By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)Try teamwork Concerning the discussion in “Ultra-Orthodox and affirmative action: Justice and not charity” (Comment & Features, January 17), in searching for a way to alleviate their desperate poverty, the Haredi community need look no further than the Torah, which is the very essence of its members’ existence.In blessing his people prior to his departure from this world, Moses stated (Deut.33:18): “Rejoice, Zevulun, in your going out, and Issachar in your tents.”Biblical commentators saw Zevulun as the typification of the entrepreneur and bread winner, while Issachar represented the Torah scholar. The two were to have a reciprocal relationship: Issachar would devote himself to Torah study while Zevulun would support him, both of them receiving equal Heavenly reward for their work.In the course of its members’ Torah study, has this most practical idea ever registered with the Haredi community?FRED GOTTLIEBJerusalemSimple questions With regard to “State takes hard line on Hamas medical requests after Goldin family’s petition” (January 16), some simple questions:Why is there even the issue of supplying medical aid to Hamas members? For humanitarian reasons? Would we have done the same for Nazi party members involved in planning the Holocaust?Where is the humanitarian concern from Hamas in returning the bodies of Lt. Hadar Goldin and St.-Sgt. Oron Shaul, or the Israelis who crossed the Gaza border and are now being held by Hamas without contact with their families? Aren’t they more important than Hamas members receiving medical aid?Have we forgotten that Hamas is dedicated to our destruction? Can we stop the idiocy of trying to be better than the other side and realize finally what we are up against?Hamas is a relentless foe dedicated to our destruction.B. WEINSTEINNetanya A plan for J’lem Jerusalem should be independent and free, not owned by one state or religion, an autonomous city open to Jews, Muslims and Christians.There should be no internal borders, no weapons and no controls. There should be one police force for all, and all patrols should include a Jew, a Muslim and a Christian, like we had it in Austria after World War II: four to a Jeep – one American soldier, one from Russia, one from England and one from France; otherwise, they couldn’t trust each other.If there are no borders and the populations mix in the streets, there will be no more bomb attacks because it doesn’t make sense to kill one’s own people. That means more peace and freedom – and more tourists in this wondrous and beautiful city. This means more income, and all decisions on what to do with the money must be made unanimously by an elected group consisting of one-third Muslims, one-third Jews and onethird Christians.It’s so very easy! You just have to do it!I talked to a lot of people (more than 100) about this peace plan and nobody could say anything against it. Then I sent it to some of the foreign embassies in Austria (Israel, Palestine, US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and so on); the mayor of Jerusalem; the president of the United States and other US politicians; and about 20 journalists from serious, mainstream international news outlets – and would you believe it? There came not one answer!It seems that nobody is interested in peace. The politicians earn money by selling weapons for wars, and journalists are more interested in pouring oil in the fire. But I am sure that the people of Jerusalem are very interested in peace!Going back to Abraham, we all are brothers and sisters – it doesn’t matter if you call yourself a Muslim, a Christian or a Jew. We have the same prophets and the same God, and this God wants peace, freedom and paradise on Earth, which he made for all of us!MARTIN GRIESSNERSalzburg
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