January 19: Today's heroes

Understandably, Lapid is upset that his short period in the Knesset did not lead to a new Israeli society free of God-fearing, observant Jews.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
letters to the editor 88 (photo credit: )
letters to the editor 88
(photo credit: )
Today's heroes Sir, - Re "Stop the Jewish barbarians in Hebron" by Yosef (Tommy) Lapid (January 18). I understand that Lapid is upset that his short period in the Knesset didn't lead to a new Israeli society free of God-fearing, observant Jews. This is no reason to hurl accusations at the Jewish residents of Hebron. They are today's heroes. They are today's pioneers still willing to live in parts of biblical Israel with all the attendant hardships. Please don't pretend that the Arab residents of Hebron seek kaffeeklatsches and book of the month club review sessions with their Jewish neighbors. Lapid writes, "We all bear responsibility for the suffering of the Palestinians." I'm sorry, but I don't agree even in part. All the Palestinians have to do is drop their weapons, renounce and relinquish their yearning to destroy Israel and all their suffering will end immediately. I don't ask or even require "peace"; just let me live my life. A cessation of hostilities against me and I'll be a happy camper. If Lapid wants to continue to berate himself for not doing enough to bring solutions to the region, both now and when he was a minister in the government, I will agree to assist him in atoning for his grievous sins of omission. STUART PILICHOWSKI Mevaseret Zion Name-calling Sir, - I wish to protest your printing of Tommy Lapid's name-calling, calling a Jew a Nazi (and it's hard to even write it). Pluralism is not about allowing a self-hating hot-air balloon to submit his inflammatory claims. Lapid does not even attempt to be professional, analyzing the situation in Hebron in a clear manner, all he does is incite against Hebron's Jewish residents. JOSEPH BLASBALG Jerusalem 'I' specialist Sir, - How bizarre that in his letter of resignation Chief of General Staff Lt.- Gen. Dan Halutz uttered not one word of apology, not one word of regret, not one word of comment on the sacrifice of life in the last war ("We have to fulfill our responsibilities," January 18). His letter extolling his own virtues promotes him as one of Israel's most senior "I" specialists of all time. AUBREY BLITZ Netanya Armenian Xmas Sir, - David Smith's otherwise excellent article on Armenian Christmas in Israel (East is East and West is West," UpFront, December 22) makes only a slight error in calculating the actual day. Since the beginning of the 20th century, those following the Julian calendar needed to add another day to their calculation of Christmas. However, the Armenians of Israel did not do this for one reason or another and so they celebrate their Christmas and Epiphany on January 18 (rather than the 19th, the date all other Julian calendar traditions observe). Thus, Wednesday night was the actual Christmas Eve for the Armenian Orthodox community of Eretz Yisrael. ALEX ROMAN Toronto, Ontario Whondering Sir, - Whe where whondering whether the whonderful staff on your wheekday newspaper know that whales are sea creatures, but Wales is in Great Britain ("Judge rules she alone will probe Diana's death," January 16). It whon't be evident using whord-check, but a whorld atlas and some general whisdom whould be whell-advised. JUDY FREEDMAN Hashmonaim