By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)Mealy-mouthed It is abundantly clear that the deportation of Yehuda Kimani (“Jew from Kenya refused entry despite tourist visa,” December 21) was motivated by bias.The mealy-mouthed explanations offered by the Interior Ministry just do not hold water. The allegation that it was unaware of a previous visa application that had been rejected does not speak well for its administrative capabilities.I am acquainted with the “prominent member” of the Masorti synagogue in Jerusalem who has spared no effort and fiscal means to facilitate this young man’s learning experience in Jerusalem. This gentleman, whose word is his bond, is above reproach, and his guarantee for Kimani’s sojourn gives lie to the ministry’s alleged concern that he might remain beyond the three-month duration of his visa.I find the behavior of the officials who denied Kimani entry to Israel reprehensible and expect the appeal of the ruling to be accepted.JOEL KUTNERJerusalem The real world As powerfully argued as Gil Troy’s effort is to educate sophomoric rabbinical students as to their core Jewish beliefs and their most basic knowledge of Jewish and Zionist history (“Some Conservative rabbinic students erred in blasting Trump’s Jerusalem stand,” Center Field, December 20), would that these students read and absorbed Manfred Gerstenfeld’s equally revealing exposure of the hypocrisies of Antonio Guterres, Pope Francis and Federica Mogherini, representing respectively the serial hypocrisies of the United Nations, the Catholic Church and the European Union (“Three prominent, biased commentators on Trump’s Jerusalem decision,” Comment & Features, December 20).These rabbinic students might be influenced to open their minds to the reality of the world in which we, the Jewish people, must maneuver in order to survive, let alone thrive.
Are they aware of the historic harlotries of the UN? Of the bloodstained relationship we have endured with Christian denominations? Of the genocidal history of Europe vis-à-vis our people, that with all our current economic, political and cultural interaction, we know that interests, not ethics, determines behavior in the geopolitical arena?These students and others among our people who luxuriate in flaunting moralistic slogans and push for policies that would expose Israel to strategic peril need to come to terms with the following difficult but necessary proposition: The tragic dilemma of Judaism is that our people has been inspired with a transcendent socio-ethical view of life that has too often been divorced from a sense of history and geopolitics.The Zionist movement was born out of a sense of disgust with our people’s exile. The Holocaust confirmed in the most horrific terms Zionism’s worst nightmares. We know now that as a people, we cannot afford to be an inactive player in the arenas of history and geopolitics.This requires us to be schooled in the teachings of Machiavelli as much as in Moses. If such schooling is perceived by the rabbinical students as beyond their ministry, they would do our people a service by leaving Jewish destiny to schooled adults.AVRAHAM FEDERJerusalem We owe him thanks Recently, you published a letter to the editor from Kay Andre Klemetsen of Brandbu, Norway (“The European Union’s prism,” December 14). In his letter, he mentioned that he was ashamed that his country did not follow US President Donald Trump in recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.He also wanted Israel to know that he and his friends were praying for and defending Israel. I wrote to Mr. Klemetsen and asked permission to provide his email address in order for Jerusalem Post readers to thank him for his courageous stance. I heard back and received his permission. Again, he expressed his deep love for Israel and the people of Israel.With so much anti-Israel rhetoric around the world, it is refreshing to have admiration such as that of Mr.Klemetsen. I hope your readers will acknowledge his courageous defense. He can be reached via klemetsen.kay9@gmail.com.LEONARD KAHNZichron Ya’acov
