The Torah states that when we save one person, we save a whole world. We only really discover the truth of this when the person is someone we love, or ourselves.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFletters 88(photo credit: Courtesy)Our Gilad
Sir, - Re Larry Derfner's "Everything for Gilad, nothing for peace" (June 28): The Torah states that when we save one person, we save a whole world. We only really discover the truth of this when the person is someone we love, or ourselves.
Israeli citizens' feeling that Gilad is our own son is neither superficial nor false. He is.
SARAH SHAPIRO
Jerusalem
Some are more equal
Sir, - Again this week the Israeli Mafia hit twice - one bomb in Ashkelon, another in Ra'anana ("Underworld infighting returns to the streets," June 28). Eight innocent people were wounded.
Well, who cares? In Israel, if you are rich and powerful or have political connections, you can do whatever you want, with little fear of punishment. You can fix a deal with the justice authorities, like our outgoing president; no problem.
Just be careful if you are a simple citizen. You can go to jail for a debt of NIS 100.
DAVID WAINTRAUB
Rishon Lezion
Bolton as Cassandra...
Sir, - Further to "Jerusalem claims Bolton is too pessimistic on Iran" (June 28): Now John Bolton is no longer US ambassador to the UN, he's still looking for trouble. He says the means Congress has been pushing to get Iran to rethink its nuclear program won't work.
How does he know, when they haven't been tried yet? Even before such measures have been instituted there is trouble in Iran, with people short of gasoline for their cars. They are sitting on a huge lake of oil, but have to import their gasoline!
This is a result of previous restraints. Why shouldn't certain measures be tried first? There is still plenty of time for bombing, if those measures don't work. In the meantime, let's try something a little less drastic.
LEONARD ZURAKOV
Netanya
...and as Jeremiah
Sir, - John Bolton is right. Gog and Magog is closer than people think. Bolton speaks out of common sense and a sense of history. Affairs in the Middle East are a swirling sandstorm of lies based on shifting sand dunes, here today and gone tomorrow. While the sandstorm blinds others, Bolton can see beyond it.
The Iranians have the upper hand - the centrifuges, the uranium, the rockets, the negotiations, hate for Israel, and those stalling-for-time words "maybe" and "no." The West has "please."
BILLY JOE PARKER
Waleska, Georgia
Let's not doze again
Sir, - Whereas Emanuel Feldman's op-ed was a most refreshing analysis of our politicians' shortcomings, may I request that before Mr. R.V. Winkle resumes his slumbers, and instead of merely hoping for new faces, we insist on urgent electoral reform.
PHIL FRYDMAN
Netanya
Sorrowful little star
Sir, - Tell Esther Olivier's parents to say she is a soccer star, and then she will automatically get citizenship.
There is something wrong with us as a people and a country. To throw out someone who never lived anyplace else when you glorify sport stars shows a problem ("Forced to bid farewell to Israel. Born nine months after a gov't deadline, Esther Olivier, 4, is now to be deported," June 22).
MADALYN SCHAEFFER
Jerusalem
IBL's shaky 'outreach'
Sir, - Re "Modi'in wins historic first game of IBL" (June 25): The Israel Baseball League's organizers have made two serious and related mistakes in their attempt to introduce the game to the Israeli public.
First, while it is amusing to watch Ynet mangle the transliteration - as in Tel Aviv "Lighting" - this just magnifies the stark contrast between the American-named teams in the IBL and the names of Israel's basketball and soccer teams. The teams should have been given Hebrew names, structured like those of every other league in the country (i.e., "Barak Tel Aviv," not "Tel Aviv Barak").
Second, it is nothing short of embarrassing that the league's Hebrew Web site has many broken links and coding mistakes - and that the "purchase tickets" link there, like many others on the Hebrew site, sends you to a page in English.
If the IBL truly wishes to become a part of Israeli society it has to do a far better job of reaching out to Hebrew speakers - and adapt baseball to Israel, rather than the other way around.
DANIEL STERMAN
Jerusalem
Gimme the job!
Sir, - Re "PM denies getting Ramon ultimatum - 'Give me Treasury or I quit politics,' Olmert ally reportedly said" (June 28):
Gentlemen, I will be happy to take the job. I'm qualified, having substantial financial and general management experience, and a verifiable record of personal integrity. Moreover, I will pay for an assistant to make up for my limited Hebrew. As for my age, I'm younger than your newly-elected president, and don't carry any negative political baggage.
AVRAHAM WEINBERG
Katzrin
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