Killing versus killing

A single gunman in Connecticut kills 26 people, of which 20 were children. The nation’s response: talk, talk, talk. In previous killings of this kind, the response, too, was: talk, talk, talk.

Some 70 years ago, it was not a single gunman, it was the entire German nation that stood behind the murder of millions of people in Nazi concentration camps. The world’s response? None.

At the present, Iran has repeatedly announced its aim to annihilate the State of Israel. Iran is in the process of building nuclear bombs. Our nation’s response: let’s give diplomacy a chance. The diplomatic activity by the Obama administration over the last four years has achieved nothing. Iran has remained on track toward its nuclear goal whose purpose it is to kill millions of people.

For the United States not to destroy Iran’s nuclear project is a crime of infinite proportions.

Zeev Dickmann, Ph.D.
Overland Park, Kan.

Troubling news coverage

The tragedy in Newtown, Conn., is beyond consolation. The death of young school children and their incredibly brave teachers shows that there is a culture of violence in our country that needs careful examination and elimination. This tragedy transcends all boundaries of race, religion and ethnicity. The murdering of any child and teacher is an affront to God and to every value that the Jewish people stand for.

I have been troubled by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s approach to these events. Their first posting on this subject was an announcement that the youngest child killed was a Jewish child. Pain and suffering of that family and their congregation is incomprehensible.

However, the JTA’s posting focusing on the Jewish angle to this story troubles me. It is a Jewish story of Jewish significance because innocent people of all backgrounds were murdered in a horrific crime. Unintentionally, the JTA sent a message that it only becomes an issue of Jewish concern when a Jew is involved. This kind of message is an affront to all the families who have lost love ones, and to the Jewish people who believe that every human life is of infinite value and significance.

Let us pray for all the victims and their families. People of all faiths need to turn their attention to the kind of tangible changes in our culture and society that will make these kind of acts of evil less likely to occur in the future.

Rabbi Alan Londy, D.Min.
New Reform Temple

Todah rabah

Our family and friends recently celebrated our son’s Bar Mitzvah. The Shabbat services and dinner, Bar Mitzvah service, Kiddush lunch and Saturday night party were all held at the Jewish Community Campus. We want to give A BIG THANKS to the Jewish agencies and organizations that came together to coordinate a complicated weekend, including the Jewish Community Campus, the JCC, the Va’ad HaKashruth, Congregation Beth Shalom and Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy. As we’re sure occurs with many local events, we had some unusual requests of all of these organizations in order to make the weekend a success. These organizations worked together in a way that made us grateful and proud to be a part of the Kansas City Jewish community.

Our best wishes to our wonderful community for a happy and healthy New Year.

Carol, Dave, Sophia and Joe Porter
Leawood, Kan.