Dear Editor:
Appalling! Ourageous! No jokes today! I was outraged by the sympathetic tone used by Shabsie Saphirstein while reporting on the KGH daycare blaze. By “sympathetic,” I mean his description of the owner of the house and the daycare provider.
First of all, he writes, “In the end, just one boy, a 16-month-old, was taken to the local hospital and then transferred to Weill Cornell Burn Center.” That is one child too many! Then he describes the “distraught homeowner” who stored his electrical scooter in the very same basement as the daycare center. Has he never read a newspaper account of the numerous lithium-ion battery fires?
The writer continues to explain the presence of about 20 kids at this daycare program because it was Yeshivah Week. I don’t believe that basement was the size of Noah’s Ark. In addition, there was a dental lab. I know how large my basement is, and it would be hard to fit a scooter, 20-odd people, and a dental lab there. Parents, didn’t you think something was askew?
As far as family expenses go, what about home insurance? How about donating money to the family of the injured child or giving donations to Hatzalah? There are ways of making a parnasah and illegal ways of making a parnasah. Let’s hope we all learn a lesson from this tragedy. I know I did.
Debbie Horowitz
Dear Editor:
I recently heard that Mrs. Margie Block was nifterah. Many of us have fond memories of her when she worked for many years as the Assistant to the Principal of the lower school at YCQ, first for Rabbi Messinger and later for Rabbi Sadigh.
She was more than the assistant; she was a mother to all the younger students who would come to her for a band-aid, or a hug. She was often the first person we spoke with if there was a problem at the school. She reassured us that our children would be taken care of.
I have two other memories I would like to share. I remember when YCQ honored her at their dinner one year. Her husband played the violin and the tune he played was Eishes Chayil, so appropriate! It was quite a moving experience to witness their love for each other. Fast Forward some ten years later, and I had the opportunity to participate on an Eretz Yisrael Movement tour. Margie and her husband were also on that tour, and I was amazed that they were able to keep up with all the tiyulim. They were significantly older than everyone else. It was very inspiring!
I will never forget her. My children remember her fondly, as well. May her memory be a blessing.
Rachel Epstein
Dear Editor:
Regarding the dating article about the member fiddling with his radio in Queens College:
For the record, we do not always drive to our calls. There have been countless times I’ve responded to an emergency without a vehicle, either because I witnessed the emergency, or I was within a couple minutes’ walk (or run). Furthermore, I have responded to emergencies in Queens College, among them a heart attack and a ruptured Achilles tendon. Other members have, as well.
The essence of Chevra Hatzalah’s success is our response time. It’s based on 1,500 New York Chevrah Hatzalah members monitoring their radios as much as they can (in my opinion a member shouldn’t be monitoring his radio on a date), so pardon me if the sound of the radio is annoying. As you stated, he raised and lowered the volume. This is because once he realizes the call is covered, he no longer needs to monitor this particular call.
Yours truly,
Charles Reichmann
Chevra Hatzalah 40-year member
Dear Editor:
After a chance encounter with an editor of the QJL in a grocery store, I learned that “The WhatsApp group has gone crazy. It went viral.” I was unaware of what he was referring to, because I hadn’t received an influx of emails regarding a past article. He was, in fact, referring to the article “Gotta Go,” where a girl was left at a restaurant and had to pay the remaining balance of the bill. Yes, the gentleman she was with, who left her, was a member of Hatzalah, but in no way, shape, or form did I, or would I, say or intimate anything negative about Hatzalah. It falls flat to say what a wonderful organization they are and how they are always there when called upon and saving lives.
Hatzalah is a wonderful organization. I donate and have had to use its services in the past.
To clarify, I was responding to the letter that Janey wrote. I was speaking about the individual that she was on the date with. I commented that I didn’t think he should have been listening to his radio while on a date. I didn’t write that he was oveir on one of the Ten Commandments. I then provided an example of what I witnessed decades ago in Queens College. I even wrote, “To this day, I wondered what he was doing.” I did not have any answers.
To respond to R.E (sorry for the anonymous part – don’t be sorry you didn’t write anything wrong) in last week’s Your Say section – you’re right. I don’t know what role everyone plays or what responsibilities they have as part of Hatzalah. But I was commenting on what I witnessed and what Janey wrote. In the article, I even wrote that I wanted to be “dan l’chaf z’chus.” Please, I don’t want anyone to confuse me mentioning a profession or responsibilities someone has as giving a negative Yelp review to the entire profession/organization. Please separate personal thoughts/emotions of the whole with the specific story or individual you know. I am publishing and responding to a specific letter and situation. I appreciate feedback, but please make sure you are responding to what I actually wrote.
I have written many times: I don’t need readers to be Rashi when they read my column. I state my feelings and write what I mean. Plain and simple. I’m not that deep. Period. Hearing that people thought I was writing negatively about Hatzalah or its members hurts and saddens me. They are taking my words and interpreting them their own way and in a way that showcases me in a negative light, and I know that’s not your intent either. If readers can’t understand that, there’s nothing I can do.
