Do what Israel does
Thank you for Gil Shefler’s article entitled, “Should Israel be a model for U.S. airport security?”(Jan. 8),
While I’m a psychology professor and certainly not an expert on travel security and safety, my initial reaction to your article was, “Duh, yeah!” It seems to my layperson’s mind that Israel is the gold standard in this area and why shouldn’t the United States (and other concerned countries) take a page from the Israel playbook on this one and do as they do?
I have three airplane trips planned in January (including one to Washington, D.C., a prime terrorist target for sure) and I’d sleep better at night if Israel was managing my plane’s security process rather than our American TSA. It seems like Israel has a model program for air travel safety … As an academic I’d thought I’d never say this but … let’s plagiarize it!
Tom Plante | Menlo Park
Jews and the NBA
I enjoyed Andy Altman-Ohr’s column on Omri Casspi (“Rookie Omri Casspi rising faster than an over-yeasted challah,” Jan. 8) and was surprised that he performed so poorly against the Warriors (1-for-8 shooting, only four points after scoring 20-plus in four straight games).
But he will have many more days …
I hope you know that Jews were instrumental in creating the NBA. Not just Red Holtzman, but almost the entire New York Knickerbockers for the first few years of their existence. So I Googled “first basket NBA” and found the following:
“On Nov. 1, 1946, in the opening game of the fledgling Basketball Association of America (BAA), Ossie Schectman scored the opening basket for the New York Knickerbockers against the Toronto Huskies. Schectman and his teammates Sonny Hertzberg, Stan Stutz, Hank Rosenstein, Ralph Kaplowitz, Jake Weber, and Leo “Ace” Gottlieb went on to win the opening game 68-66 and finish the season with a 33-27 record. In 1949, the BAA became the National Basketball Association (NBA), and Schectman’s shot is considered the first basket in the NBA.”
I remember watching Knicks’ star Max Zaslovsky a few years later and then hearing his father, a cantor at a big shul in the Bronx.
Bennett Woll | San Francisco
Yasher koach to all volunteers
From my perspective, Shelley Gottlieb’s letter lamenting that a “mere” 150 volunteers who showed up for Jewish Volunteer Day on Dec. 9 was way off-base (Letters, Jan. 1).
One hundred fifty volunteers on a weekday deserves, perhaps, a “yasher koach” but certainly not a “shame on us.” The “shame on us” statement in her letter struck a chord with me because I had been personally solicited to volunteer for this event, and I made a conscious choice to decline the offer. I work full-time in the Jewish community, and I volunteer for my synagogue almost daily and am engaged in a number of other activities and personal interests in my “spare” time. In order to keep a good perspective on life, and to preserve my positive energy and good health, I owe it to myself, and to the people I associate with, to say “no” from time to time without being chastised for it.
But “shame on us” for not being available to be involved in this event? From my perspective, that’s a great way to get me to say “no” the next time around, as well.
Mazel tov and yasher koach to everyone who worked on this event.
Kenny Altman | San Francisco
Right on
Thanks again for keeping j. “fair and balanced” as shown by your publishing the recent article about Norman Podhoretz (The Great Divide: Conservative pundit ponders why so many Jews feel it’s right to be left,” Dec.4).
Harold E. Friedman
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Respecting the festival’s autonomy
I write in support of our community’s beloved S.F. Jewish Film Festival. For many years, the festival has faithfully brought us the full diversity of Jewish-related film. My life, and the lives of my family and friends are much the richer for the festival’s excellent work.
This year, in recognition of the terrific struggle the festival is waging to maintain its independence, I am encouraging the people close to me to show their support for the festival by making an end-of-year contribution.
On Dec. 4, j. published a shameless call to take over the festival by packing its board with members who would be beholden to the right wing of our community.
What “crimes” merit this drastic punishment? Showing a film that depicted Israel’s occupation, allowing a bereaved mother to speak, and permitting two widely respected peace organizations, Jewish Voice for Peace and the American Friends Service Committee, to co-present the film.
The hysterical response to this unobjectionable event has slid into unprincipled bullying. I call on the right wing to respect the festival’s autonomy, the festival to keep up the good work, and our community to redouble its support for the festival.
Glen Hauer | Berkeley
Boycotts can’t be sugarcoated
While reading Ms. Doron’s article, (“SFJFF: We’re sorry, we’ve learned … let’s move forward,” Dec. 18) for a minute I was impressed by its candor; then I reached the paragraph talking about the need for “diversity of opinions” and “coming together.” These are the two “code words” for the extreme-left and anti-Israel crowd — i.e. let the storm pass over and we will be back in business as usual, providing a “diversity and inclusion forum” to all.
Boycotts, divestment and sanctions are nothing less then economic and cultural terrorism, the aim of which is the delegitimization of Israel’s standing in the world. Calls for BDS are not free speech or just expressions of opinions by Israel’s critics — they are, plain and simple, an act of terror against the people of Israel.
The Jewish federation and its affiliates should not give a hand to organizations, including the SFJFF, if they elect to partner with such groups and provide them with a podium to spew their hatred against the people of Israel and their elected government.
Sam Liron | Foster City