Week of Sept. 10, 2015

Letters to the Editor THE CJN PHOTO
Letters to the Editor THE CJN PHOTO

Who is best for the Jews?

I’ll tell you who is best for the Jews in the upcoming election: a Roman Catholic, of course (“Where Canada’s three main parties stand on Israel”).

Thomas Mulcair, leader of the Opposition and of the NDP, has been married to Catherine Pinhas since 1976. She is a Sephardi Jew who, while born in Paris, is the daughter of a Turkish Jew.

She and her husband Thomas have two children who have been raised as Jews. These children have children of their own, who may be Jewish as well.

So it is rather obvious: which other leader has produced at least two more Jews to add to the “tribe”?

Phyllis Wintraub

Toronto

Canadian Jews are not one-issue voters. Jews are educated and sophisticated and are passionate about human rights and a prosperous, safe and secure Canada.

While the major parties have expressed support for Israel during this election campaign, their past actions are more revealing. The Conservatives have always been solid supporters of Israel’s right to exist peacefully, while the Liberal and NDP parties have not. From participating in the Durban conference and seldom voting against anti-Israel resolutions at the United Nations, Liberal support has been lukewarm at best. There is a Diefenbaker Forest in Israel, not one named after Lester Pearson.

For the last 100 years, Jews have blindly voted Liberal. Those days are over. Like it or not, the Middle East is a partisan issue, with the Conservatives seeking Jewish votes and the Liberals and NDP courting the Muslims, though the Liberal foreign and immigration policies have these votes in the bag.

Len Bennett

Ottawa

Hate bill will protect Jews

As a Jew and as a former member of the Ontario Human Rights Commission for 11 years, I deplore the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs’ criticism of Quebec’s proposed legislation to combat hate speech, dubbing it an abuse of freedom of speech (“Quebec hate bill could stifle free speech, CIJA says”).

As the primary target of hate-mongering, for Jews to be an outspoken critic of Quebec’s proposed legislation is enough to discourage governmental bodies from proposing similar legislation. Let us leave that position to our enemies.

As to the merits of the Quebec bill as drafted, its purpose is clear and with any judicious improvements, its effectiveness will emerge from its administration.

Lita-Rose Betcherman

Toronto

Another look at being ‘cured’

While I carry the greatest respect for persons who deal with addiction issues, part of the recovery is that you are always ‘a recovering addict.’

At no time shall you slip to where you say you are recovered. You put yourself in the position of being one hit, drink, whatever your poison was that got you here and relapsing into the spiral you worked so hard to stop.

It is great that Erick Bouaziz is doing this sorely need work in his community but I would not leave a loved one in his care if his attitude is “cured,” the attitude of Ethan Shumak, now clean and sober, after 45 days (“Recovered addict opens treatment centre,” Aug. 27).

Part of this particular illness is recognizing that the demons that brought you here still lurk. A great deal of self-reflection is required to continue to thrive in today’s society without your chosen poison or any other crutch.

More uplifting stories please, but let us also quote experts in the field who will tell us all the additional work that needs to be done.

Rob Ford was “cured” in three weeks, and we all saw how well that worked.

Elaine Sack

Toronto

How’s your health?

After reading Michael Taube (“Many Jews eat bacon, but some are hypocritical about it”), I must ask him, “Have you had your cholesterol checked recently?”

Edward J. Farkas

Toronto