Letters to the Editor: Hezbollah is an anathema
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Hezbollah is an anathema
You rightly highlighted, and extensively covered in last week’s edition, the spectre of the annual Al Quds Day march. Indeed, Jewish News has counted down the days, over recent months, to this event.
Likewise, in recent editions, you have covered the government’s determination to imbue all children, at all schools with so-called ‘British values’.
This has been in connection with Ofsted inspections of strictly-Orthodox schools and what they promote in their teachings.
How can allowing a terrorist organisation, dedicated to the destruction of Israel, a fellow democratic country with which the UK has such close ties, to march through the heart of our capital city proudly displaying their flags, be consistent with British values?
Hezbollah’s policies are the antithesis of all that we stand for in this country, yet their supporters were able to feely march in London.
Hezbollah openly seeks to kill Jews in Israel, and everywhere else.
The British Government has raised the “white flag” in this instance, and surrendered our ‘British values’. I normally write letters as a proud, British Jew.
Not today – I’m ashamed to be British, but very proud to be Jewish.
J D Milaric, Borehamwood
Any state would do the same
I refer to the recent gathering of the Kaddish group led by Rabbi Leah Jordon, whom I recently wrote to, and am still awaiting her reply.
This misguided gesture by misinformed members of our community was well intentioned in their eyes.
It is shocking when people are killed in these circumstances. But who is to blame – Israel? Certainly not; it is entitled to defend its borders against these invaders, who – if successful – would have massacred innocent men women and children.
The invaders were warned to stay away, and made aware of the consequences if ignored. Any country would do exactly the same. These rioters were put up to cause the maximum trouble by their hate-filled leaders, mainly Hamas.
It would have made a little more sense if they included in their Kaddish service, for example, the victims of the fire in Hammersmith (although not through terrorism), the victims of the Manchester Stadium massacre, the victims of the London Bridge killings, the policeman protecting the House of Commons who was murdered.
Why not [say Kaddish] for the Nazis who were shot during the Warsaw uprising by brave Jewish resistance fighters fighting for their very lives? Why just the Gaza border incidents? It does not add up.
Harold Lautenberg, By email
Listen to the latest episode of the Jewish Views:
Kaddish’s true role
You report that “Widespread revulsion greeted news that 50 mainly young British Jews had held a public show of mourning in Westminster, despite knowing that 52 of the 64 victims were Hamas terrorists” (jewishnews.co.uk, 24 May).
These people may have misunderstood the true nature of Kaddish. It is not primarily a prayer for the dead, but rather a proclamation of the Almighty’s holiness as manifested through His control and guidance of the universe.
The group was not expressing mourning for the Palestinian dead, but praising the Almighty for ensuring those killed were, in the main, active terrorists, although even the “unarmed civilian” protestors among whom they hid were not entirely innocent bystanders, as is evidenced by the instructions given them to bring weapons.
Perhaps a more legitimate objection to the group’s theatrical performance in Parliament Square is that it is not seemly to gloat over the destruction of the wicked which, in reality, is what they were doing.
Martin D. Stern, Salford
We don’t need enemies
An article in The Telegraph had the headline “Corbyn is pitting Britain’s Muslims against Jews”, another reason why his chance of becoming prime minister is a nightmare for the vast majority of our Jewish population.
However, some Jews, as shown by Jewish Voice for Labour – whose members claim they are Jews who support Jeremy Corbyn – find no fault in his views regarding Israel and his Palestinian cause. Do we need enemies when there are those who recite Kaddish for the Hamas terrorist, and give unintentional credibility to the anti-Semites in this country?
Sidney Sands, N12
Kosher sauce is best enjoyed with, er… pork?
I read with amusement your recent article about a Beth Din-approved kosher meal served on a British Airways flight, in which listed ingredients included shellfish (Jewish News, 31 May).
It reminded me of the labelling on a bottle of kosher sweet and sour sauce I recently bought, which suggested the product was best enjoyed with pork.
Daniel Shear, By email
Leading young minds
The views of Nina Morris-Evans, who took part in the recent “Kaddish for Gaza”, are not those you’d expect from a Jewish youth leader.
We sent our kids on Israel tour, but never in a million years accompanied by a leader who would say the mourner’s prayer for terrorists.
Children on tour spend a long month in close proximity to the group leaders, who might be only two or three years older than the participants. They look up to the leaders’ views. To criticise the Israeli army in public from the comfort of your sofa in London is irresponsible and dangerous.
Reform Judaism, as the name suggests, is about being a modern Jew – not about making a mockery of Jewish values or Israelis.
How many Kaddish prayers has Nina recited in public for Israeli and Jewish victims of terror?
Uri Solnitzky, By email
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