Letters
Honoring Raoul Wallenberg
Thank you for highlighting the selfless humanitarian work of Raoul Wallenberg in saving over 100,000 Hungarian Jews (“Sweden’s betrayal of Raoul Wallenberg” by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, August 28). I’m proud to share that my dad, Peter Schwartz, worked with Wallenberg in the Safe Houses in Budapest. In fact, my dad recalled opening the gates reluctantly when Wallenberg was taken away by the Soviet military authorities on January 17, 1945. As Rabbi Boteach accurately reports, “Sweden did not deploy its power as a shield for him,” resulting in Wallenberg’s mysterious disappearance.
Yes, Sweden should have been more forceful in demanding Wallenberg’s release. Only Wallenberg’s mother, Maj von Dardel, and her husband advocated at the highest levels for her son’s return. Her relentless efforts remind me of the eloquent and tireless efforts of Rachel Goldberg-Polin on behalf of her son, Hersh. Sadly, neither mother ever saw her son again. But they acted valiantly. They spoke up when action was needed.
Although Sweden failed to confront the Soviet Union while Wallenberg was still imprisoned, we can do more than condemn Sweden for its inactivity then and its hostility today. We can teach our children about the power of one person. As a high school teacher, I teach my students about Raoul Wallenberg, a righteous gentile who acted with courage to save Jews. He was truly a hero to emulate. What can each of us do to make a difference in our troubled world?
Beryl J. Steinbach
Fort Lee
Forgetting history
I read both of Bob Brody’s well-written articles, “What Really Happened: A Jersey Jew confronts a medieval massacre in Italy,” published 8/14/26,and its follow-up, “My new life as a lightning rod,” published 9/4/26. His initial article, which Mr. Brody said he had posted on various Facebook pages, described his painstaking research, conducted over five years, leading to his conclusion that the particular massacre of Jews in 1495 did not occur in Martina Franca, Italy, but likely took place in nearby Lecce, Italy. His initial article generated an “overwhelming response” and he subsequently described the comments received in response to his initial article and research.
I was horrified by the comments received by Mr. Brody that specifically attacked him for his initial article and Jews in general. I won’t repeat them here. Mr. Brody already laid them out and did the appropriate rebuttal.
I just offer my own comment myself as we approach the Jewish High Holidays and the 25th anniversary of 9/11. It’s a quote by the philosopher George Santayana, which appeared in his 1905 book “The Life of Reason.” Mr. Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Societies need to remember past mistakes — whether wars, massacres, or other catastrophes — to avoid making them again. Without knowing what happened before, people cannot learn, advance, and build a better future.
It’s a lesson we need to learn, but too often forget.
Gene Gorrin
Union
Two-state solution
It was fascinating to read the defense of Rabbi Engelmayer and the reasoning behind a two-state solution put forth in the letter by Arthur J. Lerman published on September 4, “The two state solution.”
It is interesting to note in the argument in favor of a “two state solution,” one is in reality talking about a “THIRD state solution.” When one examines the original area assigned to Great Britain as a Mandate to govern, one views a vast expanse of land that was broken off and ceded to the Hashemites. In reality the birth of a “two state solution.” A Muslim Arab state and a remaining area for a future homeland for the Jews.
Mr. Lerman discusses that the continued military control of the Palestinian Arabs is a horror. Is it really? What is his alternative to military control? How can one give up control of an area that would be immediately turned into the site for taking offensive actions against Israel?
He then turns to halachic reasoning to strengthen his arguments. Quoting the rabbi, “Engelmayer is channeling the ideals of our Tanakh – Seek peace and pursue it (Psalms, 34:15). And military control of one people over another is no way to peace.” While one should pursue peace, one should also remember the Talmudic dictum, “if someone rises to kill you, rise up to kill him first,” Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 72A). Israel must sign agreements with parties who mean to keep them eternally, not until they can be broken to achieve what couldn’t be accomplished before (Takiyah). One must strongly deny and turn against the thought stated at a meeting of Michigan Jewish Democrats, by state Attorney General Dana Nessel who stated, “We have a moral imperative to place the needs of the world above even our own self interest and, yes, even our own survival.” What a ridiculous, foolish, suicidal encouraging statement.
One must learn from history, and by doing so, one can comprehend that military control over one’s enemies can pave the way to peace. One has to just remember the realities at the end of World War II. The Allies had military control over two nations, Japan and Germany. The control instituted was different due to the cultures of each. The Japanese were ruled by their Emperor, revered as a God-like mortal, whose rulings at the time were followed without question. The surrender to the Americans was final, there would be no continuation of hostilities, no return to the concept of a Japanese Empire. The military control over Germany was different. Under allied force, de-Nazification programs were instituted to fight and force the rethinking and reeducation of sections of the population. There were those in Germany who wanted to resurrect their Nazi past and philosophies and this had to be forcefully eradicated.
In a sense this must be similarly done with the Palestinian Arabs. Any agreement signed must be a true, lasting peace, with actual consequences for the breaking of the contents of any agreements. There must be no thoughts that a return to armed conflict is no big deal. No peaceful solution can take place where the Arabs see the end as the eradication of Israel and the acceptance of subservience to Islamic rule. As long as their governmental educational policies are geared to denigrating Israel and Judaism, no agreement is possible. As long as government funds are going to those and their families according to actions taken against individuals and property within or connected to Israel or Jews, this is unacceptable. Any “State of Palestine” must not maintain an army or police force that can be converted into an army by just changing its name. Any Palestinian government must be in power for years before any peace treaty is signed.
The future I envision is a federation of areas in Judea, Samaria with Jordan. There will be no Arab capital in Jerusalem and the religious sites within the city are under Israeli control with autonomy maintained by their religious denomination.
Howard J. Cohn
New Milford