A Space For Women To Daven
Dear Editor:
I want to thank Shmuel Sackett for his recent article about the lack of women’s spaces in the “minyan factories.” It was a woman—Chana—who set the example for tefilah, and it’s our Nashim Tzidkaniyos who brought Geulah in the past and can be expected to bring Geulah now.
Our communities have a number of problems that need to be addressed, and one of them is the erasure of women. We are still seeing publications that won’t use photos of women and girls where relevant. We’re seeing advertisements showing photos of men and/or boys but not women and/or girls. We’re going back to the old-fashioned ways of referring to women as appendages of their husbands and not by their own names. And these are just the seemingly smaller things. If a woman can’t find a space to daven in a given shul or “minyan factory,” that makes a very bad statement.
Why is it that our society, which is supposed to value women and take them seriously, is allowing any of this to happen? Are any of us going to take action?
Are we women going to take any kind of stand for ourselves? Those of us who are still paying money for publications that won’t allow photos of women—are we going to cancel our subscriptions and make clear that the erasing of women is wrong? When we see a fundraising ad honoring couples but showing only the husbands and not the wives, are we going to tell them that they need to either show the wives, use no photos at all, or get no money?
What about the men? Are the husbands going to take a stand for their wives? Are they going to make sure that the women and girls in their lives are referred to by their own names and are shown with their own faces? And are any men going to take a stand and make clear that every shul or “minyan factory” needs an Ezras Nashim more than it needs space for pizza and sushi?
How can we expect any kind of Geulah if we can’t respect the very people—women—who are expected to make it happen?
Sincerely,
Meira E. Schneider-Atik
Empowering Ourselves To Better Ourselves During The Three Weeks
Dear Editor:
These Three Weeks are an eis ratzon for tefilah, says Rabbi Yosef Gesser. As Rabbi Naftoli Weinberger writes in his book, The Priceless Treasure of Bircas Kohanim, the kohanim face away from the Aron Hakodesh, toward the kehillah, to bless the kehillah. If Hashem is willing to give of His kavod, so to speak, so that we will be blessed, shouldn’t we be mevater? In this way, we can truly merit blessings.
We all know the story of Kamtzah and Bar Kamtzah. While the baal simcha in that story should have let the latter stay, would we have acted differently in that same situation? I would like to think so, but we don’t know until we are in that situation. This is why it is important to learn the import of v’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha. And when we conquer our ego, we are creating an opening for our tefilos to be answered. Our bein adam laMakom is elevated as well.
I would suggest that even if it is not your minhag, you try to “catch” Birchas Kohanim at least once before Tisha B’Av. Additionally, as Rabbi Gesser has suggested, you can visit the kevarim of the great rabbanim and rebbetzins of yesteryear. Rabbi Weinberger writes that people travel far and look for segulos when the blessings are right here in our own backyard.
Let us judge others favorably, daven with more fervor, and learn to take this auspicious time seriously. Rabbi Binyamin Yudn has noted that the kohen channels the unique requests of each individual and offers them to Hashem. It is hoped that through our tefilah, chesed, and Torah study, Mashiach should come speedily in our days.
Chaim Yehuda Meyer
Tar Beach
Dear Editor:
Does anyone remember tar beach? It wasn’t exactly the Hamptons or anywhere in proximity to the Hamptons. It involved going to your grandparents’ third- or fourth-floor walkup in Boro Park and enduring Mamdani-style heat with a couple of fans blowing hot air in your face. The solution was to take folding beach chairs and ascend to the roof, where you hoped to catch a few sun rays, hopefully not melanoma, and a breeze.
That lovely memory was followed by my family’s move to Long Island, where we lived in a Cape Cod-style home. My bedroom on the second floor was the size of all three bedrooms in my home here. The drawback was the sloped ceilings, which raised the temperature another 10 degrees. It was so hot that first summer that I slept on the hardwood floor. The following year, we purchased an air conditioner, and everyone slept in my room.
