However, his latest letter (A vote for Democrats is not a vote against Israel, Dec. 22) is so disturbing it absolutely requires comment.
He begins by stating that he is greatly offended by the article in The Chronicle written by Abraham Miller, which denounced Keith Ellison, the front-runner for election as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Really? I would think he would be appalled by Ellison. Ellison is a known, documented, virulent anti-Semite, and an enthusiastic supporter of Louis Farrakhan. Ellison is a black nationalist (the flip side of a white supremacist). As a congressman, he is on the absolute far-left of the Democratic party, a supporter of known left-wing terrorists, and a known foe of Israel. All this is a matter of record.
I know that if the Republican party would consider endorsing David Duke as party chairman, it would more than give me pause. That the Democrats would even for a single second contemplate Elllison, the black David Duke, as their leader, let alone make him front-runner as DNC chairman, should give Mr. Lewis chills. It obviously doesn’t. Party loyalty is one thing, but support for Ellison is beyond comprehension. The Democratic party is moving ever more sharply leftward, and the further left it moves, the more anti-Israel it becomes, and the more active it becomes in supporting anti-Israel activities on university campuses. Yes, there are other issues besides Israel. But that doesn’t mean blind party loyalty requires defending a man who is such an avowed enemy of Israel and of the Jewish people.
On another note in passing, regarding global warming, Mr. Lewis states that when sea levels rise the IDF will be unable to combat it. That’s true. But evidence shows that sea levels are not rising any faster than they have in past centuries. But even if they are, I would expect that Israel, instead of wasting a fortune combating this (non-existent) global warming problem, would simply build a 5-foot high sea wall which would protect their shoreline for thousands of future years.
Lee Levin
Overland Park, Kansas
Trump will be good for America
In the Dec. 22 letter to the editor critiquing Abraham Miller’s article (Dec. 15, “Keith Ellison should be DNC chair because of his views on Israel”), Mr. Lewis presents several arguments. Clearly, he presents opinion as fact.
First, Donald Trump has a Jewish son-in-law and his daughter converted to Judaism. One can hardly imagine him to be anti-Semitic. Lewis claims Trump adviser Stephen Bannon has strong ties to anti-Semitic and White-supremacist organizations. I believe Stephen Bannon has done more factual reporting about Israel than the entire “news media.”
In regard to his second point that Jews should choose political leaders who will be good for America, the new administration proposes tax cuts to corporations that will stimulate employment and result in higher tax revenue as proven by at least two prior administrations. In addition, affordable healthcare insurance is a fraud! Millions more are covered but the premiums are expensive and rising, despite the subsidy. The deductibles are so high as to make the insurance worthless, and the physician/hospital networks are so restrictive that needed care is frequently unavailable. Abortion should not be a federal issue.
Third, when Mr. Lewis writes most Jews are well educated and believe in science, I say higher education does not guarantee critical thinking or good sense.
I would add that in the last week, the Obama administration’s complicity in the United Nations’ condemnation of Israel reveals the true Democrat animus regarding Israel!
John C. Weed, Jr.
Overland Park, Kansas
Not performing interfaith ceremonies cost congregations financially
The JTA News & Features article about Rabbi Seymour Rosenbloom being expelled from the Rabbinical Assembly because he was performing interfaith weddings (Dec. 22, “Conservative group ousts rabbi for performing intermarriages) caught my eye, especially when Rabbi Rosenbloom made the comment: “It’s a futile policy that will eventually be overturned because the trend of history is against it.”
The reason why the trend of history is against it is because congregations across the country are realizing that refusing to perform an interfaith wedding is tantamount to ending the membership of that particular couple and their family. That means less income for the congregation.
I speak from experience because my present wife and I were turned down by my local rabbi when asked to perform our wedding ceremony because she was a Southern Baptist. So, we decided to get married in Las Vegas at Cupid’s Little Chapel and have been living happily ever after ever since. That was 35 years ago, and you can imagine how much it has cost my previous congregation in lost membership revenue. And by the way, when my wife and I got married in Vegas the entire ceremony (including a rabbi who was flown in from Las Angeles) cost only $247.51.
Marvin Fremerman
Springfiled, Missouri
