHERJerusalem Political expediencyIn giving in to the ultra-Orthodox lobby and not insisting that all Israeli students learn mathematics and English (“Panel okays bill to cancel obligatory core curriculum in haredi schools,” July 25), the government is condemning thousands of haredim to ignorance and poverty. They will not be able to make a living and support their large families, but will have to rely on charity and social welfare.This is a disgrace. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be ashamed of himself for surrendering to political blackmail.Are these people he is abandoning mere pawns in a political game? Is the future of Israel as a democratic, enlightened and educated country not more important than politics and keeping a majority in the Knesset? I have not voted for any party in the last two elections, but instead have put blank slips in the ballot box. In the next election, I am definitely going to vote against Netanyahu. I do not like political expediency.HENRY TOBIASMa’aleh AdumimBecause Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Education Minister Naftali Bennett prefer to preserve their political lives by concurring with demands by the ultra-Orthodox, 50,000 haredi sacrificial lambs will have their future possibilities stolen and be condemned to ignorance and poverty.Without a smattering of education in English, math and science, young people aren’t employable; without employment, they are condemned to poverty. Israeli stipends coupled with donations from abroad cannot support the burgeoning haredi population or shrink the disparity between haredi skills and work-force demands.This government will roll over and sacrifice the possibilities of yet another generation of youth for the sake of personal gain. Its political success is completely abhorrent, and totally un-Jewish! Let the haredim educate their kids in religious subjects, but once taxpayer money is used, there’s an obligation for schools to comply with laws regarding a core curriculum.JUDY BAMBERGER O’ConnorAustraliaShowing respectIt was truly heartwarming to read your report about Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev’s decision not to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games because it falls on the Sabbath (“Regev to skip Rio ceremony due to Shabbat,” July 25).“As the representative of the State of Israel, the sole Jewish state on the planet, I unfortunately cannot take part in the opening ceremony... because it would require me to break the holy Sabbath,” she said. This was especially heartwarming because she herself, as you reported, “is not known to be religiously observant.”A pity that the Orthodox do not usually show the same respect for the non-religious!HYAM CORNEYNetanyaOppressive lettersIn our 2015 book on homosexuality and Jewish law, Homosexuality in Halacha: It is not that simple, I and my co-author deplore that The Jerusalem Post combines excellent GLBTQ reporting with letters to the editor that are not encouraging.We didn’t see such letters for a year, but now, after the very successful Jerusalem Pride Parade, with possibly more allies than gays marching, we again see many oppressive letters that at the very least show the ignorance of some readers (“Sitting it out,” Letters, July 24).This is disturbing to people in a very weak social position, and potentially endangering to their mental health and even lives.Please stop toying or trifling with the weakest in Jerusalem and conservative Israel.ROBIN H. KOHENThe writer has informed the Post that the name is a pseudonym and requested that a place of residence be withheld.Jerusalem Post readers and the paper’s letters editor apparently feel compelled, after positive GLBTQ news, to publish anti-homosexual content. None of such is in the reporting, only in the letters. Why? Have they ever known a gay person close to suicide? Probably not, because otherwise, how could one be so callous? In Jerusalem, many gays still gamble with their sanity and last monies in fruitless “therapies,” and risk excommunication on top of their life-long loneliness.When they turn to their rabbis, they have no hope.Should we not all be very careful to support them and refrain from any other sound-MOSHE-MORDECHAI VAN ZUIDENJerusalem----------------------The letters editor responds: The letters section reflects a representative sample of the views of Jerusalem Post readers who submit letters to the editor. Generally, at least two days are given to allow an adequate and balanced selection of responses. When only “anti-homosexual content” is submitted – as was the case in this instance, when not a single letter in support of the pride parade was received – this is what appears. The only censorship applied is when hatred or outright nastiness is expressed, which was not the case with any of the letters in question.----------------------Words of wisdomThe opening to former president Shimon Peres’s opinion piece “Following Maimonides” (Observations, July 22) gives importance to the 10 Commandments.There is a need to stress that in today’s society, much of the world needs to be made more aware of their contents.Dotted around the globe are innumerable statues, palaces and monuments that signify honor and achievement by outstanding people in their various fields. However, where can one see an inspiring code of conduct that we need in order to make the world a better place? The need to advance these God-given words should be the duty of all of us. We must disseminate them among so many people who do not know what we stand for and seem to be unaware that we are all shaped in God’s image.Should the Arch of Titus, a monument dedicated to oppression, continue to stand? A counter to this heathen edifice should be a place where we honor God. Surely, a place in Jerusalem could be found to glorify Him and make His words come true for all.The words of the Rambam (and former president Peres) are hard to match, but they need to be stressed in order to “bring the message home” in a plaza or square dedicated to shalom, peace – which is also God’s name. There, people of all nations could come freely to contemplate these words of wisdom.ROLAND SEENERJerusalemCLARIFICATIONWith regard to “Dov Lipman, StandWithUs partner to teach US campers about BDS” (July 24), Lipman’s participation in the anti-BDS tour at US summer camps was sponsored by the World Zionist Organization, where he works as director of public diplomacy in the vice chairman’s office. It was not a private initiative in partnership with StandWithUs.
