Listening with compassion
We’d like to express our appreciation to the J. for the article “Letters capture a Bay Area family’s generational discord over Israel” (July 23) and for boldly making this the cover story. There is so much that we can learn from this article about how crucial it is to establish a dialogue with love and respect at its core, even when we may disagree on important issues. The issue at hand in this article is the Israel and Gaza situation. That said, this article can serve as a blueprint for any topic, encouraging us to listen with compassion, even when it’s really hard.
Jane Stepak and Shoshi Stahl | Palo Alto
Thank you for your courage
I fully agree with Doug Kahn’s thoughtful essay, “As a Zionist and lifelong advocate, I believe Israel has gone too far” (July 21). It took some courage in these times to write this piece. Jews of faith and conscience, knowing our own millennia-long experience with hate and destruction, must be moved by the continuing civilian death and destruction in Gaza. This goes too far beyond trying to destroy Hamas — their current leaders seem oblivious to what’s happening to the Palestinians they control. Thank you, Doug, for calling this out.
Wayne Feinstein | San Mateo
Jewish Community Federation CEO, 1991-2000
Israel’s unintended consequences
When an S.F. luminary, Rabbi Doug Kahn, provides a nuanced opinion, we should listen. Many of us who are activists share Kahn’s hesitancy to criticize Israel’s actions during war. Yet, we can remember when Israeli military engagement was followed by diplomatic and Israeli societal disappointment, such as the Lebanon operation from 1982 to 2000.
The Gaza conflict is undermining Israeli internal cohesiveness as many question whether further conflict will gain any real benefit to justify further loss of life on both sides. Internationally, Israel is now creating a diplomatic disaster. Unintended consequences may snatch a victory from the sacrifices Israel has already suffered in Gaza and be self-defeating.
Jeff Saperstein | Mill Valley
What will you tell your grandchildren?
I am writing with immense sorrow and a profound sense of urgency regarding the escalating crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. For many of us, the devastating reality of the situation has been apparent for some time, and now, it is undeniably unfolding before the eyes of the world.
As the son of a Holocaust survivor, with countless family members cruelly murdered through ethnic cleansing and genocide, it is inconceivably heartbreaking to witness our people perpetrating similar atrocities against others, largely in silence.
Throughout history, the haunting question echoes: “Where was the outrage? Who spoke out?” I now pose these same questions to Bay Area clergy. I implore you to consider not the immediate reactions within our congregations, but rather how you will answer your grandchildren when they ask, “Where were you?” Each of our voices holds power and significance, and they desperately need to be heard.
As the United Nations convenes to discuss the possibility of a Palestinian state and a path toward peace, hope still flickers. We must all act now to make our voices resonate. I am heartened that many rabbis have signed the recent letter advocating for an end to the starvation in Gaza. This is a crucial first step, but more is needed.
I raised my family in a local congregation, instilling in them a deep reverence for all human life and a profound empathy for suffering. Passing mentions of the Palestinian people over the past few years simply do not suffice in the face of such overwhelming human catastrophe. Please speak out now!
Matz David | Lafayette
Real picture on Israel’s playgrounds
In Guy Miasnik’s interview in J., he states that “We all grew up in a place where you go to your public school and you play after that in the playground with your friends. That’s the way it goes in Israel.” (“Tech entrepreneur builds bridges between Israeli and American Jews,” July 24)
His statement may be somewhat misleading insofar as it does not reflect the deep divisions in current Israel society that are enabled starting in the school years. Nearly all schools in Israel are publicly funded but fall into separate sectors: state secular, state religious, Arabic and haredi. Thirty years ago about 70% of students attended the secular, public sector schools. Today that number is thought to be down to less than 39%. So if you are playing on the playground after school, you are playing only with friends who belong to your parochial slice of the Israeli population. This seems like remarkably bad social policy at odds with the picture Mr. Miasnik paints.
Joan Kato | Portola Valley
End the killing and the starvation
I am a Jewish woman and a lifelong committed Zionist, and I am appalled and horrified by the mass starvation of the people of Gaza and the killings of food recipients in Gaza. I am ashamed as well. I am also appalled by the violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank.
