Appalling journalism
Several weeks ago, when I first read the article in The Forward about rabbis allegedly in various kinds of trouble, I was appalled that my friend and co-author Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn was included in the list for having parted company with the Central Conference of American Rabbis.{mprestriction ids="1,3"}(For the record, he resigned from CCAR in protest of CCAR’s mistreatment of him.)
I could not imagine why anyone besides Jacques and members of the CCAR would care to know that. There was no reason for it to be public information. It would be like The Kansas City Star, my previous employer, writing a story about me if I decided to quit my membership in the National Society of Newspaper Columnists for some reason. In other words, it would have been essentially nobody’s business but mine and the NSNC’s. I am confident that The Star would use better news judgment than The Forward did.
I also was astonished to learn that the reporter who wrote The Forward piece never contacted Jacques to give him a chance to respond before it was published so that, at the very least, his response could be included in the story.
Now The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle has compounded that bad journalism by reprinting The Forward piece — and, once again, not giving Jacques a chance before publication to explain his position on the matter so it could be included in the story. I simply cannot understand why any reputable journalist would proceed in that way, nor can I understand why The Chronicle would reprint The Forward article instead of doing its own reporting if its editors felt there was a local story that needed to be covered.
I also cannot understand why, ever since Jacques left his position as rabbi of the New Reform Temple in Kansas City, he has been the subject of a relentless effort to destroy his reputation. Jacques is a profoundly decent, honest, caring, conscientious, generous man who, like all of us, is imperfect. He does not deserve the kind of appalling journalism to which he’s been subjected by The Forward and now also by The Jewish Chronicle.
Bill Tammeus
Kansas City, Missouri
An honorable and righteous man
In response to your recent article concerning the oversight of rabbis, and the picture of Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn on the front page: I am a member of Temple Israel and Rabbi Cukierkorn is my rabbi. I have found him to be an honorable, just and righteous man. It is clear that he commands the love, respect and trust of his congregation. For myself, I am grateful for his leadership, his openness, and his guidance.
Pam Owens
Olathe, Kansas
Iran deal: A faulty and dangerous agreement
Iran, the largest supporter of terrorism in the Middle East, also has it hand in terrorist activities in Africa, Europe and South America. When Iran’s leaders say that their declaration to destroy Israel is “non-negotiable,” the world sits silent.
If Iranian leaders had announced that it was their goal or policy to wipe Italy, France, England or any other friendly nation to the United States off of the map, the Obama administration would probably not even begin negotiations unless Iranian leaders retracted such an outrageous pronouncement. This says that in the minds of the P5+1 group including the Obama administration, Israel is expendable. This places Israel in a much more dangerous position than ever in its history and, make no mistake, to not even bring it up in negotiations states loud and clear Obama, as well as the P5+1 nations, have no concern about Israel’s survival. This omission is not lost in the minds of the enemies of Israel, nor friends and allies who will no longer look up to America as the leader and defender of freedom and democratic values throughout the world.
Hatred and destruction of Israel is about the only thing that many Shiites and Sunnis agree on. Facing down “The Big Satan” will give the terrorist leaders of Iran added stature, thus gaining more support among Muslims of all sects. Most important, opposition or democratic voices within Iran will be silenced. With a hundred billion dollars released for Iran’s bidding Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations will receive funds to create more havoc over the world. Obviously, Israel will suffer the most. If and when Iran secures nuclear weapons, under its present leadership, war is assured, creating catastrophic effects worldwide.
The Obama negotiating team, foolishly and in amateur fashion, gave away America’s strong negotiating position in agreeing to most Iranian demands. The Iranians would not have come to the negotiating table unless they were desperate for a deal to get sanctions released. If they were sincere in their prior declarations about not needing or wanting to develop nuclear weapons, negotiators should have insisted on absolute safeguards to prevent them from doing so. Iran stood firm. America backed down, thus congressional leaders must take up the gauntlet and make the agreement slightly more beneficial to America as well as to the rest of the world. Iran is not trustworthy and this is the last possible chance to make several important changes, including reducing the 24-day waiting period for Iran to allow inspection and allowing nuclear experts access to any suspect area where nuclear cheating is suspected.
Other questions by nuclear experts should be closely examined. Israel has never threatened or been a threat to Iran. Pure decency and support for an ally and friend that the pronouncement “Israel will or must be destroyed” should enter into the congressional discussion and be retracted.
Israel aside, Iran has rockets that are able to reach the United States. Imagine our precarious position when Iran is able to arm rockets with nuclear warheads. Contact your senators and representatives requesting that they make important changes to this faulty and dangerous agreement to safeguard the future of America and the free world.
Paul Wacknov
Leawood, Kansas.{/mprestriction}
