YOSSI BLASBALG Kiryat BialikTragic euphemism Sir, – In response to Jeff Barak’s “Coy euphemism, tragic implications” (Reality Check, December 19), I see that the Meuhedet health fund is at least trying to reach out to haredi members.It would be more advantageous for Meuhedet to use the words “breast cancer,” but at least it wrote about the need for early detection. Often, the haredi community will not even talk about risk factors for fear that carriers of the mutation will not find a proper match for marriage.There is an organization in Israel that is completely dedicated to the issue of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. BRACHA (bracha.org.il) helps in the realms of education and support.I applaud Meuhedet for its efforts because not mentioning this issue would indeed by tragic.DEBRA NUSSBAUM STEPEN Jerusalem The writer is Jerusalem outreach coordinator for BRACHA Boteach on Hitchens Sir, – I was seething with rage when I read Shmuley Boteach’s “The fall of a worthy adversary” (No Holds Barred, December 9).Benjamin Kerstein ends his long and excellent article “Christopher Hitchens’s Jewish Problem” by writing: “In the world as Hitchens would have it the Jew would cease to exist....” and “...the anti-Semite is under all our noses, and it is well worth the struggle to see him.”What possible common cause can Boteach have with this smooth-talking, boozing, anti- Semite? BARBARA OBERMAN Herzliya Pituah Sir, – While eulogizing Christopher Hitchens, Shmuley Boteach claims that my friend Israel Shahak, a professor of chemistry at Hebrew University, perpetrated a “fraud” when he wrote that a Jew does not have to save the life of a non-Jew on the Sabbath.According to Halacha, which is strictly observed by haredim, a Jew can rescue a gentile on the Sabbath not because the gentile is created in the image of God, but because we are concerned that inaction will cause the desecration of God’s name or animosity toward Jews. What happens, then, if there are no witnesses and thus nothing to incite negativity toward God and Jews? Can a Jew look away? Shame on Boteach for maligning Shahak, who died in 2001 and is unable to defend himself.
JACOB MENDLOVIC Toronto
Boundless hypocrisy Sir, – Regarding “Crossing the channels” (Comment & Features, December 19), the hypocrisy of the shrill voices complaining about the demise of freedom of speech should Channel 10 close and Yoni Ben- Menachem’s appointment as CEO of the Israel Broadcasting Authority knows no bounds.As none of the country’s TV and radio channels, including the army channels, have near equal right-wing representation, and the only right-wing station, Arutz 7, was closed, there has never been free access to all opinions in the vocal media.Apart from “fig-leaf” rightwingers on “balanced” panels, can anyone name a right-wing commentator, presenter, reporter, correspondent or journalist on any major TV or radio program? Can anyone name left-wingers? No, Mr. Ruden. The problem is not that it is the “goal of the Likud to morph the IBA into its mouthpiece.” It is that the Left fears that the Right will at last get a fair hearing.And if morphing is the issue, have any Jerusalem Post readers noticed that the paper is abandoning the balance of the past few years and morphing rapidly leftward?BERYL RATZER Netanya
Job for copywriters Sir, – As a retired copywriter (35 years in South Africa), I was intrigued and delighted to read Issamar Ginzberg’s December 19 Tips for Entrepreneurs column, mischievously titled “Graphic designers, please ignore this column.”Ha! Ginzberg’s tips are all spot on.Israeli advertisers could do themselves a lot of good by saving this fine essay and making sure their design studio employees read it before preparing their next ad. Allow me however, to add something from a copywriter's point of view.Why are advertisers hiring design studios instead of ad agencies? Design Studios generally produce good artwork, but the copy is mostly poor and ineffective. Ad agencies have an innate understanding of marketing.