A Boon to Students And to the Academy Jacob Neusner is right in his opinion article to express concern that Judaic studies programs will become dominated by the narrow interests of the organized Jewish community (“A Threat to the Academy,” January 30). However, we should not let these concerns obscure the ways in which Judaic…
Standing By Critique of Grama Book Reportage I stand by my claim that the Forward’s December 19, 2003 reportage of the main themes of Rabbi Saadya Grama’s book “Romemut Yisrael Ufarashat Hagalut” was “grossly inaccurate and misleading, perhaps libelously so,” but I am touched by Forward editor J.J. Goldberg’s description of our correspondence on the…
Having read key portions of the presently unavailable controversial book “On the Exalted Nature of Israel and Understanding Its Exile” by Rabbi Saadya Grama, I understand both the critical article in the Forward and defenses of the book from within the charedi community (“Charedi Rabbis Rush To Disavow Anti-Gentile Book,” December 19). While this sounds…
Embarrassed By Iran’s Refusal of Israeli Aid I just read your editorial on the victims of the earthquake in Bam, Iran (“Iran’s Victims,” January 2). It was very touching; thank you for your kindness. I myself am an Iranian living in America and found the Iranian authorities’ refusal to accept help from Israel very embarrassing….
Don’t Count GOP Votes Before They’re Hatched In your interview with Senator Norm Coleman, he expresses the view that “in the Arab world people understand strength” and that the policies of the Bush administration, including the current war in Iraq, will redound to the benefit of Israel and help persuade Jewish voters to side with…
Anti-Gentile Book Aims For Moral High Ground I was somewhat surprised by the December 19 article on Rabbi Saadya Grama’s book, which alleges racist views on the part of the author (“Charedi Rabbis Rush To Disavow Anti-Gentile Book”). I have yet not had an opportunity to review the entire book. However, I can state with…
Interfaith ‘Debate’ Is A Egregiously Wrong Opinion columnist David Klinghoffer recommends that Jews and Christians enter full-fledged debate over the eternity of Torah and Jesus as Messiah (“Modern-day Disputations, December 12). He also speculates that Rav Joseph Soloveitchik never opposed debate — just amicable dialogue. He is egregiously wrong in both claims. It is hard…
‘Beyond Walls’ Editorial Is Beyond the Pale The November 28 editorial “Beyond the Walls” is aptly titled; it crosses a journalistic barrier that has, until now, allowed the Forward to be perceived as a neutral forum with regard to different expressions of Judaism. “Protesters” within the Orthodox community unhappy with what they perceive as abuses…
Abuse Issue Examined Ten years ago, the UJA-Federation of New York convened a group of human services professionals to determine what needed to be done about spousal abuse in the Jewish community — a long-denied issue that is a stark reality for far too many Jewish women and children (“Open Our Communal Eyes to Spousal…
Revisit Religious Texts On Abortion Argument Opinion writer Rabbi David Ellenson grievously misrepresents both how the Jewish religious tradition views partial-birth abortion as defined in the recently enacted federal law and what that law says (“Abortion Ban Degrades and Devalues Women,” November 21). It is indeed true that Jewish tradition considers a Jewish mother’s life…
Little Frank a Class Act It was with great satisfaction that I read the November 14 profile of Frank Luntz (“Political Pollster Grows Into His Jewish Identity). I was Frank’s principal and teacher for seven years at religious school. I knew him and his family very well. Although not heavily observant, Frank always had a…
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