Thoughts lack substance
The vitriol oozing from the letter of Rob Montague regarding the article on Israel by Morton A. Klein is truly impressive. His vocabulary of invectives is superb; nay, almost matchless.
Regrettably, once past the insults, his letter smacks of the viewpoint typically found in communications from adherents of J-Street (which never finds an Arab demand to which it is unwilling to concede). His thoughts totally lack substance. His letter offers little more than wishful thinking. He criticizes, but proposes nothing specific, save the creation of a Palestinian State based on mere blind hope and crossed fingers.
Perhaps that is being a trifle unkind. He does demand negotiations with the Palestinians. However, it would have been instructive for Mr. Montague to have explained how one negotiates with someone who adamantly refuses to concede your very right to exist. When your presumed negotiating partner cannot even bring himself to lie about his eagerness to see you dead, it does put a damper on one’s enthusiasm for the project.
He acknowledges that in creating a Palestinian State, “there are risks involved.” Easy to say when one is snug and smug in Overland Park. Maybe if he spent some time living near the border with Gaza he might have a different perspective. At the very least, since his own life is not at risk, he might be a little less cavalier in his willingness to risk the lives of Israelis. It is the Israelis who have their lives on the line. They unquestionably know all the nuances of their situation better than we. We all should be supportive of whatever course of action they decide is in their own best interest. That includes Rob Montague, Morton A. Klein, and me.
Lee Levin
Overland Park
An embarrassment to world Jewry
When I first became aware of the fraud and subsequent cover-up at the Jewish Claims Conference I couldn’t believe it was possible, but now I understand. Chairman Julius Berman has kept the majority of his board members in the dark and the ones that do know how he has operated are just happy to serve. They enjoy the perks and will not rock the boat.
It’s every Jew’s responsibility to go on record and take a stand against the desperate actions of Mr. Berman. The board members who sit back and condone this behavior are just as guilty. I commend Jerusalem-based columnist Isi Leibler and Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg of Edison, N.J., for having the guts to step up and expose Mr. Berman’s desperation to hang on to his powerful and influential position. Rabbi Rosenberg has been an advocate for Holocaust survivors for many years and to my knowledge is the only rabbi to publicly criticize the Conference. Mr. Leibler has refused to back down despite threats of legal action.
Any person with a conscience must stand behind Rabbi Rosenberg and Mr. Leibler in fighting for the elderly Jewish survivors. In a few years these witnesses to man’s inhumanity to man will be gone. Therefore it’s every Jew’s responsibility to see that they are treated with dignity in their twilight years. I urge you to let the Claims Conference leadership know that their actions are an embarrassment to world Jewry.
Barry P. Resnick
Orange, Calif.
