Dear Editor:
This past week’s issue of the Queens Jewish Link made for a fantastic Shabbos read. Moshe Hill’s sneak preview of one topic in his upcoming book explaining the difference between self-hating Jews and Jewish self-hatred was enlightening. I am looking forward to the publication of his book.
Warren Hecht’s column was also an interesting read, but for a different reason. Mr. Hecht courageously takes upon himself the herculean task of defending the destructive actions of Kathy Hochul and the Democrats the past two years while simultaneously explaining why we need to keep Democrats in power. Mr. Hecht lists off all the Democratic red-meat issues regularly discussed on CNN: election denying, Donald Trump, Q-anon, and January 6. If Attorney Hecht’s column was the equivalent of a legal brief in defense of the status quo, I would grade it an “A.” If, however, the column were graded for intellectual honesty, I would grade it an “F.”
One needn’t be a political junkie to know that the two most important issues facing New Yorkers right now are crime and inflation. Yet Mr. Hecht omits any reference to the completely out of control crime New York City is currently experiencing. New York City residents are far more worried about being beaten with a tire iron by a mentally ill, crack-addicted, homeless person while walking down the street than what Liz Cheney thinks of Q-anon. Subway riders are far more concerned with being pushed onto the subway tracks (25 poor souls pushed onto the tracks so far this year) than January 6. Ignoring the number one issue facing New Yorkers is completely disingenuous.
Mr. Hecht would also like voters to ignore the unacceptable levels of inflation that are largely the result of Democratic policies on energy and spending. He analogizes the current economic concerns to those of Germany in the 1930s. I fail to see the connection. While Mr. Hecht correctly notes the Nazi platform, included plans to cure inflation and declare Jews non-citizens of Germany, his fear of prioritizing economic concerns leading to a right-wing authoritarian government persecuting Jews is completely evidence-free. Unless, that is, Mr. Hecht uses the word “authoritarian” for every policy or politician he disagrees with. It appears Mr. Hecht has been influenced by Democratic hack/Attorney General Merrick Garland’s statement last year that “white supremacists pose the most dangerous threat to our democracy.” It’s worth noting that white supremacists currently hold zero levers of power at any level of government. It’s also worth noting that none of the commonplace attacks on Jews walking the streets of Brooklyn have been attributed to white supremacists.
Former Vice President (no, not Mike Pence) David S. Pecoraro of the Rosedale Jewish Center ends his letter questioning Moshe Hill what his excuse is for not voting Democratic to “protect fellow New Yorkers.” Last I checked, Rosedale was part of New York City, which, according to an NYPD report put out last month, has experienced a 35.6 percent increase in serious crimes (robberies, burglaries, grand larcenies, and auto thefts) over 2021. Unless Mr. Pecoraro is interested in seeing the movie The Purge (where crime including murder is legalized) played out on the streets of NYC, I don’t know how he reaches the mind-boggling conclusion that we all need to vote Democratic.
Lastly, Doniel Behar airs his grievances against the CDC and Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt for their promotion of COVID vaccines and boosters to young healthy people. I can get onboard with Mr. Behar’s contentions regarding the ineffectiveness of boosters, the continued lies spun by the CDC, and the absurdity of calling the COVID shot “a vaccine” when it does not prevent COVID infections. I would even take it a step further and note how government bureaucrat Dr. Fauci enriched himself to the tune of at least $5 million during the pandemic. When questioned in a September Congressional hearing by Senator Rand Paul about the obvious conflict of interest of receiving royalties from Big Pharma for promoting cross-the-board use of their vaccines even in cases of natural immunity, Dr. Fauci stonewalled and refused to answer the question.
