We want to hear from you! Please email letters to the editor to letters@hadassah.org. 

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Feminist and Zionist Perspectives

I want to commend Hadassah Magazine for an excellent July/August 2024 issue. In particular, the feature “Ignored Until It Was Too Late,” about the female Israel Defense Forces soldiers whose reports of imminent Hamas activity were ignored by the higher-ups in their chain of command, was an important read. The gender biases that devalued their intelligence estimations and left them unarmed while close to the Gaza border on October 7 are an issue that must be examined by the IDF and Israeli society as a whole.

Hadassah can contribute to this discussion by bringing its feminist and Zionist perspectives to a loving critique of this tragedy—which is what the article by Lisa Hostein, “Survivors Share Their Story,” did.

Roselyn Bell
Highland Park, N.J.

From the Borscht Belt to the Berkshires

I enjoyed reading “The Berkshires Beckon This Summer” in the July/August issue, but I’d like to propose one addendum. 

Since 2008, Kutsher’s Sports Academy has resided in the Berkshires (across Lake Buel from Half Moon) after moving from the Catskills. And while it doesn’t have the same Jewish affiliation as Eisner or Crane Lake—although we’ve kept our decades-long tradition of conducting a weekly Shabbat ceremony—it certainly keeps the echoes of the Borscht Belt alive.

David Resnick
Great Barrington, Mass.

Safe on Campus

I am writing in response to Bonnie Rochman’s essay, “We’re Not Crossing Off Schools,” in the July/August issue. While I understand the argument not to limit college choices for her daughter, this approach may not be suitable for all.

As a mental health professional, I have seen firsthand the severe impact that antisemitism has had on young adults’ mental health. Jewish students have been subjected to alarming levels of harassment and aggression on campuses.

I wish it were merely about exposure to “divergent opinions,” as the author suggests, rather than the yelling of antisemitic slurs such as “Zionist pig” and threats to murder students’ entire families, in the case of some reports.

It is essential for parents and students to be aware of new realities when selecting a college. Ensuring that a student feels safe and supported should be a top priority. The ADL’s Campus Antisemitism Report Card offers information about the current state of antisemitism on campuses and how particular universities and colleges are responding.

Here’s to our next generation being proud of their Jewish identity while being safe—physically, mentally and emotionally.

Linda Block
Sebastopol, Calif. 

My Daughter-in-Law and My Ally

Thank you, Jennifer Stefano, for writing “A Catholic Ally” in the July/August issue. On October 8, 2023, my Catholic daughter-in-law purchased and placed outside my front door an Israeli flag—and she made sure my outside light shines directly on it. It still stands.

Sonni Helmer
Los Angeles, Calif.