Letters to the editor

Kudos

Dear Editor:

As our community, both near and far, has gone through very traumatic events these past few months, there is always one source that I turn to for inspiration and uplifting words – your newspaper. Though I read many newspapers and publications, there are none that I can say that I read from cover-to-cover – with the exception of your wonderful paper.

The regular weekly Torah thoughts (by Rabbis Binny Freedman and Avi Billet) are not only meaningful and brilliant – they always deliver a timely message that is indeed motivating and enriching. Your news stories are also relevant and important to each of us, and I cannot omit the Kosher Bookworm who always introduces us to new wonderful Torah books. I have always believed that quality always trumps quantity – and your paper is the best proof of that!

I want to express my appreciation to you and to all the wonderful authors/writers of your paper, and my best wishes for continued success and growth to you and your exceptional newspaper.

All the best,

Dov Barry Bronstein, Esq.

Unkosher and unsocial

Dear Editor

On December 19th, Zechariah Mehler used Twitter to protest an article by Rabbi Marc Katz in Tablet Magazine entitled ‘The Jewish View on Weapons: As we debate gun policy in the wake of Newtown, we should heed the wisdom of the Jewish sages.’ Mehler disagreed with Rabbi Katz’s message so much that Mehler tweeted from his @TheKosherCritic account that the piece was “opportunistic sensationalism.”

Soon after, senior members of the Jewish community, including Rabbi Matt Soffer of Temple Israel of Boston and Rabbi Joshua Strom of Temple Shaaray Tefila, rushed to Rabbi Katz’s defense on Twitter. Mehler reacted by tweeting, “Do you guys even know how to be rabbis anymore?”

As a Presbyterian in the Christian faith, the argument only caught my attention because I follow Rabbi Strom on Twitter. Rabbi Strom and I were fraternity brothers in college, and I noticed when Mehler tweeted to Rabbi Strom, “You however, are in fact an idiot.” As Mehler himself realized, albeit unremorsefully, “Addressing my distaste for an article seems to have started a war with ever[y] assistant rabbi in the [R]eform movement. #uppity.”

Mehler’s self-administered Twitter biography and LinkedIn profile both claim his employment as a Culinary Journalist for The Jewish Star. When I reached out to its publisher Karen Green to demand Mehler’s resignation, Ms. Green replied that Mehler “hasn’t worked for me in months.” At the time of this writing, Mehler continues to list The Jewish Star on his social media pages, likely in the hopes of leveraging its good name and brand to achieve greater legitimacy in whatever crusade Mehler might be fighting.

Religious intolerance is a terrible problem in today’s society, but it strikes an even more horrifying chord when public infighting occurs within a given faith. Despite being a 2004 graduate of Yeshiva University, Mehler openly and profanely criticized good, decent shepherds of the Jewish faith at the height of the holiday season. As an onlooker, I am saddened by Mehler’s shameful ignorance, and can only offer my prayers for greater judgment, understanding, and acceptance for all of God’s people.

Jeff Smidt

Charlottesville, VA

@smidtty

An open letter- from the depths of my heart

Dear Editor:

As the horrific news from the Sandy Hook School in Newtown, CT massacre unfolded, I became uncontrollably emotional, which left me speechless. All I could do at that moment was lift my crying heart to Hashem and beseech the Almighty to spread his grace upon the ravaged families in Connecticut and to heal the world that is suffering so much at this moment.

In evaluating this disaster, I could begin a diatribe about the lack of true gun control in our country and why was it necessary to have an AR-15 .223 semiautomatic rifle in one’s home, or are we treating the mentally ill in the best way possible, and do we have proper security in our schools and in our places of worship, but that was not in my thoughts at that moment. The more I learned of the tragedy, I realize, as a rabbi, my aim must be to think of the best way to ameliorate the pain that parents, siblings, grandparents and friends are going through at this moment.

I remember well when Aaron the Kohen Gadol, brother of Moshe, was faced with the death of his beloved sons. The Torah describes his reaction;”Vayidom Aharon” Aaron was silent. When words are not able to express our pain and despair, it is best to remain silent and to try to be one with ourselves and find a way to move on with life as difficult as it may seem, and to pour our love and embraces on those around us and tell them how much they mean to us and to find the solace in greater brotherhood and greater understanding amongst all of us.

In this vein we need to educate our youth to pursue hobbies and interests that are less involved in the latest craze of watching movies where zombies eat people and video games that are based upon how many people they can kill and maim as a success in wining the game. Our children must be educated in more ways and means towards refining character and in refining society in general. As a Rabbi, I must encourage people that they have choices in life and those choices should be made to bring about a more Godly society that is advocating kindness, understanding, and peaceful solutions to our problems and to learn to tone down the rhetoric of hatred and violence.

I penned a letter to the families who are suffering and said simply; “I want to express my extreme sadness and the sadness of our Lido Beach Synagogue family to the community of Newtown, and particularly the families of the victims. As a father myself, I know that this tragedy is a parent’s worst nightmare. This is a moment for America to come together and do what we do best—support one another as we try to recover from this inexplicable horror. May God console you in your hour of bereavement and may the Souls of your beloved children and mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives repose in peace in the heavenly abode.“

To our Lido Beach Synagogue our lesson is simple but extremely important; This is our time for more expressions of love, understanding and compassion to our families and friends and pray to Hashem to bring about a more peaceful world where all mankind can live in peace and tranquility.

With faith in a better world and in mankind and love in my heart,

Rabbi Daniel H. Mehlman

Lido Beach Synagogue, Lido Beach, N.Y.