Where I part company with Mr. Behar is in his characterization of Rabbi Dr. Glatt. While it is true that Rabbi Dr. Glatt has been in lockstep with the CDC and Dr. Fauci even on their more dubious claims such as the necessity to vaccinate young, healthy people, one cannot make the claim that he does so based on enriching himself or for any personal kavod. There is no evidence of that; in fact, quite the opposite is true, as Rabbi Glatt is also a talmid chacham and is widely respected for his dual credentials. Mr. Behar’s point of why Rabbi Dr. Glatt has not retracted his original enthusiastic endorsement of vaccines for all, once it became known that they couldn’t prevent COVID infection or transmission, is a valid one. However, one must consider the tremendous political pressure likely placed on a public figure such as Rabbi Dr. Glatt to toe the line and not stray from the Big Pharma/Big Government narrative of vaccine “solution” for all.
I wish you continued hatzlachah in producing your wonderful publication.
Jason Stark
Dear Editor:
Moshe Hill wrote an outstanding article, as usual. This week, I am gratified that he chose to write about “Jewish anti-Semitism.” I presume it was based, as he alluded to, on the article I wrote the previous week, suggesting that the Jewish media give this topic more attention.
In general, I agree with Moshe’s assessment that the phenomenon is based more on a hatred for Judaism than for Jews. Leftist Jews are in dire need for some form of religion other than the Judaism they have rejected. To compensate, they devised liberalism and its credo as its new religion, even at the peril of fellow Jews and Israel.
What I think still needs to be explained is why it is unique among Jews to turn on their own. We do not find by African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, or any other ethnic group that they take stands that are harmfully critical of their brethren. Is there anything self-opposing like Jewish Voices For Palestine among those groups?
Politically, as well, most ethnic politicians proudly represent the interests of their own communities. Our Jewish representatives seem to cower from saying anything public in support of Jews or Israel. Have you heard a word from Jerold Nadler or Charles Schumer on campus anti-Semitism, on the hatred by the “Squad” of Israel and Jews, on Palestinian terror, on the Hamas War, on Ben & Jerry’s, etc.? It’s not like they are shy on any other topic.
I would like to know if Mr. Hill or anyone else can explain this unfortunate character flaw that affects too many of our people. Maybe even ourselves.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld
Dear Editor:
Last week, Warren Hecht mentioned in his column how his case of Trump Derangement Syndrome causes him to be about the only frum Jew in Queens supporting Kathy Hochul for Governor.
This was right after he followed the lead of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by mentioning how supporting Republicans is similar to electing Nazis in Germany 90 years ago.
Next, he will probably write about how it’s a mitzvah for Governor Hochul to throw our yeshivos under the bus, and how New York’s skyrocketing crime rate is really all just a Trump conspiracy theory.
Choni Herschel Kantor
Kew Gardens, New York
Dear Editor:
Lis Truss – a name to remember! True, she will be a historical footnote for her six-week-plus tenure as British Prime Minister, and the last PM to have met Queen Elizabeth (consult your “Crown” viewing), but more importantly, she will be a Jeopardy! clue (she already was last week) or Wall Street Journal crossword puzzle clue. Obviously, her poor economic skills got her into trouble, but I wonder what her pension will be and what her salary was for such a short stint at 10 Downing Street.
Perhaps the United States could copy such a parliamentary system. Imagine how long President Biden would last with a mere 40% approval rating. While the President is busy touting his infrastructure achievements (the little bridge in Pittsburgh), he seems at a loss trying to understand the spike in grocery prices. Maybe the press could ask him how much a half a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread cost, a la President Bush.
Nevertheless, what’s frightening would be the question of who would succeed President Biden – VP Harris? Oy, vey! Maybe Tom Brady would give up his football career for a seat at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Now that he’s single, he might consider a new career.
Debbie Horowitz
Dear Editor:
If you’re trying to debate in a Jewish paper under Orthodox auspices that the current Democratic Party position on abortion, which is killing the baby up to and including the moment of birth, is a superior position to hold, you are not going to win that argument. The Orthodox position is extremely nuanced, and certainly, murdering the baby while it’s in the birth canal is forbidden. The abortion issue isn’t even a top-five issue in the election at this point.
Mr. Hecht, we live in a Republic, not a Democracy. So, please stop the gaslighting. No respectable Republican cares what Liz Cheney has to say. She was censured by the Republican National Committee and removed from her position as number three in the House of Representatives. She is a quintessential Republican In Name Only (RINO). She was rejected by the people of Wyoming and is, therefore, not an authoritative figure by any means.
