Dear Editor:
Between a response from fellow reader Shalom Markowitz and two editorials by columnist Moshe Hill in your January 27 edition, I could spend hours correcting their misstatements, untruths, and projectionist rhetoric. But permit me a few moments.
First the projections of Mr. Markowitz.
It is in fact the GOP that has abandoned its principles to literally worship their Orange Monster at the altar of Q. There are precious few actual Republicans left in the party of Lincoln, and they are being drummed out of their caucus by seditionist members of the House later this month. Given this, it is laughable that Mr. Markowitz calls President Biden a Marxist. The man is a patriotic capitalist who has always supported the troops and our officers in blue. Our President has actually passed aid to increase funding for police, which every single member of the GOP opposed. It is right-wing commentators (and Trump) who are rooting for the Russians against the Ukrainians.
Mr. Markowitz couldn’t even properly state the new voting laws. They do not apply to state elections, and non-citizens voted in our New York City school board elections decades ago without incident.
And Democrats have proposed voter ID requirements that would be fair for all people – but every single member of the GOP opposed it!
This is why, in spite of the media refusing to report on the Biden Economic Boom (that has resulted in more new jobs being created than under any President in one year, as well as making America the economy with the highest GDP growth, even adjusted for world-wide inflation), Democrats lead the generic congressional ballot because voters are judging Democrats by the alternative, not the Almighty.
As for Mr. Hill, I hope he read the latest ruling from the NYS Appellate Division that continues the stay against the ruling by a Nassau political hack masquerading in judges’ robes. Governor Hochul wants to keep New Yorkers safe with common sense and constitutionally grounded mandates. It is a shame that the NYS GOP doesn’t care about our health and safety. As for Mr. Hill misgendering LGBTQ student athletes, shame on him and Governor [Kristi] Noem. And Governor Youngkin now faces a justifiable backlash from his efforts at book-banning, as well as from parents who don’t want the history taught to their children to be whitewashed.
This is just a partial refutation of all of their errors. Hopefully they learn not to repeat them.
David S. Pecoraro
Past Vice President
Rosedale Jewish Center
Dear Editor:
I grew up in Kew Gardens Hills. I saw the neighborhood change from a melting pot of people from all ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds, as well as a cross-section of all Jewish denominations, to a community consisting predominantly of chareidi, Orthodox, and yeshivish Jews. I view this change as a good thing, as it anchors Torah values in yet another “modern American city.” When a growing “mainstream” community has many established mikvaos, yeshivos, batei midrash, and synagogues, as well as a plethora of kosher food establishments, I see this as an opportunity for tremendous kiddush Hashem, presenting ourselves to the outside world as righteous, while being productive members of a modern society.
However, I frequently notice on social media a clear lack of respect for one another within our community. All the prayers, Torah study, and observance, or the ceremonial and ritual mitzvos are absolutely worthless if we cannot have a basic respect for one another. As Hillel taught, the basic premise of the Torah is to love your fellow as yourself, and the rest is just commentary.
Recently, I saw a post of someone inquiring where they could pick up the Queens Jewish Link, since the supply at their usual location was finished. Instead of a private response or a simple answer giving a direct answer, the post quickly took on a life of its own, criticizing the paper for its advertising and editorial content.
Personally, I enjoy reading the Queens Jewish Link. While I have my favorite weekly parts, there are also articles and editorials where I strongly disagree with the views of the writer. I don’t hate the writer; I just respectfully disagree. If I don’t like a column or article, or I don’t like an advertiser, I will simply turn the page and not patronize the advertiser.
However, it is preposterous to make negative, inflammatory, and inciteful remarks against the Queens Jewish Link, its publishers, and its advertisers. I have a BA in Media Studies as well as in Business Administration. The way I see it, every newspaper is a business. Their purpose is to convey relevant information and have qualified individuals give their opinions. Obviously, the entire organization must sell advertising to cover their expenses and stay profitable. One commenter on a social media group disagreed with the content of an ad and suggested it was reprehensible that QJL accept such an ad and called it a chilul Hashem. The ad in question was well-designed and stated their policy for admission. If the commenter disagrees with the policy, he doesn’t have to patronize the establishment, but it is absurd for him to suggest that QJL should not accept such an ad.
