Pediatrician sheds light on ancient tale
I had a revelation at my first seder last Monday night: Baby Moses suffered from colic! As a pediatrician, I have seen and treated many babies with colic. A hallmark of colic is inconsolable crying, which typically peaks around age 3 months. As the Haggadah states, this was the age at which “Moses’ cries became too loud, and so Yocheved placed Moses in a basket on the river.” Thus does a common medical problem, even now difficult to treat and not fully understood, change the course of history!
Dr. Seth Ammerman | San Francisco
J.’s new financial column is news you can use
How wonderful to see that Ira Fateman, certified financial planner, is now a columnist in J. (“Money Matters,” April 11).
While I tolerate the “foodie” columns and appreciate the jokes page, Ira’s column is a fantastic primer for those intimidated by financial planning, such as myself. I became aware of Ira’s expertise after attending a free workshop he conducted for Hebrew Free Loan at the JCC four years ago. Not surprised to see that Ira was voted the Best Financial Planner in J.’s “Best of the Bay.” Thank you J., for Ira’s column. Great addition.
Toby Adelman | San Jose
Keeping story of the Jews alive
While attending the recent talk by Simon Schama about his KQED series “The Story of the Jews,” I was struck by a clip he showed of Israel coming to a halt when sirens sounded on Yom HaShoah. Traffic came to a stop, and people all over the country stood up alongside elderly Jews with tattoos on their arms. This one-minute scene said more to me about why Israel is important to us Jews than reams of words.
Did I mention that in one scene a young Muslim lady in a headscarf did not stand? That is OK — this is not her history to remember. There are 56 countries in the world where her history and memories are remembered and alive. Where else in the world is our Jewish history and memory being preserved and remembered? Where else does life revolve around Jewish sensibilities?
This week I also received an email from Jeremy Ben-Ami, the founder of J Street. He articulated why Mahmoud Abbas will not recognize a Jewish state — but not a word about why Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is asking for one. Israel supporters deserve better than an organization that will not defend the “Jewish” in a Jewish state.
Sheree Roth | Palo Alto
Treading lightly
Paul Drexler’s letter (“Equating questions with blackmail?” March 28) missed the point of a previous letter. Of course Israelis are free to elect their leaders and criticize their government’s policies. Other countries, and U.S. Jews, should be careful not to use excessive influence on Israel. Israelis themselves have fought their many defensive wars, and always face an external threat. And it is they who live with the results of their decisions.
Similarly, Israelis should not use excessive influence on the leadership and policies of the U.S. Jewish community. Israelis and U.S. Jews share common values and traditions, but each should make their own decisions.
Norman G. Licht | San Mateo