You bring up George Soros. He is a Jew In Name Only. He is a radical who uses his great wealth to destabilize countries and generate power. He is certainly not a Simon Wiesenthal, a Jew we can all be proud of. It is with people like Soros, Bezos, Zuckerberg, and Gates that we actually live in an oligarchy here in America, where a few billionaires control the government with their pocketbooks. We are losing our Constitutional Republic, our liberties, and our freedoms.
Mr. Hecht continues, “Bad policies can be changed.” We know. President Trump’s foreign policy kicked Barak Obama’s in the behind. He was no Putin lackey. He held Putin and Xi in check. Look what’s going on today. We are on the verge of nuclear war with Russia because the current occupant of the White House is a special pleader for Putin, and the millions of dollars he made with his son off whatever shady deals they made while he was Vice President.
The only autocrat we need to worry about is President Biden. He is using Executive Orders to control this country. He has no authority to cancel student loan debt. He is using the FBI as the East German Stassi, going after political opponents and innocent parents who speak up against radical school boards. Parents don’t want their five-year-olds to be read to by drag queens. Five-year-olds shouldn’t be told they were born in the wrong body, that they can choose whether they want to be a boy or a girl. Parents don’t want their kids to be taught CRT and told they’re white supremacists – only to be arrested and thrown into jail if they speak up at a board meeting.
Yes, we are in dire times. Crime is out of control. Inflation is out of control. Democrats have no answers to either major issue. On Tuesday, November 8, all those registered to vote must vote. We must take that first step to reclaiming a government for the people, by the people.
Shalom Markowitz
Dear Editor:
Politicians should be changed as often as diapers because most are full of you know what! Remember this on Election Day, November 8, before voting.
Sincerely,
Larry Penner
Great Neck, New York
Dear Editor:
Wearing traditional, baggy, flowing Turkish garb and a rounded hat with a little tassel, the scientist in Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince shares a novel scientific finding that is summarily rejected by his colleagues. However, once he dons the white robes of his profession, this Turkish scientist’s finding is suddenly applauded. For all of my adult life until recently, I “followed the science.” I was fully vaccinated because science taught about immunity. I washed my hands with soap and water because science taught about germs. I wore a seatbelt because science taught about force and deceleration. Some of the scientists who researched and made discoveries in these areas were leaders in their fields, others were iconoclasts or were vilified for their findings. Science didn’t care about their status, social-political connections, or ability to perform in front of a camera. Science didn’t care. I didn’t care. One didn’t care – because it didn’t matter. Because real science is only dependent on honest, objective work. Not presentation. Not popularity. Not government position. Not scientific garb. Not “scientific-style.”
Fast forward to 2020, and suddenly the FDA is approving “vaccines” that provide little to no immunity. Suddenly VAERS has become obsolete and adverse events don’t matter. Suddenly PPE (surgical masks, gloves, etc.) are being used in a manner no scientist ever thought to suggest since 1971, when PPE guidelines were first instated. Suddenly lockdowns and social distancing – mitigation measures rejected by science for close to 100 years – were being forcibly implemented. Did science really change that abruptly? Or did we stop following science in favor of science-like presentation, position, popularity, and scientific “garb” – “scientific-style.”
Growing up, I was tempted by Levy’s advertisements for their “kosher style” rye bread and other food items that made similar claims to be “kosher style.” Those who looked into this soon learned that “kosher style” has no significance when it comes to actual kashrus. Similarly, “scientific-style,” regardless of the titles, acronyms, positions of prominence, and garb associated with it has no bearing on actual science. I followed the science until 2020. I continue to follow the same science. The rules of science have not changed, but the willingness to accurately identify them and follow them in the face of social pressure may have. Are you perhaps simply following “scientific style”?
Antoine de Saint-Exupery would be saddened to see that, by and large, his message has still not been learned.
Eli Azulai