Okay, so you, or at least I, don’t live in the Hamptons or Long Branch, New Jersey. Nevertheless, with the air conditioner set at 71, take that, Mr. Mayor, staying home is not like crossing the midbar or making 42 stops over the course of 40 years. The other alternative is to sit in comfy reclining seats in the cool movie theater and watch Toy Story 5, yes, I went, with 100 little kids. Veni, vidi, I was bored but cool. Go over your Latin 101.
Debbie Horowitz
Remembering Hakoras HaTov
Dear Editor:
I guess I should not be, but I am still shocked when reading most of Warren Hecht’s articles. When he writes that ultimately the United States will have the same tragic ending as the British Empire, the Roman Empire, etc., I was sure that he was writing about the wave of socialism and communism that is slowly moving into our political leadership. But no, it will be President Trump’s doing because of all the positive things that he has done for our country.
Disregarding politics and some of the positions that the President has, with which people like him disagree, there is an inyan of hakoras hatov that comes into play. As a religious Jew, Mr. Hecht should take into consideration what the President has done for the Jewish people. Even taking into account the continuing issue of Iran, the fact that there is, so far, a cease-fire between Hezbollah and Eretz Yisroel has been a big plus for Israelis, and with Hashem watching over us, it should continue. It does not make us any less patriotic to look at what is good for the Jews, because as we see in today’s world, almost no one else will.
A. Rosenblum
Justice, Loyalty, And Mr. Hecht
Dear Editor:
Mr. Hecht’s column last week was funnier than Mr. Schmutter’s. Don’t you know from The Godfather that you never take sides against the family? The Democrat Party is pro-criminal, supports abolishing ICE, and supports defunding the police. So here you have a U.S. soccer player whose punishment was revoked. That should be a cause for Democrat celebration! But no, if Trump is involved, it’s bad.
Anyone who saw a replay clearly watched Balogun go for the ball, and he unintentionally kicked the Bosnia and Herzegovinian player in the ankle. The video replay was not used according to World Cup rules, and the rescinding of the suspension was the correct decision. It’s called “justice.” Democrats don’t know what that word means.
Mr. Hecht lied by omission. While he praises President Lincoln, he never once writes “Republican.” Why not? After all, Lincoln was not a racist or a bigot, like Democrats were then and are today. In the 1860s, they hated blacks. Today, it’s whites and Jews. Have a Nazi tattoo, and you can run as a Democrat. I don’t recall once reading Mr. Hecht denounce Graham Platner.
There are 10 Jewish senators - yes, I include Bernie Sanders. All are Democrats. None defended the Jewish people by calling out Platner. Sanders was all in for Platner. All they care about is power and taking back control of the Senate. None are real Jews. We are in the period of the Three Weeks, mourning the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash. Those 10 senators are no better than Bar Kamtzah, whose actions caused the destruction of the Holy Temple by betraying his own people.
Today’s Democrat Party must bash America to shore up its anti-Jewish bona fides. Rahm Emanuel, another fake Jew, went to Israel to give a speech. He bashed American support for Israel, as well as Prime Minister Netanyahu. He is looking at a possible 2028 presidential run. Another potential 2028 candidate, Congressman Khanna, went to Israel and traveled to a restricted area in Judea and Samaria. He was detained by the IDF. He is now playing the victim, claiming he was “detained by settlers brandishing American M4s while on his trip to Palestine.” He is a pro-Chamas anti-Semite. This is your Democrat Party, Mr. Hecht!
Mr. Hecht is delusional if he thinks this presidency is a corrupt regime. I guess he slept through the Biden administration. Who weaponized the DOJ against political opponents? Why is there no mention of Nancy Pelosi’s or Ro Khanna’s ill-gotten gains from trading the market with insider information in the column? Bernie Sanders has three homes and flies by private jet around the entire country! Where did that money come from? Mr. Hecht doesn’t seem to care.
Shalom Markowitz