Letters to the editor
Readers respond
Praise for “Tree of Life” film
I loved the Chronicle’s review of “Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life” (April 29). My wife, Brenda, and I, as well as other survivors and family members, were privileged to get a viewing of this fine movie last week at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh. My wife and I were a little nervous about attending, but felt our input to filmmaker Patrice O’Neill, as well as supporting the families, was important.
Brenda and I were very touched and warmed by the care Patrice showed both in person and in the documentary, and we were totally engaged by the information which was beautifully shown in the film.
Praise for the movie and Patrice O’Neill.
Barry Werber
Pittsburgh
Palestinian leaders have betrayed their people’s trust
It appears to me that “Zionists” are doing a very poor job of controlling the media (“Pro-Palestinian group at NYU alleges ‘Zionist grip on the media,’” online, April 20, 2022).
Israel is accused of being an apartheid state despite the fact that Israeli Arabs vote and serve as members of the Knesset; that Arabs serve as judges on Israel’s Supreme Court; that Israel respects the holy sites of all religions; that Israeli hospitals treat Jewish and Arab patients in the same facilities, which are staffed by Jewish and Arab medical personnel; that Jewish and Arab students receive instruction and participate in research projects at the same universities which employ Jewish and Arab professors.
The standard response to the statements given above is that what I’ve written may be true for Israeli Arabs, but Israel discriminates against the Palestinians. Groups such as NYU Law Students for Justice in Palestine refuse to recognize that all Palestinians in Gaza, and nearly all Palestinians in “The West Bank” (Judea and Samaria), are living under the administration of Palestinian leaders, whether Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. And Israel afforded the Palestinians their first-ever chance to be governed by leaders of the Palestinians’ own choosing by signing the Oslo Accords.
Unfortunately, the chosen leaders have betrayed their people’s trust. The leaders of both Hamas and the PA have long overstayed their elected terms. Instead of preparing their people for life in a Palestinian state co-existing with the nation-state of the Jews, Palestinian leaders have taught their people to hate Jews and rewarded them for killing Jews, while also embezzling funds donated for the people’s benefit and diverting humanitarian aid to efforts to destroy Israel.
Anyone truly seeking justice for the people suffering under Hamas and PA rule must stop blaming Israel and call on the Palestinian leaders to change their ways.
Toby F. Block
Atlanta, Georgia
Getting high from regeneration
This letter is in response to Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel’s excellent article “Marijuana is not necessary to reach spiritual heights” (April 29). I agree wholeheartedly with the rabbi’s position. It all comes down to two choices. Either you can get high from regeneration, or you can get high from degeneration. I choose the former. An example of this is the so-called “runners high” — which releases endorphins in the brain — where you feel really good after running.
I agree that we are here for a purpose, and that we are here to do great work — which in Hebrew is referred to as “tikkun olam,” which means restore and repair. To me, marijuana is just a short cut and just like any other drug has side effects, and direct effects, with possible serious consequences.
Dr. Eugene M Goldberg
Allison Park
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