Reader's Forum

The Jewish War Veterans Post 605 would like to announce the March 15 commemoration of the 125th Anniversary of the founding of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America.

My husband and I loved reading the beautifully written article by Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel, marking the 15-year anniversary of his arrival in Lawrence to start the Chabad House at KU with his wife, Nechama. (“A trip down memory lane … what a journey,” March 18).

After reading the review on Johnathon Metzl’s recent book “Dying of Whiteness” written by Lacey Storer, I was curious to read his book and learn how “whiteness” is now impacting the death rate of mid-western white Americans. What I found was not only disturbing but patently false.

Having mostly “retired” from official government capacities, I am afforded the luxury of freedom to “speak my mind”, (more or less) albeit not withstanding consequences, (i.e., accusations/scrutiny for “heretical thinking”- as was with Aristotle and Galileo).  I wish to raise concerns about potential consequences of future technology:

Todah rabah to the dedicated volunteers who delivered Purim simcha gift bags to more than 500 Jewish seniors in our community. Organized by Chabad House of Overland Park, simcha gifts are prepared by women from the community five times each year — for Rosh HaShanah, Chanukah, Purim, Passover, and Shavuot.

I was moved to read the article “'This is the dream’: Israeli Diaspora Minister praises HBHA as global model.” I attended Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy and our two children are students there now, and one of the most cherished aspects of the school is how students of all levels of Jewish observance find a home there and learn in ways that resonate with their own families’ traditions.

I enjoyed reading about Jonathan Metzl’s new book, “Dying of Whiteness,” but he seems to have missed the point as to why those people who are “dying of whiteness” have decided to take that self-destructive path in their personal lives.

While looking through a past copy of the Jerusalem Post on the internet, it saddened me when I happened upon an article about the death of Prairie Village resident, Esther Levens. I knew Esther quite well and actually helped her organize a group called “Voices United for Israel” – later to be renamed “Unity Coalition for Israel.” Here’s how my relationship with Esther began:

“Hashgatha Protis,” everything for a reason by God’s design. In recent discussion with my good friend Tim about the covenant between God and the Jewish people, I later reflected on the holiday of Purim whose intensely meaningful story/miracle had been decreed by God in the Torah to be recounted every year.

I agree with Sam Devinki, who writes in the Feb. 11 Chronicle that the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6 is not comparable to the Holocaust; nothing is. But some of the rebels at the Capitol admire the Holocaust. Their sign “Camp Auschwitz” inspired my letter of Jan. 21.