Letters to Editor

Unfair Comment

Anti-Semitism, like any unjust persecution, demands to be exposed and soundly defeated at every turn. That said, the cause is not well-served when accusations are leveled without proper discrimination as in the April 25 article “Anti-Semitic Concert Notes Upsets Viewers.”

A number of prominent individuals expressed concern at what they deemed an unacceptable display of anti-Semitism at an April 13 concert featuring Francis Poulenc’s meditation on the Passion of Christ; it contained a Latin phrase, taken from an outdated Catholic liturgy, that translates, “There was darkness all over the Earth when the Jews crucified Jesus.”

Few if any events of the first century are as documented as the death by crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. History attests rather plainly that Jews of that age were subjected to Roman rule and therefore lacked the autonomy to carry out such an execution themselves. Yet history also includes that Jesus’ “crime” was not an offense against the Roman state, but against Judaism as determined by the Jewish leaders of that day, who then offered him up to their Roman rulers for execution.

I agree with ICJS head Dr. Christopher M. Leighton who says “Ignorance is no excuse.” To that end, the seeds of anti-Semitism germinate not at the mere mention of history, but rather in the soil of theological ignorance. The Catholic catechism is very clear regarding culpability: “All sinners were the authors of Christ’s Passion.”

Historically while the phrase “crucified by the Jews” is neither a full accounting nor intended to be, it bears more credibility than reactions that seemingly wish to imply that the Jewish people had absolutely no involvement in the events leading up to the crucifixion. If one wishes to argue against the operative phrase in Poulenc’s piece from a historical perspective fine, but to respond with accusations of anti-Semitism does not abolish ignorance; it incorrectly imputes the weight of theology to an utterance unworthy of such treatment.

Catholics and Jews can effectively work together to combat the root cause of the problem, but simply wishing away and mishandling historical reference to the crucifixion is an unrealistic and ineffective strategy that ultimately does the cause a disservice.

Louie Verrecchio
Baltimore

Correction

In the April 25 Health article titled “Jamaican Journey,” the location of Dr. Jason Brokaw’s office was misreported. Dr. Brokaw’s office is in the LifeBridge Health building in Quarry Lake in Baltimore.

One Nation, One Heart

Accolades to Phil Jacobs on his Sderot, Israel piece (“A Town With Deep Wounds,” April 18).

Many remain unaware of our mishpachah’s plight. Several commentators on the Talmud refer to all Jews as one body with individuals as appendages. So your Sderot mishpachah have been suffering injuries and widespread trauma from daily rocket attacks. Residents exist in hellish, wartime “surreality.” Mothers are nervous taking a shower –– afraid they won’t hear the alarm to warn family! Most children bear chronic post-traumatic stress syndrome. Children sleep in bomb
shelters because they suffer too much trauma when awoken (by red alarm) to run to the shelter. They need “shaalva rooms” in school - to find solace, decompress and vent.  Playtime is indoor restricted.

An American on Sderot mission was told she could stay but briefly. On her way out, the red 15-20 second alert sounded, they jumped out of the car, face down on the ground. She uttered Shemah.

Rabbi Hauer on a mission was advised that sometimes the warning signal gives a scant six seconds and yes you can say Shemah in six seconds. (Since you are supposed to say Shemah if you feel you are in mortal danger) yes, they often say Shemah several times a day.

As a child, I remember asking adults why nobody did anything to help the Jews during the Holocaust.  A frequent reply was, “We really didn’t know much. There were a few small articles on the papers’ back pages.”

It says directly in the Torah: “Thou shalt not stand brother’s blood.”

Please everyone, it doesn’t cost much to light Shabbos candles and to cry out to G-d, our Tatie, to please end this nightmare! Please let all Yidden walk freely outside, take a shower and sleep in peace in their own beds! It is a big mitzvah to look out for your fellow Jew. If the Rebbono Shel Olam hears from all
of us on Friday nights and hears our concern for our brothers the light can pierce the darkness, illuminate the Heavens and please G-d bring Shalom. G-d bless all Yidden.

Laura Rubin Dickman
Baltimore

History Repeats

Regarding recent JTA pieces run on jewishtimes.com on the ongoing controversy over whether to boycott the Olympics in China, important issues have been raised. One is the problem of Free World leaders allowing themselves to be misled by a totalitarian regime that exploits the games to hide its human rights abuses.

The international community faced a similar problem in 1936 when the Nazis used the Berlin Olympics to improve their image and distract
attention from their persecution of Germany Jewry. Hitler’s propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, called the games “A victory for the German cause.” In fact, it was a victory in ways that Goebbels did not realize.

Shortly after the games concluded, American Jewish Congress leader Rabbi Stephen S. Wise met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt to discuss a number of topics, including the Olympics. FDR had opposed boycotting the games. Evidently he felt vindicated because, he told Wise, he had recently met two tourists who attended the Olympics and they reported “that the synagogues are crowded and apparently there is nothing very wrong in the situation [of Germany’s Jews] at present.”

Despite many reports from U.S. diplomats in Germany about the persecution of German Jews, and despite Wise’s efforts to persuade the president that the tourists’ report was mistaken, “I could see” — Wise wrote to Supreme Court Justice Louis D.

Brandeis — “that the tourists (whoever they are, the Lord bless them not) had made an impression upon him.”

One can only hope that today’s world leaders will not fall prey to Roosevelt’s kind of wishful thinking.

Rafael Medoff
Director, David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies
Washington, D.C.

Correction

In last week’s Health article titled “Jamaican Journey,” the location of Dr. Jason Brokaw’s office was misreported. Dr. Brokaw is a pain management specialist with OrthoMaryland located at Green Spring Station in Lutherville. The BALTIMORE JEWISH TIMES regrets the error.

Bullying Bullies

Your article on “Winners and Losers in Annapolis” (April 11, 2008) has a glaring omission. The Maryland General Assembly passed what I consider to be one of the most important pieces of legislation this session. 

House Bill 199 establishes bullying prevention procedures and systems for all Maryland public schools. As a school resource officer (SRO), I am well acquainted with the problems that bullying, harassment and intimidation bring into our schools, not only impacting the victims and their families but the bystanders and entire school environment.

Thanks to the vision, leadership and tireless efforts of Marcie and Ellis Goodman, Delegates Dana Stein and Craig Rice were able to make this bill a true winner.

It is because of the National Association of School Resource Officers’ relationship with the Goodmans that our organization was proud to lend our support to this important legislation. Students, families, educators and SROs in all Maryland public schools owe a debt of gratitude to the Goodmans and Delegates Stein and Rice for their commitment to have Maryland stand up and say no to bullies, and for furthering NASRO’s mission that safer schools make safer kids.

Don Bridges
Treasurer
National Association of School Resource Officers

Grateful Uncle

As the days pass since my niece Chelsea saved my mother-in-law’s life (“Heroic Holiday,” Apr. 25, 2008), and the haze slowly lifts from my mind from the overwhelming magnitude of the events, and I slowly return to normal, I am understanding more and more just how special Chelsea and her mom, Susan, are and that I was privileged to witness such a special event in my lifetime, in my own home!

I am filled with gratitude and respect.

Gary Smith
Owings Mills