I am begging all Israel’s supporters, including AIPAC members, to do all you can to urge Israel to end the killing and starvation of the people of Gaza. This awful situation is a horror and must end. I support the 750 rabbis who called on Israel’s government to respect all human life, end the use of starvation as a weapon of war and allow extensive humanitarian aid under international supervision into Gaza. (“‘What’s happening now is a disaster’: Local rabbis react to Gaza hunger crisis,” July 25)
Lea Delson | Berkeley
Silence is complicity
I, along with so many Israeli and American Jews, are outraged at how Netanyahu’s government is handling the humanitarian/food needs in Gaza. Thankfully, J. had a story addressing this issue and noted that “more than 750 rabbis on four continents have signed an open letter calling for Israel to deliver more aid to Gaza.” And lifelong Zionist Rabbi Doug Kahn wrote an opinion piece in the J. saying he believes Israel has gone too far.
Both J Street and the New Israel Fund have had recent articles in their newsletters criticizing Netanyahu’s lack of leadership in getting sufficient food and medical care to thousands of Gazans, many of them children. As the July 15 J Street newsletter states: “We’re at a point of moral reckoning. Silence is complicity.”
We can write or phone our congressional leaders and write letters to Israeli leaders. And I believe that we can also: 1) boycott purchasing all products from Israel; 2) postpone planned trips to Israel; and 3) donate money to Israeli and U.S. organizations working to end the war and increase food and other needed supplies to Gaza.
To call ourselves Jews, we must insist that Israel’s leaders follow Torah values of compassion, kindness to the stranger, care for the helpless and tikkun olam. It’s time to draw a line in the sand. Silence is complicity.
Bonnie Lindauer | San Francisco
Flood Gaza with food for 10 million
The countries that seem to care so much about Gazans should donate enough food for 10 million people. Doing this will overpower the ability of Hamas to continue its weaponization of food, which, even by the U.N.’s own acknowledgment, it does by stealing from and controlling the U.N. food delivery system. Hamas will then no longer be able to extort high prices from Gazans to fund its operations or use its manipulated images to serve its media campaign that is distracting the world from its necessary removal.
I am also disgusted at the continuing failure of virtually everyone — not just the whole of the world that never misses an opportunity to blame the Jews, but also many Jews themselves — to understand and consider human suffering on the planet. For decades, Gulf States have funded efforts throughout Africa to create Islamist terrorist organizations, which have killed millions and displaced tens of millions of Christian and Animist Africans. And how many Westerners know that Iran just expelled up to 1.8 million Afghans, nearing the population of Gaza? I’m guessing the answer is, exceedingly few. The media focuses an insane magnifying glass on tiny Israel.
The bottom line is that Hamas starves Israeli hostages, Hamas starves Gazans, and Hamas is profiting from doing both, because all anyone can ever think about is how everything is Israel’s fault.
Jason Jungreis | San Francisco
Jews in diaspora ‘genuinely mortified’
I do not know why it took me so long. I have been looking for public comments from Jewish community leaders, in particular from the legacy institutions. Now, at this very late date, I want to make sure that the world knows that I, and many Jews in the diaspora, are horrified, genuinely mortified — and have been for so long — by the violent, indiscriminate and inhumane behavior by the Israeli government/IDF, its total destruction of Gaza and its unthinkable disregard and contempt for the lives of all Gazans.
There are also the unspeakable displacements, dispossessions and violence — really, the running out of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank. All carried out in our name, my name, and in the name of Israel’s security. Yes, I do know about the genuine threats to Israel’s existence and its security. This is no way to go about protecting it.
Where are our vaunted values, like “saving one life is like saving the whole world,” and “respecting the stranger in our midst,” “do not stand idly by,” “do not unto others,” etc.?
It is a shanda!
Eva Seligman-Kennard | San Anselmo
Believe Jewish students
Ron Hassner is certainly right that Jewish students, faculty and staff should be respected and believed and not face gaslighting when they report experiences of antisemitism on college campuses. (“Cal prof’s ‘sleep-in’ against antisemitism leads to national Changemaker award,” July 30)
Unfortunately, downplaying and denying these experiences, rationalizing and even justifying them are all too prevalent in our university community, as they are across the country. For almost two years now, Jewish students have repeatedly reported discrimination, harassment and abuse and difficulty receiving adequate protection and support from the university. They often face challenges trying to secure equity, equality, freedom of access to university facilities and participation in university programs, and access to justice. These denials of their lived experiences further marginalize them.
There is much more the university needs to do to make Cal safe, welcoming, equitable and inclusive for Jewish students. While it has taken some tentative and positive steps, it needs to make a far greater investment of resources if it is genuinely committed to respecting the civil rights of its Jewish students, faculty and staff and their welfare and to securing their place in the rich diversity of our Cal community. Believing our students is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving positive change.
Noam Schimmel | Berkeley
Lecturer, Global Studies, UC Berkeley