Moral leadership
Tova Herzl’s “Sharing a name with a street” (January 23) overlooks President Isaac Herzog’s critical role in addressing Israel’s most pressing challenges and his pivotal contributions to fostering unity, diplomacy, and moral leadership.
Contrary to the assertions in the article, the President has emerged as a unifying figure at a time when Israeli society is deeply divided over judicial reform and other contentious issues. His tireless efforts to bridge gaps, coupled with his sensitive and inclusive approach, have been instrumental in maintaining a respectful dialogue.
The President and first lady have met with more than a thousand bereaved families, offering comfort and support, and have remained closely connected with the families of the hostages from the very outset of the war.
Significantly, the president’s address to the nation prior to the approval of the hostage deal exemplified his leadership; acknowledging legitimate fears while upholding the paramount Jewish and moral value of redeeming captives.
On the international stage, Mr. Herzog has been a tireless advocate for Israel. Whether engaging the media or working with global leaders, he has effectively communicated Israel’s concerns and aspirations. His strongly-worded condemnation of the violent riots in Judea and Samaria further reflects his moral clarity and his commitment to upholding the rule of law.
His carefully timed statements, such as those following confirmation from mediators in Qatar regarding the hostage deal, demonstrate a profound understanding of the delicate nuances required in diplomacy.
Today, the President will address the UN on International Holocaust Remembrance Day – not to “prepare” but to represent Israel at the highest level. In commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz, he will also emphasize the urgent need to combat antisemitism and advocate for the release of hostages in Gaza.
This moment underscores his dual role as a representative of the Jewish people and a statesman addressing Israel’s humanitarian and security concerns.
It is disappointing that the author of the article chooses to disregard the president’s central mission: to be remembered as the leader who united the nation during its most difficult hours. One would expect someone well-versed in Israel’s history to recognize the magnitude of this task rather than diminish it.
The challenges Israel faces require both unity at home and a strong, compassionate voice abroad. President Herzog has consistently embodied both, and it is imperative that we view his efforts with less cynicism and greater appreciation for their significance in these trying times.
DIKLAH COHEN SHEINFELDChief Of StaffOffice of the President The State of Israel
Mind over matter
It would be very difficult to argue with Adam Milstein in respect of the principles he presented for a fruitful and fulfilling life (“Embracing the new year,” January 24). To encapsulate he suggests that a fit, healthy mind combined with a likewise body is a recipe for a long and satisfactory existence as one ages.
To achieve what he suggests requires a number of principles, namely dedication and a great amount of willpower. Everyone is different and many find that one’s genes and hereditary proclivities also contribute toward achieving that nirvana which we call aging well and graciously. Being in the eighties myself and having attempted fitness routines well into my seventies, I probably overdid it somewhat, including marathon training, and these routines are now having to take a back seat.
Having never partaken of alcohol or the foul habit of smoking, and continuing to keep my mind well and truly active, I’m thankfully getting great satisfaction in my later years, which I must confess might well be more than due to a very loving wife plus overindulgence in those croissants and strawberry jam I can’t resist.
Age for many is a question of mind over matter. So, I suppose if you don’t mind, it doesn’t really matter.
STEPHEN VISHNICKTel Aviv
The main tool
As a Holocaust educator and guide, I was concerned to read Michael Starr’s account of the lack of Holocaust knowledge in the eight countries surveyed (“Survey finds knowledge of Holocaust grossly lacking,” January 24). It was especially surprising regarding the United States, where in many states, Holocaust education is mandated in the schools and supplemented by historical Holocaust museums.
Just a few months ago, I visited the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust located in New York City, where I had been a gallery educator from its inception. As my recent visit took place on a day that the museum was closed to the public but open to school groups, I had a chance to observe both the new exhibitions and the school groups who seemed completely attentive to their guides.
At one point, I stopped to examine a survivor’s dress that was sewn after liberation. A very young, non-Jewish security guard approached me. I explained that I was a guest that day and was focused on an item from the very first exhibition. He said to me: “You know, I have noticed that the kids really like to focus on these individual exhibits because they can relate to what happened through ordinary people.”
I thought that although he was not an educator there, he had zoomed in on a vital factor in Holocaust education of showing the victims as real people, not just numbers. This is something which Yad Vashem emphasizes in its Holocaust History Museum, as do many other museums worldwide.
In “UK’s Queen Camilla calls to ‘never forget’ Holocaust” (January 24), Britain’s Queen Camilla, in a speech marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, invokes the image of one girl, Anne Frank, to emphasize that the world should “never forget” the horrors of the Holocaust so that it can never happen again.
Education remains the main tool in ensuring that the Holocaust is never repeated.
MARION REISSBeit Shemesh
Weakening the gatekeepers
Regarding “Knesset set to pass bill that weakens Bar Association” (January 23): This is the latest governmental effort to weaken Israel’s democracy. Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right, ultra-Orthodox coalition is taking many steps to shift authority into the government’s hands. It is increasingly striving to weaken the gatekeepers of democracy, including the courts, police, State Attorney’s Office, attorney-general, IDF, Shin Bet, and free press.
These efforts must be vigorously opposed so that we remain a democracy, with the benefits of our people as the primary concern.
RICHARD H. SCHWARTZShoresh