Correspondence

By JEWISH REVIEW

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To the editor,

Thank you for highlighting the plight of youth on the streets, NAFY and your kind words about the work the Kollel has done for them.

I am quoted as saying that no other rabbis work with the homeless. I don’t know what other rabbis do. I did, however, mention in my interview that I met Lauren through Rabbis Gary Schoenberg and Laurie Ruttenberg of Gesher when they invited me as mohel to perform the bris.

I also want to point out that our community has been very responsive every time we asked for help with the many individual needs of these youth.
Rabbi Tzvi Fischer
Portland Kollel

To the editor:

I concur with the opinions of recent letters endorsing Christian evangelist dedication to Zionism and Israel.

Although I have not attended recent events, the Night to Honor Israel hosted at the Oregon Convention Center about two years ago by Christians United For Israel was an astonishing event.

I witnessed not only enthusiasm, but huge outpourings of love of Israeli culture, songs sung with passion by a surprisingly diverse crowd of many hundreds, perhaps thousands. The crowd included interracial families, far different from the uniformity or Southern Baptist type that I had envisioned.

Along with songs and prayers were intelligent presenters, including the comments of CUFI founder Rev. John Hagee, who was falsely accused of anti-Semitism during the recent presidential campaign.

One of the most impressive speakers was Noni Darwish, author of “They Call Me Infidel!” Darwish, the daughter of a prominent Egyptian officer under Nassar, spoke inspiringly of her transformation into a strong supporter of Israel and opponent of extremist Islam.

This woman spoke earlier that year at Portland State University and was confronted by a member of the left-wing Jewish community who accused her of being anti-Arab. That confrontation strengthened my support for these Christian friends who are dedicated advocates of Israel as a Jewish State.

Lorraine Widman
Portland