Regarding “Rabbis, students pray at JFK in solidarity with refugees” (February 9), allow me to suggest...
By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)Show it here Regarding “Rabbis, students pray at JFK in solidarity with refugees” (February 9), allow me to suggest that they transfer their study session to Ben-Gurion Airport in support of Nefesh B’Nefesh olim rather than welcoming Muslims to the US.Living in the Diaspora over a lengthy period has a detrimental affect even on the best of our youth.TOMMY LAMMEfrat You first I was thrilled to read Michael Freund’s comments regarding European hypocrisy (“Europe’s occupation hypocrisy,” Fundamentally Freund, February 9).I have often said that the Israeli government should cease its tired, defensive rationalizations for why Judea and Samaria are not considered occupied. These arguments do not work against those who choose to deny the obvious.Understanding the true nature of our European detractors who insist on calling themselves “friends,” our new tactic should be as follows: It is correct that Judea and Samaria in modern history were occupied. However, this occupation was very recent and should not be addressed until other, more long-standing occupations have been addressed, such as Corsica, Catalonia, the Falkland Islands and Tibet, to name only a few.In short, you’re right, but you first.NOAM COHENEfrat Class hatred I was disappointed by Irena Eremia Bragin’s rather one-sided perspective of class hatred (“Why doesn’t class hatred count as hatred?” Comment & Features, February 9). She fails to grasp that those at the top aren’t hated for their wealth, nor for their choice of career.It is the temperament that follows, which is the main source for contempt. It is only natural for those at the top to become complacent with their status, and it is this that so often emits a sense of self-entitlement.Dr. Bragin refers to Cain and Abel as the starting point of class hatred. I would, however, point to a more lucid episode. Two rivals: Jacob, a man of the tent, versus Esau, a man of the field. We see how the innocent Jacob assumes the God-given right to deceive his brother of both his birthright and his blessing.When the rich and highly educated display an elitist attitude, it is obviously going to raise levels of animosity. It wasn’t US President Donald Trump’s billions that attracted rust belt voters; it was his defiance of the elitist world order. This might come across as quite Marxist , but I would argue that it is the rich and powerful who are largely at fault for the rising hostility between the classes.Nobody suggests that it’s acceptable to deplore someone because of his or her wealth. What one can deplore is the entitlement of those who choose to serve their own interests at the expense of others.BENJAMIN ISAACSONLondonComfort in Gaza I feel I must respond to reader Fonda Dubb’s letter about the suffering of the people in Gaza (“Our warm beds,” February 9).They don’t need to suffer. They just have to change their leaders and give up violence. Israel will be very willing to help. In fact, I remember that Moshe Dayan wanted to build Gaza for the Arabs, but they refused because they would lose their refugee status.Yes, I have compassion, but the people have to get rid of their corrupt and violent leaders. The amount of money invested in Gaza should have bought some comfort for the masses. Instead, it went for rockets and tunnels and guns.FREYA BINENFELDPetah Tikva Reader Fonda Dubb’s letter can be summed up by a famous saying my grandparents used. Roughly translated without the inference, it goes: “A righteous man in a fur coat.” In other words, it is easy to be righteous when you are comfortable.LENORD HORWITZHerzliya PituahI read Fonda Dubb’s letter regarding the condition of Gaza’s civilian population. A letter of caring and compassion. I find myself in total identification with the message it carries and I commend her on her writing – but more than that, on her courage.I say courage because, quite legitimately, there are many who disagree. However, not legitimately, there are those who do not accept her right to her point of view and are harshly critical. I refer particularly to those ex-South Africans who, like Fonda and myself, come from a country where conflict based on race, hatred and fear brought many of us here in the belief that in this country it would be different.As in Israel, many people in South Africa always sought to justify discrimination and the suffering borne by others. Of course I do not speak of all South Africans – there are many who think as we do.Well done, Fonda. As long as there are people who care for all people, there is hope.RICHELLE SHEM-TOVKiryat Ono Quite cheeky Jenny Tonge’s claim (“British lawmaker: Antisemitism on the rise because Jews won’t criticize Israel,” February 6) is so far-fetched that I must assume she said this Tonge in cheek.DORRON KLINEBeit Shemesh Crying wolf When will the Israeli Left realize that saying everything that the government does regarding the Palestinians is a war crime achieves nothing beyond feeding the Left in Europe? Cannot they see that this constant cry has not prevented the loss of one life, but rather feeds the killings that have been going on in Syria for the past five years?It is a totally empty cry, like the child crying wolf all the time.The same applies to portraying Israel as the pariah state. This does nothing to achieve a Palestinian state and never will.PETER SIMPSONJerusalem Lesson learned Rav Kav holders, beware of the fines you might be forced to pay on Jerusalem’s light rail! How about NIS 185?On a recent visit to Jerusalem, a friend asked if I had a Rav Kav card so we could take the light rail to the Old City. His Rav Kav was the same as mine, so we entered the train. (Actually, we were pushed.) Then the doors closed, and when it was my turn to swipe my card on the machine, I received a red light. I had money on my card because I had paid via Egged and could not understand what the problem was.As an honest person, I searched for help. I found two very unhelpful attendants and explained the problem.When we reached my stop, I was escorted out of the rail car, feeling like a criminal. I waited and waited because one of the attendants was on the phone. When he got off the phone, he returned my ID card and Rav Kav along with an NIS 185 fine for a fare of about NIS 5.I did not understand the problem. They said I had no money on my card for the light rail. That was news to me. They told me I could dispute the fine, which I did. Almost two months later, I received a registered letter, in Hebrew, telling me my dispute had been denied because I had broken the law by not having money for the light rail registered on my Rav Kav.Even in Israel, caveat emptor! Buyer beware! Make sure you have the correct amount of money loaded on your Rav Kav. Lesson learned!ANDEE GOLDMANNetanya
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