Letters to the editor: Own teachings

When is Rabbi Rabinowitz going to start adhering to his own teachings?

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters (photo credit: REUTERS)
Letters
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Own teachings
 In his rabid attempt to prevent women from reading Torah at the Kotel (“Man detained by police for attempting to pass Torah to Women of the Wall,” May 20), the rabbi of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinowitz, erected a metal barrier, locked the gates between the mens’ and womens’ sections, and employed extra personnel.
In so doing, he ignores the message he claims to have understood from last week’s Torah portion, Bechukotai (“Parshat Bechukotai: A vessel for blessings,” Observations, May 15).
In that column, he provided us with a consummate example of double- think, where he tells us that “the Torah’s promise ‘And I will grant peace in the land’ conceals within it another promise, that we will be worthy of peace, that we will have minds that are open and deep enough to live peacefully with those of different opinions and attitudes.”
When is Rabbi Rabinowitz going to start adhering to his own teachings?
ELLIE MORRIS Aseret
See the latest opinion pieces on our page
 
 
Levinger’s legacy
President Reuven Rivlin delivered a magnificent eulogy at the funeral of Rabbi Moshe Levinger (“Rivlin during eulogy: Levinger believed that to rebuild Hebron was to rebuild Jerusalem,” May 18). The rabbi’s name will always be associated with Hebron because this one man persisted in his dream of making it a Jewish city.
Hebron will always be the city of the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and the matriarchs, in whom we take such pride.
The Bible details in great length how Abraham bought the Cave of the Patriarchs for a burial place for his wife, Sarah. Hebron has been holy since the beginning of the Jewish people. It is the city where King David ruled for seven years before coming to Jerusalem.
Rabbi Levinger was a man of great vision and great deeds. The people of Israel shall surely cherish his memory, and the present-day Jews of Hebron will know how to memorialize him.
Thank you, President Rivlin, for appreciating this great man.
THELMA SUSSWEIN Jerusalem
Not inappropriate
I beg to differ with “Keeping your eye on the ball and controlling your tongue” (Comment & Features, May 17).
Before making aliya some 20 years ago, we were privileged to live in the house of our dreams, which included a sun lounge, tennis court and adjoining boating lake.
It presented us with the opportunity of sharing these facilities on numerous occasions for fund-raising projects. It never occurred to me to refrain from inviting (cajoling?) friends and acquaintances to participate in a fun-filled afternoon with a delicious buffet, including wine.
Why tiptoe around a perfectly reasoned and justifiable invitation and tax-refundable contribution from those individuals who would not hesitate to spend far more dining out or at the theater? Inappropriate? Really?
GISH TRUMAN ROBBINS Pardesiya
Case of spite
I read “A delegitimization called Nakba” (Another Tack, May 15) by Sarah Honig. I always enjoy her insights and often incisive comments. This time, however, I think she missed mentioning one of the most telling items.
The Arab side (both Hamas and Fatah) have always denied the validity of the original UN partition resolution. That is the same resolution that provides legitimacy for their own claims to statehood. They reject it because it also provides for a Jewish state.
Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.
ARYEH WETHERHORN Elazar
CLARIFICATION
The penultimate paragraph in “Shapiro: Mideast peace is necessary, just and possible” (May 19) should have said that according to US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro, any reassessment of US policy regarding Israel would not impact security or defense cooperation, or even Washington’s defense of Israel against diplomatic attempts to delegitimize it, rather than what was reported.