November 2: Egged and Saudi Arabia

Jerusalemites must wake up and speak out against the Egged bus company's cowering before religious fundamentalism.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
letters 88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
letters 88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Egged & Saudi Arabia Sir, - Jerusalemites must wake up and speak out against the Egged bus company's cowering before a religious fundamentalism that has more in common with Saudi Arabia or the Taliban than modern Israel or the Jewish value of kavod labriyot - respect for every human being. The revelation that Egged's advertising company rejected an ad for the joint religious-secular Wake Up Jerusalem-Yerushalmim list running for the city council because it featured two (modestly dressed) women is a subversion of democracy that must impel us to act today ("Portraits of women running for Jerusalem city council not allowed on city buses," October 30). It's time for all Jerusalemites, whether secular, traditional or religious, to say "No more" to this discriminatory practice; as well as to segregated buses that relegate women to the back. They are not required by Jewish law and have no place in a modern society. As a religious Jew, I'm particularly offended by the perversion this fundamentalism makes of the Jewish tradition and particularly urge the religious community to speak out and say "Not in our name!" Just as Americans boycotted public buses until they stopped discriminating against African-Americans during the horrible days of Jim Crow, we must boycott Egged until it stops discriminating against women. We must end this hillul Hashem, this desecration of God's name, once and for all. AVI HEIN Jerusalem Appreciate, yes. Agree, no Sir, - While I can appreciate David Benkof's point about protecting minority rights, I cannot agree with his "Defending haredi power" (October 30). He states that there is a trade-off in that the haredi parties' focus on funding and "status-quo" issues prevents them from having an important say on issues of foreign policy, defense, energy, infrastructure and the environment. I am not convinced that the average haredi-in-the-street has a strong opinion on many of these topics. However, most of us would agree that the haredi power structure does have a strong opinion on the role of women, as evidenced by "Shas blocks vote on pro-woman divorce bill" and "Portraits of women running for Jerusalem city council not allowed on city buses" (both October 30). While it is true, as Mr. Benkof says, that the majority must be prevented from coercing minority groups, there is no corollary that minority groups have the right to distort the rule of law in ways that the rest of us, including many Orthodox Jews, consider intolerable. FRED CASDEN Ma'aleh Adumim Olden, more golden days Sir, - As an early member of the Jewish Defense League and a personal acquaintance of Rabbi Meir Kahane, I clearly remember when, in June 1978, neo-Nazis planned to march through the highly Jewish-populated town of Skokie, Illinois. The JDL and other Jewish organizations totally opposed the march - the JDL was willing to get physically involved even though thousands of police were scheduled to "protect the marchers." The then mayor of Chicago, in order to avoid wounded participants and police and destroyed property, offered the neo-Nazis a quiet march through Chicago. Facing physical opposition, they quickly changed their march area. The situations in Skokie on June 23, 1978 and in Umm el-Fahm 30 years later are the same, except that those who opposed fascism in 1978 now find their descendants copying it. How would Itamar Ben-Gvir and Baruch Marzel feel if a group of people from Umm el-Fahm decided to march through Petah Tikva? Each Shabbat, I ask God to "renew our days of old." I used to wonder why we pray for that; now I understand ("Far-right march in Umm el-Fahm approved," October 30). SEYMOUR BRODSKY Jerusalem Big talk, little action Sir, - When are our leaders going to have the courage of their convictions? First, there was big talk of stopping the "Peace Boat" entering Gaza waters. But, lo and behold, nothing happened - so we are again the world's laughing stock. I was always told that you don't make threats unless you are prepared to back them with action ("Olmert reverses course again, lets boat 'break the blockade' by docking in Gaza," October 30). Second, MK Avigdor Lieberman remarked on President Hosni Mubarak never coming to Israel except, very briefly, for Yitzhak Rabin's funeral. Lieberman only verbalized what many, many people think - so why did our prime minister and president run to apologize? ("Lieberman: Mubarak can 'go to hell,'" October 30.) Mubarak is no friend of Israel as he turns a blind eye to all of Hamas's shenanigans. Were he a true ally, he would first of all stop the incitement against Israel in the Egyptian press. JUDY PRAGER Petah Tikva Delighted to say you are wrong Sir, - In reply to Batya Medad's letter (October 29) lamenting that not a single politician has said that his priority is the Jewish people, secure and sovereign in the Land of Israel, I am delighted to be able to tell her that she is wrong. Moshe Feiglin of the Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) part of the Likud is that rare politician who is not looking for accolades from the goyim. He is not afraid to speak the truth, which is that Eretz Yisrael belongs to the Jewish people, and neither George Bush nor Condi Rice, nor anyone else has the right to tell us where we should live in our own land. Only he, with God's help, can once again make us a proud people secure in our beliefs that what we have is worth fighting for, and that we will win because our cause is just. No more giving in to our enemies, no more empty words, no more flattering our foes in exchange for a kind word and a pat on the back. E. OGNALL Netanya