Letters to the Editor

I am writing in response to Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin’s question in the Aug. 26 AJP, “Who are you voting for on Oct. 3?” (Rabbi’s Corner, “Election overload sparks thoughts of G-d”). I am happy to agree with him that we humans have “the awesome capability of intelligence, plus the… Read more »

On the first Friday of each month, the Jewish residents of Fairwinds-Desert Point retirement community in Oro Valley are fortunate to welcome Chaplain Pinchas Zohav from the Northwest Jewish Federation who leads them in a Shabbat celebration. With prayers, songs, stories, wine and challah, the Sabbath is welcomed joyfully… Read more »

Figure skating, private baths, passports, gold medal coaches? The new Jewish summer camp models (“Jewish camps invest in improvements for our gilded age,” AJP, 3/18/16) left me feeling dismayed. What do these activities have to do with helping our Jewish youth feel more connected to Judaism? The costs of… Read more »

In the pages of the Arizona Jewish Post, as well as other non-traditional Jewish venues, I hear and see a phrase consisting of two words which belong together like oil and water: “progressive Judaism.” The underlying philosophy of Judaism is ethical monotheism. This means that we believe in one… Read more »

I am writing in response to a letter that your newspaper published in the 12/4/2015 edition, authored by Miriam Klaiman, titled “Let’s not welcome Middle Eastern immigrants with open arms.” What rationale could you possibly use to print this letter, particularly in an issue published during Chanu­kah? American Muslims… Read more »

I was moved by reading Amy Hirshberg Lederman’s articles about the loss of her beloved husband, Ray, in the context of her Judaism. In expressing herself through the medium of the written word, I know that Amy was better able to deal with her pain and suffering. I am… Read more »

I disagree with those of my fellow Jews who think Jews should assist Middle Eastern Muslims in immigrating to the USA. Those Europeans who advocated subverting legal, orderly immigration policies and welcoming a mass invasion of Middle Eastern strangers — ignoring the plain announcements of ISIS that they were… Read more »

I recently attended the Bernie Sanders rally here in Tucson at Reid Park. Although I am a strong Hillary Clinton supporter, I wanted to see in person why a 74-year-old Jewish Socialist candidate is inspiring so much passion nationally among progressives and independents. As I was finding a space… Read more »

The article “Where does Bernie Sanders, Jewish candidate for president, stand on Israel?” (AJP, 8/28/15) posed a simple question. For the next 29 paragraphs the author struggles to explain Senator Sanders’ very nuanced view of Israel and the relationship with our closest ally. As an American and a supporter… Read more »

Now is certainly the time for all compassionate Arizonans, and particularly our progressive Jewish community, to speak out and lobby local and state lawmakers to pass Death With Dignity legislation. Do not confuse this with assisted suicide or euthanasia, because in appropriate legislation a competent, severely ill person judged… Read more »

Re “Supporting worshippers at Phoenix mosque, local Jews met with gratitude” (AJP, 6/12/2015): A beautiful story. I have two reflections. 1. Sarah (and her husband Marty) are not “converted Jews.” Although they were not born Jewish they are “full fledged” Jews; a “ger” — a convert — has all… Read more »

I recently attended one of the excellent talks at the JCC given by Dr. Eyal Fruchter of the IDF on post-traumatic stress disorder in Israel. While his medical points were accurate and incisive to me, he made a pair of demographic statements at the talk and in print in… Read more »

Just before Passover, the AJP published Amy Klein’s Op-Ed about compassion for women who do not readily conceive children (“At Passover time, remember pain of those struggling with infertility,” AJP 4/3/15). The February/March 2015 Hadassah Magazine (hadassahmagazine.org) describes the Rimon Mind-Body Fertility Center at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center… Read more »

For parents to have the support of the larger community is both a Jewish tradition and a universal need. That support should include families where children are cared for at home as well as those where parents pay for childcare. The childcare tax credit the president recently proposed to… Read more »

Rabbi Benjamin Blech, in “Before Hawking, Golem story warned of dangers of intelligent machines” (AJP, 1/9/15), ponders the possibility that the “artificial intelligence” that science and technology produces may lead to “creations capable of destroying our world because we doubt our creator.” Over the centuries millions of people have… Read more »

I am writing in response to Anthony Zinman’s recent letter to the editor about the All Souls procession that occurred on Nov. 9 (“Anti-Israel marchers at All Souls troubling,” AJP 11/21/14). I disagree with his characterization that it expressed anti-Semitism. My family, friends and I watched the entire procession… Read more »

I attended the Shirat HaShirim choir concert at the Villa Hermosa retirement home on Dec. 10. The choir, directed by Israeli Rina Paz, performed Israeli and Yiddish songs with a Chanukah theme. The concert’s popularity was apparent by the need to bring in more chairs. Paz lit an electric… Read more »

In her entertaining article “Lose the chip on your shoulder this Christmas” (AJP 12/5/14), Nina Badzin encourages tolerance toward our gentile neighbors, as that is what we “expect” from them. Sadly — in countless cases, tragically — that expectation has frequently been met with intolerance ranging from signs saying… Read more »

Our country finds itself at a crossroads. The past months have uncovered an animosity that is growing within our politics. At a time when we need steady courage in Congress, extremism finds a way to blot out any movement toward bipartisanship. Still, like President Obama, I believe we are… Read more »

There has always been an anti-Israel presence in the American left, but it’s previously mostly been on the fringe. Now it seems that it may be becoming mainstream among liberal millennials (people reaching young adulthood around 2000). I recently experienced this at the All Souls Procession, one of the… Read more »