I suggest that if he feels so strongly about his messaging, he should make a deal with the advertising manager at QJL, requesting the authority to approve or reject all content with the understanding that he agrees to pay for the full cost of the ad that he rejects, so the paper does not incur a financial loss because of his opinion. If he doesn’t agree to this deal, he should simply turn the page and read another column or look at a different ad.
Let’s learn to be respectful of others’ opinions and stop forcefully imposing our views on others. If we cannot do this, then the mekom Torah established in KGH will quickly become a great source of desecration to G-d’s name!
Best wishes,
Gabriel Solomon
Dear Editor:
Reading everything in last week’s issue, reading outside analyses, and looking at the district maps, I am ashamed to be a Democrat. Have you seen how they have harmed our community? While in Queens there isn’t much difference, in Brooklyn and in Rockland County, they have destroyed the ability for Orthodox Jews to have any say in a congressional race! Look at districts like NY10: They take some Orthodox areas and break them up into larger progressive areas, so even if every single Orthodox Jew voted against the Democrat, it would make no difference.
They literally decided that the 450,000+ Orthodox Jews in these areas should not have a vote or their voices heard. At most, the religious in Brooklyn should not be in more than two districts, but they split our brothers and sisters there into 5! Rockland should all be in 1, but they are not. And for those from the former Soviet Union, the Russian areas in Brooklyn were divided up in a way that our voices do not matter, as well.
These are all the same neighborhoods that the Democrats did their anti-Semitic “Red Zone” in 2020, and this seems to be part of an effort of the Democratic leadership to punish the Orthodox (and Russian) community for daring to vote for Trump or Republicans. Even the Liberal Brennan Center called it one of the worst gerrymanders in America and is considered worse than any single Republican state in the country, New York’s is second only to California.
The NY State Constitution (Article III, Section 4 Subsection c) states that “districts shall be as compact in form as practical,” which most of these are not. Further outside of Queens, it reduces our community’s influence in the state legislature. More targeting against us! We must speak out and support efforts to overturn this corruption. We passed an amendment in 2014 to ensure fair districts, and the Democrats, using a loophole, have thrown out the will of the voters. They are trying to rig a system, as they did in Maryland, where it becomes a one-party state (though Republicans can still win statewide there, everything else is impossible). This is not just against our community, but against Democracy. Just because Queens and the Bronx are slightly better off, the overall Orthodox community is much worse off.
I am going to be switching away from being a Democrat out of disgust, and have pledged to donate money to the opponents of, and help get out of office, every Democrat who voted for this. Anyone who voted for this is anti-Orthodox (even if they wear a kippah, they have taken a stand against us), anti-Russian immigrant, and anti-democracy. Let’s help the fight in overturning it and show the corrupt politicians in Albany that this will cost them the election.
Michoel Aronov
Dear Editor:
My children are married, but if they were still in the shidduch parshah, I would have them read Goldy’s column every week (the ones that live in the neighborhood do). She addresses common dating issues, and when she isn’t responding to a question, the topics she picks to write on are right on the money for those dating today. I can’t tell you how many times my kids would say, “Ima, you don’t understand,” when they were dating and during shanah rishonah. They think that dating and marriage have changed in the last 40 years. A lot has, but the foundations have stayed.
White lies may not seem like a big deal, but she is correct. The more you lie, however little or big it is, the more used to it you become, and if your spouse finds out, there could be bad ramifications. I speak from experience from being married 42 years. Yes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Because of a little white lie that ended up snowballing into something huge because the white lie had to be covered up, so you lie about that or something else. Well, my husband and I had a blowout argument and the core of it was trust and how it was lost because of “all the lies” that were told to cover up the original one – which was not a bad thing. It was for a surprise, as Goldy wrote. But, boy, the argument was a surprise.
Yes, always tell the truth and decide if the little lie is worth what can amount to your spouse distrusting you. But I love what Goldy told her kids in order to get them to brush their teeth. Sometimes the lie is necessary; but as a mom, it’s part of our job requirement: “Tell your kids what you need to, in order to get them to eat healthfully, brush their teeth, do their homework, etc.” Lol.
