November 7: Jew vs Jew

Sometimes we forget how fortunate we are to have lived to see the establishment of the State of Israel.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
letters 88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
letters 88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Jew vs Jew Sir, - A jolt ran through me as I read Ruth Eglash's feature on Marjorie Kenyon ("Pride in practice," November 4). In it, Dr. Kenyon reminisced that during WWI she had had one uncle fighting in the British army while another fought against him in the German army. It reminded me of a journey my husband and I took a few years ago to the Arras Memorial in France for British soldiers missing and presumed killed in action during that war. We went because my uncle, Private Naheim Zimmerman, killed in action but with no known grave, has his name carved on this memorial. We found it quite quickly even though it is one of 35,000 soldiers remembered there. Wandering around the adjoining cemetery, we noticed quite a few headstones with the Star of David carved on them - and realized that just as there were British Jewish soldiers fighting in this "War for Civilization," so there had to have been a similar number of German Jewish soldiers fighting against them; perhaps even killing each other. Even more horrendous was the thought that many might well have been related. Dr. Kenyon made me relive that moment in Arras. I wonder how many other families can remember when Jew fought Jew, for somebody else's country, before we had a country of our own to defend. Sometimes we forget how fortunate we are to have lived to see the establishment of the State of Israel. BARBARA PFEFFER Rehovot One wedding Sir, - I cannot understand the craving of American olim, new and old, to "exercise their right" to vote in US elections ("Americans living in Israel cast their ballots," October 29). When you come on aliya and receive an Israel identity card, you become an Israeli of American, English, French, Russian or whatever origin, with the right to vote in this country. Israel and not somewhere else is now your home. When I left my former home in South Africa, 31 years ago, I lost my right to vote. As the saying goes: You cannot dance at two weddings with one backside. DAVE ADLER-NESHER Karmiel Avoiding collision Sir, - I read Jeff Barak's "Heading for a collision course" (September 4) with interest. This is the time for Israel to go for leaders with strong ideas and the will to tackle Israel's most pressing problems, such as how to survive in an increasingly hostile neighborhood. Making blind decisions will never create peace for Israel - e.g., ceding the Golan Heights without having a guarantee from Syria that the Iranians or Hizbullah will not use them as a strategic position to attack Israeli communities; giving away the West Bank and forgetting the importance of towns like Hebron to the history of Israel; ordividing Jerusalem. The Lord made it clear that no part of the Land must be given away. Not even America should force Israel to do so. PHOEBE TURIGYE Kampala, Uganda Sir, - This article's implied call for a US president to "impose" a settlement on Israel defies logic and can lead only to disaster. I would much prefer to see Binyamin Netanyahu on "a collision course" with those who do not fully appreciate Israel's vital concerns than witness the tragic loss of even one Jewish life. Z. CHAMUDOT Petah Tikva