Madeleine Hicklin
It constantly amazes me that anti-Reform hate speech can fall effortlessly from the lips of the so-called religious Jews in this country and be repeated by the SA Jewish Report.
You are quick to condemn anti-Semitic hate speech from the ANC or the EFF, but have you looked in the mirror? Your hate speech is even more damaging than that of non-Jews.
It’s a self hatred I find intolerable and terribly, terribly sad. You should be ashamed of yourselves! Hashem gave the Torah to Klal Yisrael – not your select few. This is lashon hara at its worst.
————————————————————————————————
Is our letter writer proposing censorship? We are neither an Orthodox nor a Reform newspaper, but our letters page is, as has been often stated, a forum for diverse opinion. As a paper we do not necessarily subscribe to any of the views expressed by contributors to our letters page. Of course we guard against libel and fiercely protect our decorum. But if a letter writer does not agree with a view expressed in a letter, he or she is welcome to refute what has been said – in another letter. – Editor
nat cheiman
Feb 17, 2016 at 1:47 pm
‘Mr Editor, I agree with your sentiments. I am almost sure that Ms Hicklin wrote her letter whilst still hot under the collar.
As Jews, we are bound to argue, disagree and debate. Let us never \”hate\”one another, and I’m almost sure, Eli Knight was making a point which he truly stands by ( and believes).
Good debate is healthy. ‘
Karen Saltz
Feb 17, 2016 at 11:40 pm
‘No to censorship. Absolutely no. Your readers are entitled to their opinions, but your editorial has a responsibility to ensure that intolerance and hatred is publicly condemned. By not doing so, you are standing firmly in the camp of those who denounce Reform Judaism. You don’t put your own people under the bus.
if you are quick to condemn anti – Semitic hate speech from others, you have no place in condemning Jews with a different philosophy, ( but still Jews) in a manner that allows these Jew haters to see that we cannot even stand united with our own people.I cannot for the life of me understand your stance on this matter. Whether you agree or not, you ARE subscribing to a mindset of non – inclusion and condemnation of fellow Jews.
The fact that you state, \” We do not necessarily subscribe to any of the views expressed by contributors….:, says it all for me. You protect yourselves by guarding against libel, but it is clear as as glass what your feelings about this issue really are – you are a right wing, pro -Orthodox paper.
If you were really neutral on this issue, you would print an editorial looking at both sides, and educating your mainly Orthodox readership with real facts about Reform Judaism. You could even go as far as encouraging meaningful dialogue between the two groups, by interviewing rabbis from both perspectives of Judaism.
Your paper could do a lot more to foster tolerance and co- existence of a small minority in your country, instead of allowing this ongoing disdain of fellow Jews. It’s time for your paper to build bridges instead of tearing them down.
‘