I hope this clears up some confusion about that issue and anything that may arise hereafter. I respond to specifics, not generalities.
Hatzlachah to you all.
Goldy Krantz
Dear Editor:
I have always appreciated the Queens Jewish Link’s willingness to publish my letters, irrespective of whether I am writing about the follies of the Biden administration, calling out communal public figures, or exposing the farcical lies of our government’s narrative on COVID. Regardless of the content, I have always felt the need to ensure that my letters stay within the bounds of halachah.
With that in mind, I was a bit taken aback by fellow writer David Pecoraro’s characterization of Philadelphia Flyer Ivan Provorov’s refusal to wear a Pride Night warmup jersey as “homophobic.” Provorov cited a religious objection for his refusal to promote Gay Pride Night. But did it ever occur to Mr. Pecoraro that Pride Night was an affront to a religious person? Why would Mr. Pecoraro, or any G-d-fearing Jew, want to promote a behavior that our Torah in Parshas Acharei Mos describes as a “to’eivah,” an “abomination?”
It is a sad state of affairs that Provorov, a non-Jewish hockey player, not bound by Torah u’mitzvos, has more respect and sensitivity for the holy words of our Torah than the former Vice President of the Rosedale Jewish Center. With all due respect, Mr. Pecoraro, perhaps it is time for some introspection and a little pride in your own religion!
Jason Stark
Dear Editor:
President Biden recently announced that the national COVID emergency would extend until May. Oxford defines “emergency” as a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action. “Emergency” is therefore, not a four-month plan you roll out to get your political agenda passed, unless you’re taking a page out of Rahm Emmanuel’s book and “never letting a serious crisis go to waste.” Perhaps Mr. Biden, who if he weren’t president would likely be in a nursing home or a dementia ward with round-the-clock care, is confused as to what constitutes an emergency.
More likely, though, this is just an extension of the grift Democrats have pulled off under the guise of the so-called “COVID emergency.” If not for COVID, President Biden likely would not have been elected, we would not have had all the wasteful Democrat spending, forced mandates, shutdown of businesses, suspending rent collection, expunging student debt, and a restructuring of our entire economy.
Biden, due to his declining mental faculties, often inadvertently says the quiet part out loud, held to form when announcing the extension. He stated he needed to extend his emergency powers to “get everything done.” While this contradicts his statement from last September that the pandemic was over, it does explain why Democrats would like to extend their emergency powers. The only surprise is that they didn’t ask for the extension in perpetuity.
Avi Goldberg
Dear Editor:
This was so predictable. And avoidable. News reports have confirmed that the rates for standard childhood vaccination levels have plummeted to a dismal 59.2% in New York City. After years of our public health officials lying to us on the efficacy of lockdowns, school closures, social distancing, masking, and most importantly the COVID vaccines, it turns out that large swaths of the public no longer trust the medical profession. When institutional trust is broken, as it is here, what we are left with is the Wild West: Lay people, who no longer trust their doctor, are making medical decisions on their own. The chickens have come home to roost on the lies told about the experimental mRNA drug cleverly marketed by Big Pharma as a COVID “vaccine.” The distrust sown from the “vaccine” lies is so pervasive, that, tragically, many people no longer trust any vaccines. MMR vaccines are being skipped, leaving kids vulnerable to very dangerous diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella. All because our public health officials, doing the bidding of the pharmaceutical companies, pushed an unnecessary “vaccine” on kids for a disease that, unlike measles, mumps, and rubella, posed no danger to a supermajority of kids.
Fauci, Birx, and the rest of the cast of clowns who lied to us about the efficacy of the COVID “vaccines” likely never considered (nor cared) about the ramification of their deceptions, but their actions will lead to many tragic and eminently avoidable outcomes for years to come.
Doniel Behar
Dear Editor:
I would like to urge everyone to watch a new five-part docu-series called Never Again Is Now Global by Vera Sharav, an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor. No matter your political affiliation, nationality, or religious level, this groundbreaking documentary will touch you, educate you, and empower you.
If Ms. Sharav felt it important enough at her age to spend a year or so of her life traveling the globe to conduct the interviews necessary to produce this monumental work, it behooves each of us to take the time to watch the finished product. Each part is approximately one hour and can be viewed for free at live.childrenshealthdefense.org/chd-tv/events/never-again-is-now-global.
Debbie Meisels
Dear Editor:
Let’s begin by stating that there is no First Amendment protection with either Colin Kaepernick or Ivan Provorov. Both were and/or are employees of private companies. The government has no role here. It’s clear the Flyers organization had no issue with respecting the religious beliefs of Provorov and Coach Tortorella played him in that game. The organization didn’t fine him either. The NHL fans appreciated his stance and rewarded the Flyers and Provorov by purchasing so many of his jerseys that the NHL store sold out of them within one week.
