Letters to the Editor 12-5-08

Issue of Dec. 5, 2008 / 8 Kislev 5769

Revisiting Glatt Kosher Kingdom

To the Editor:

Thank you for writing about our new supermarket, Glatt Kosher Kingdom (Twenty-four hour shopping in Lawrence - beat that, Brooklyn; 11/28/08).

One point in your article that we would quibble with was the reference to our store being “a stone’s throw” away from the store near Burnside Avenue. Glatt Kosher Kingdom is more or less the same distance away from each of the other kosher supermarkets. In our planning we actually rejected a site closer to Burnside Avenue to avoid being “too close” to an existing business. All matters of parnasah are in G-d’s hands, and we intend to compete only in the most menschlach, aboveboard and honorable fashion.

As members of the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst and as HALB parents, we feel privileged to be able to serve our community in this way. We look forward to greeting your readers in the store.

The Glatt Kosher Kingdom Family

Lawrence

Fails to see humor; Sinas Chinam detected

To the Editor:

As a Torah-observant Jew and Brooklyn resident, I find the Sinas Chinam offensive in the title of your article, “Twenty-four hour shopping in Lawrence –– take that, Brooklyn” (Nov, 28, 2008).

Just because a community has 24-hour shopping is not a reason to make a snide remark about another community.

Brooklyn

No indignity to the Rav

To the Editor:

I must say that your paper keeps getting better and better. I feel I must comment on the review of “Lonely Man of Faith, The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik” (Nov. 28, 2008). Having seen the movie and having attended shiurim of the Rav, I must differ with Mr. Gerber’s assessment of the “indignity” of Rav Soloveitchik not being allowed to eulogize Rav Aharon Kotler at his levaya.

I remind him that at Jewish funerals the immediate family and closest confidants of the deceased select the proceedings and maspidim. I was at the levaya of Rav Aharon, together with thousands of others. We listened to numerous eulogies by many rabbonim, together with hundreds of other very prominent rabbonim who sat, and stood outside in the cold, in silence. It was not for us to decide why the Satmar Rov was maspid and the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Rav Soloveitchik were not.

This comment just fosters sinas chinam at a time that we must all come together with ahavas chinam for our brethren around the world. This “black mark” on American Jewish history can and will be erased only if we stop badmouthing our fellow Jews. May we all merit a time of unity among all of Klal Yisroel.

Rabbi Avrohom Liss

Lawrence

Making kids smile

To the Editor:

Thank you so very much for the warm write-up in last week’s Jewish Star about the Ossie Schonfeld Memorial Chanukah Toy Fund (Seeking ‘The Smile,’ Ossie’s Toy Fund launches 2008 campaign; Nov. 28, 2008). You captured the mood and the mitzvah of what it’s all about. Giving those kids with life-threatening illnesses in Israel some joy and simcha unquestionably helps encourage their will to live and to fight off their illnesses. Even if it only means a change of attitude, that is an incredible difference to them and their families.

I wish that your readers and the contributors would have the opportunity to see for themselves the incredible chizuk (encouragement) that this all means, and not just to the kids and their families, but to us and the clowns. In fact, if any of your readers will be in Israel over Chanukah and wish to join us, we will be happy to have them along. It’s an experience they will never forget.

Please remind your readers that they are cordially invited to an open melava malka on Saturday night, Dec. 6 at 8:30 p.m. at the home of the Schonfelds, 850 Broadway in Woodmere. They should come and enjoy Ossie’s famous sushi bar and support the Toy Fund. What greater nachas than to bring smiles and joy to these special children! For more information call (516) 791-2158 or e-mail ossiesfish@aol.com.

Tax-deductible checks should be made payable to Zeroah Netuya.

Thank you once again.

Woodmere

Freedom of speech brings responsibility

To the Editor:

I must respectfully disagree with reader Eitan Adler who feels that the First Amendment grants the same freedom to those who publicly “display a noose” as to those who publicly display “a cross, a Jewish star, or a Menorah” (Letters: Tolerating intolerance; Nov. 7, 2008). The former incites hatred and potential violence (thankfully not from everyone but from enough extremists to be of concern) while the latter attests to one’s devotion to G-d and hopefully, to fellow human beings everywhere.

The First Amendment, as with all of our freedoms, includes a measure of responsibility. You are allowed to publicly say that you disagree with our governmental leaders but you are not permitted to yell “fire” in a crowded movie theater. One is your right under the First Amendment while the other is a recipe for disaster. Common sense dictates that in a world filled with far too much prejudice we do whatever we can to keep individuals’ private hostile feelings from being played out in a public arena.

It is bad enough that there are still so many people who harbor such feelings of hatred for others; society should not enable them to anonymously spew their venom. If they wish to express themselves, they should write to newspapers like this one, including their names, so that their opinions may receive appropriate responses.

Malverne