Rochel Eisen
Dear Editor:
A liberal activist dressed in a black robe is retiring and Mr. Hecht showers praise on him. To liberals, the Constitution is a living, breathing document that must be changed to present norms. They don’t believe in interpreting the original intent of our Constitution. Justice Breyer wrote pro-social-reform opinions to further the Left’s social agenda. He was not a Constitutionalist, and he will go down in history as such.
Another point that Mr. Hecht made, after the usual name calling (typical of the Left) was that conservatives are still litigating the 2020 election. Well, the Wisconsin Supreme Court is taking up a case that statewide mail-in balloting was illegal. Another case in Pennsylvania is charging that what the Democratic governor and State Supreme Court did was unconstitutional. See, in Article II, Section 1, of our Constitution, it says, “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress.”
So only a state legislature may make any changes to election laws within a state. Sorry, Mr. Hecht, but President Trump is right. He may not articulate the point legally, but unfortunately, Justice Roberts was a coward and didn’t take up his legally solid case.
Further, Democrat activist, legal fixer, Marc Elias, known for the Russian dossier, went around to all these Democratic-run states and implemented all these gimmicks in the first place. Now that the states with Republican legislatures are waking up and passing laws to prevent this from happening again, Elias is on the legal warpath with President Biden’s activist DOJ trying to stop it.
Shalom Markowitz
Dear Editor:
One year later, after spending millions of taxpayers’ dollars, you have to ask if Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Congressional commission to investigate the January 6 Capitol Hill protest was worth it. Pelosi never supported a similar commission to investigate other attacks on public buildings, police stations, private businesses, arson, physical assault on law enforcement officials, and billions of dollars in destruction around the nation led by Antifa and other extremist groups on the Left, which went on around the nation in previous years, as well.
Why no commission to investigate how over one million illegal immigrants crossed our border in 2021? What about establishing a commission to find ways to deal with our $30 trillion and growing national debt? Political extremists on both the Right and the Left who violate basic civil liberties that most Americans cherish always need to be held accountable for their actions.
Sincerely,
Larry Penner
Great Neck, New York
Dear Editor:
It’s not even Shabbos yet, but I couldn’t help but turn to my favorite part of the paper, Goldy’s column. I was blown away by her article this week about the “little” white lie, as I am blown away by her other articles.
I know she’s a young mother of two, but I think she’s an old soul. Her advice is grounded, and without using fancy social work jargon, she talks to the emailer and to the readers as a friend or mother would. It’s almost as if she’s in her 70s or 80s. I feel like my Savta would agree with Goldy and how she responds to readers and the ones that email her.
Keep up the great work.
Leah Shemtov
Dear Editor:
Re: the suggestion by Larry Penner that President Biden should take anger management, and “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”
If someone is to be sent to anger management, it generally should be because they have engaged in consistent and persistent bursts of anger, often accompanied by throwing objects, etc. Would Mr. Penner care to elaborate?
Second, reporters in general are known for asking very stupid questions. Does Mr. Penner think the reporter’s question was intelligent? Has inflation ever been a political asset?
Third, Mr. Penner’s political leanings appear to be Republican/Libertarian. Donald Trump was known for having a volcanic temper, although according to some sources he was fine after the outburst. Why is Mr. Penner silent on this?
Has Mr. Penner ever lost his temper under extreme stress in the heat of the moment? Or does he believe he sits on a pillar on Mt. Olympus, a paragon of perfection?
President Biden may very well need anger management. He may not be able to take the heat. I don’t know. I do know I need than Mr. Penner cherry-picking the facts convenient to his opinion to arrive at this conclusion.
Nat Weiner
Bronx, New York
Dear Editor:
I would like to thank you and Susie Garber for publishing the Navigating the Medical System Lecture on Multiple Sclerosis (January 19). I enjoy participating in these types of lectures and I feel community education programs play a big role in patient health.
Thanks,
Jai Perumal Assistant Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College
