Gluten Insensitivity
The recipe for Flourless Banana Chiffon Cake in the April/May issue (“Season to Taste: Why Is This Dessert Different?”) is misleading with regard to persons who are gluten sensitive. Flourless is often equated with gluten free. The matza cake meal in the recipe can hardly be referred to as flourless since matza contains but two ingredients—flour and water. I’m certain the cake, if referred to by a different name, however, would be just as delicious.

 

Arthur H. Young, M.D.
Palm Beach Gardens, FL

 

Regarding Charlotte
Please publish the following correction to “The Jewish Traveler: Charlotte” in your April/May issue: Temple Beth El is not simply “the largest Reform congregation in the Carolinas” but the largest Jewish congregation in the Carolinas.

 

Walter J. Klein 
Via e-mail

Dean End
The highest compliment one could pay the inhabitants of the Dead Sea watershed is that they are no more stupid than people who live in similar water-starved areas around the planet.

I’m embarrassed that a think tank like the Samuel Neaman Institute could so cravenly accept, as a “given,” the inevitability and irreversibility of the “increase of population” there.

Reducing the population that depends on that water is the only thing that will address this problem.

 

George F. Gitlitz, M.D.
Sarasota, FL

 

A More “Conservative” Approach
I have been a life member of Hadassah for over 30 years. I used to eagerly await the monthly issue of the magazine but recently I’ve been very disappointed. The level of your articles are still of a good quality but your slant, both political and religious, are definitely very liberal.

I do not appreciate your effusive articles on the transgender rabbi or on the “learned” female rabbi who is portrayed as a rebbe.

If Hadassah wants to attract people who are religiously oriented, then I think that your politically correct views can be described in a more subtle way. You are not an arm of the Reform or Conservative movements or of the Democratic Party. On the other hand, maybe you want to be attached to those parties. If that is the case, then count me out.

 

Ethel Scher  
Riverdale, NY

 

On Judaism and the Environment
I was pleased to see that the February issue focused on Jewish environmental activism. When reading the list of Jewish environmental organizations, I noticed that you hadn’t included a key Jewish environmental organization: Sviva Israel.

Sviva Israel is a cutting-edge educational environmental organization in Israel developing and implementing programs that promote environmental literacy while exploring the connections between Judaism and the environment. Our activities engage youth and adults in learning more about how they impact the environment, themselves, Israel and their Jewish heritage. Utilizing Web media and innovative, practical educational tools, we connect communities in Israel and abroad to guarantee Israel as a sustainable home for the Jewish people.

 

Shoshanah Tzobel Pavey
Coordinator of Special Projects, Sviva Israel
Via e-mail

 

A Site to See
Regarding the review of the book BESA: Muslims Who Saved Jews in World War II by Norman H. Gershman (Syracuse University Press) in the February issue, please share with readers our Web site, www.eyecontactfoundation.org, so people can find out more information about all aspects of the foundation and upcoming events as well as see the photos and read the BESA stories.

 

Randi Winter
Via e-mail