Kaepernick, on the other hand, demonstrated that he is unpatriotic and anti-law enforcement. The NFL jumped on that woke bandwagon, as well. Their ratings and attendance hemorrhaged. The 32 franchises saw this and knew that employing Kaepernick was detrimental to making money. All comes back to capitalism. If it hurts your bottom line, you’re not going to do it. Proof: The attendance and ratings for the NFL have come back this season, now that they’ve backed off the in-your-face wokeness.
The comparison is a false equivalency. One is a religious issue, and the other is a social/cultural issue. That is unless you are a progressive Democrat and your religion is Marxism.
We all agree that Representative Swalwell should not be serving on the House Intelligence Committee, because sleeping with a Chinese spy makes you a national security risk. One who has no intelligence should not be on an Intelligence Committee. I also agree that anti-Semite and bigot Ilhan Omar should not serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee. She is an anti-American Marxist and a Jew-hater. Someone like that should not be dealing with US foreign policy.
One wonders whether Mr. Hecht is employed by CNN or MSNBC. How can he attack the removal of Adam Schiff? And he does so without evidence, like a fake left-wing media journalist. Why is your column treated differently than a courtroom? If evidence based on factual occurrences and information is required there, why not here? You can’t just blanket make a statement that it’s revenge because Schiff was a prosecutor in the impeachment trial. That’s not true at all. Schiff went on TV and did multiple interviews stating, as fact, that Donald Trump colluded with Russia. There is no evidence to back that up. As such, he too is a national security threat and deserved to be removed from the Committee. There was an entire investigation done by left-wing hack lawyers and FBI agents who worked for Bob Mueller. I’m sure they were crushed when there was no evidence to back up Schiff’s false claim.
Our Constitution lists the freedom of association in the First Amendment. Whoever associates with a group or individual is free to do so. If someone takes issue with that association, then vote him or her out if office. But you can’t remove them from a committee assignment simply because of that association. By kicking off committee members, Nancy Pelosi did something unprecedented. Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Same thing happened when Senator Harry Reid killed the filibuster for Federal judges. Now look at the makeup of the Supreme Court. If you can’t handle the repercussions, don’t mess with it.
Shalom Markowitz
Dear Editor:
Something is missing from the Long Island Rail Road East Side Access to Grand Central Madison. There is only one waiting room, which only has a 29-seat capacity plus seven stools for Wi-Fi connections. There are no benches on platforms, mezzanine or Madison Concourse to sit on while waiting for your train.
When it comes to disposal of newspapers, beverage containers, garbage, or other waste, there doesn’t appear to be any options for recycling. Are riders supposed to carry all of this to street level before being able to throw it out? Many enjoy visiting a newsstand to purchase a paper or periodical. I didn’t see any potential newsstands or newspaper vending machines.
No retail space has opened to date. How much lost revenue will be incurred until all retail space is occupied? Ten years after the original completion date of 2013 as promised in the 2006 Federal Transit Administration $6.3 billion Capital Investment Grant Full Funding Grant Agreement (which capped the federal share at $2.6 billion) and $5 billion over budget, not including $1 billion more for the cost of financing for a total of $12.6 billion, LIRR commuters deserve better.
Sincerely,
Larry Penner
Dear Editor:
I would like to take this opportunity to respond to Warren Hecht’s article “Different Standards.” Once again, Warren expresses a point of view that has no basis in reality. Warren has the temerity to accuse the Republicans of hypocrisy. I advise Warren to look in the mirror. Warren claims that he is against LGBTQ+ and anti-Semitism. However, Warren supports the Democratic Party. The Democrats support the anti-Semitism of the “Squad.” The entire Democratic House Caucus voted to keep Omar on her committee. This is tantamount to applauding Omar’s statement that Israel is evil and that Jews who support Israel are not loyal to this country. This is disgusting. It upsets me greatly that many frum Jews still vote Democratic. Omar is a modern-day Joseph Goebbels. No Jew should be supporting Omar by voting Democratic.
The million-dollar question is why has the Democratic Party become so anti-Semitic? The answer is George Soros. Soros is one of the worst self-hating Jews that the world has ever seen. He donated over $1,000,000 to the election of Alvin Bragg, who just offered a lenient plea deal to the coward who savagely beat a Jewish man. Soros has a history of backing anti-Semitic groups such as J-Street and Humans Rights Watch. George Soros is now the Democratic Party’s main donor, giving $225 million to a Democratic Super Pac that helped the Democrats to keep the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections. It is time for the frum Jews who vote Democrat to wake up and smell the coffee.
I would like to conclude by defending Marjorie Taylor Greene. Warren calls her a radical. Greene has denounced Soros, Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and other anti-Semites. She also stated that “Jews’ lives matter.” She is no radical, and she deserves our support.
Eric Rubin
