September 28: Time for unity

We are all part of the broad tapestry of Israelis who live in Beit Shemesh. We must respect one another.

By JERUSALEM POST READERS
letters (photo credit: JP)
letters
(photo credit: JP)
Time for unity
Sir, – The Orot School complex in Beit Shemesh is situated between national religious and Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet neighborhoods.
The land was allocated to Shaalei Torah schools before Moshe Abutbul was elected mayor, although during a speech he gave at last year’s Orot Banot graduation, he affirmed that a girls’ school would open on the site.
We are living in a land for all the Jewish people and are going into the High Holy Days. It is a time for unity. We are all part of the broad tapestry of Israelis who live in Beit Shemesh, from olim who come from all over the world to generations of sabras. We all choose to observe the Torah in our own way. We must respect one another.
PAULA BURG
Beit Shemesh
The writer is an Orot Banot parent
Home hospice care
Sir, – What an inspirational article Judy Siegel- Itzkovich wrote (“Taking time to say goodbye,” Health, September 25).
It is a shame that people are unaware of the wonderful help that is available at these sad times. I am sure that many would take on the burden of home hospice care if they were informed of the option.
At least Siegel-Itzkovich has the comfort of knowing that she and her caring family made the last months of her husband’s life as pleasant and bearable as possible. I must give her credit in that all the time she was going through this tragic and trying episode, up to the very end, she continued to write interesting and informative articles, with no hint of what was going on in her personal life.
May she and her family know only happiness in the future.
JUDY PRAGER
Petah Tikva
Sir, – I would like to thank Judy Siegel-Itzkovich for sharing the end-of-life experience of her husband in a very touching and personal article. I believe opening up the issues she encountered can benefit many people who find themselves in a similar situation.
Dvora and Ben Corn’s work is ground-breaking here in Israel, and the Life’s Door programs have had a tremendous impact on many lives. However, there is one correction I would like to make.
Ma’agan – The Jerusalem Support Center for People with Cancer was founded by me and by Miriam Shiffman in 1999, not by the ICA (Israel Cancer Association).
Teaming up with Life’s Door has enabled us to cut our administrative costs and offer our members a greater range of services.
The input of the Corns has been enormous and I feel blessed that the people in our blended entity put the good of our members first, way beyond any egotistical or political considerations.
SHELLY ABRAHAMI
Jerusalem
The writer is a board member of Ma’agan
Open up to Taiwan
Sir, – Liat Collins (“What friends are for....,” My Word, September 25) writes that it’s time for the Republic of China (Taiwan) to be a member of the United Nations.
She correctly pointed out that Taiwan was forced to leave the UN 40 years ago and that the government and people have since tried repeatedly to return to the international body, but to no avail due to China’s objection.
Yet after leaving the UN, Taiwan was never down and out. We built a fullfledged democracy and became an equitable society.
We sustain a vibrant economy and render humanitarian help worldwide.
We now have the resources, expertise and willingness to make more contributions to the world.
It is time for the international community to face squarely the issue of our participation in UN-affiliated bodies and for China to change its suffocating policy toward Taiwan.
LIANG-JEN CHANG
The writer is representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Tel Aviv