Israel and self-worth

I knew that some readers would misunderstand my letter of October 23, in which I quoted Rabbi Usher Kirshblum as to what Israel means to Jews. Deepak Awasti's letter [Nov. 6] is an example of that. My self-worth and that of other Canadian Jews is based on our connection to and participation in Canadian society, but also in knowing that our ancestral land of Israel has at last been redeemed.

What the Jewish community has achieved, as Mr. Awasti states, is "because of itself and its strength," but a part of that sense of strength comes from knowing that there is a Jewish country in the world that radiates inspiration to all Jews, regardless of religious observance or nationality.

The quality of any community is not diminished by a sense of connection to its ancestral land but enhanced by it. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, "The more allegiances we have, the more civilized we are."

» Barry Merson

False cures and
misguided zeal

Dear Lord! Have Ken Frankel and Beverly Brown lost their sense of perspective, or just simply their minds [Letters, Oct. 23, 31]? It would seem that my two favourite demagogues are so wrapped up in their historical "knowledge" that they've completely lost their sense of direction. Allow me to help them find their way.

Ms. Brown is quick to point out in her response that Zionism had existed long before 1948 and that "Zionists should stop returning to Israel," rather than the Palestinians. Good point, Ms. Brown, Zionism did exist before 1948. But as for your theory of Jews "returning" to Israel, where exactly would you have told the Jews to go? Perhaps you would have suggested to them that they stay in Europe? Brilliant! Have the Jews stay in Europe where they would have been fully subject to discrimination and persecution as they had been for centuries before.

Ms. Brown seems to have fallen victim to the dogmatic, left-wing "bleeding heart" ideology - that any country with no military arms and refugees is automatically the victim of aggression, and any militaristic country is evidently a bully.

As for Ken Frankel, where does one begin? He seems to suggest that Israel shouldn't have to deal with Palestinian refugee problems despite the fact that Israel clearly enforced this injustice onto the Palestinians through excessive force. If the scripts of history had reversed themselves and the Palestinians had done to the Jews what the Jews did to the Palestinians (kicked them out of their land), would the Jews just have sat there and tolerated it? Of course not! In fact, they probably would have started screaming "Holocaust," and almost rightfully so.

Palestinians had nothing to do with the persecutions of the Jews in Europe, therefore should not have had to suffer any consequences. Frankel seems too far blinded at this point by his ethnic nationalism to see any differently.

When will people like Brown and Frankel realize that the Middle-East crisis was a guaranteed lose-lose situation due to the poor cards delt by history's mistakes? On one hand, the Jews could have not created their own home by force, thus staying in Europe to be discriminated against for eternity.

On the other, they could have created their own home by force, and submitted the Palestinian people to uncanny repression. Has it occurred to either of these two writers that perhaps the country that should have forfeited some of their land to make up for the Jews' tremendous loss during World War II is Germany? You know, the country whose government was responsible for the six million Jews left dead.

And that perhaps a backstabbing England and poorly advised, guilt-infested UN should have done a better job at ensuring peace for the Palestinians and Jews? No, of course not! Frankel and Brown will both agree that it's clearly either the Israelis or Palestinians fault, because as everyone knows, the world has always been this black and white.

Until people like Brown and Frankel give up their misguided zeal and false cures for peace in the Middle East, they've added their names to the long list of people in this world who have so generously signed the death warrant for many future generations of Palestinians and Israelis. What an honour that must be.

» Jordan Frankel

Cover offends

The cover of this week's Mirror is utterly offensive and inappropriate [Dust, lust and gloom, Nov. 6]. The fact that your magazine is free and available all over the city makes it even more imperative that you use more forethought into what is seen on the cover.

I have no problem with that picture being published, but I would have hoped the Mirror would have been sensitive enough to have put it somewhere inside the magazine rather than where all eyes can see it, whether they want to or not.

The Mirror is found on racks that are at perfect eye-level for children. I for one am not comfortable with my very young child seeing such adult material. I am truly disappointed in your lack of thought and respect for those who do not wish to view images like that.

» Shoshana Ruttner

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