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Nonviolent model

In her recent op-ed about suspending military aid to Israel, Rabbi Linda Holtzman recognizes the need for another model that is nonviolent to resolve the situation in the Middle East.

I think nearly everyone would support her view, but the threat of violence may be the only thing that works to bring lasting peace anywhere. Unfortunately, history has shown us that whenever there is a “nonviolent” model, without stipulations, it rarely works.

Since Israel was created in 1948, it has been repeatedly attacked. Whenever it prevails, and subsequently withdraws from Gaza (a nonviolent solution), Israel gets attacked — again and again. Ukraine gives up its nuclear weapons to Russia, what happens? A nonviolent model results in a weakened Ukraine being attacked. The threat of nuclear retaliation was removed and Russia made its move.

Munich 1938 — there was an agreement for “peace in our time” and what happened? One year later, on Sept. 1, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland. The United States stayed out of the war and “nonviolently” aided the United Kingdom in its fight against Germany. Then, the U.S. was attacked on Dec. 7, 1941 by Germany’s Axis partner Japan.

The only ”model” that works after a peace agreement is that there is the threat of a consequence for the aggressor if it resorts to violence. Post-World War II, a combination of the creation of NATO and President Ronald Reagan’s “peace through strength” initiatives kept the Soviet Union reasonably in check. When I served in the Navy, I made seven submarine Polaris patrols and we never fired a missile, but the U.S.S.R. knew we could do so at any time — and with devastating accuracy.

The rabbi is well intentioned in her thinking, but totally unrealistic.

Tom Elsasser, Capt. (ret.), United States Navy, elsasser64@aol.com

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In response to Henry Maurer’s recent letter to the editor, the writer says the “real aim” of Rabbi Linda Holtzman’s organization, Jewish Voice for Peace is “the destruction of the state of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people.”

Jewish Voice for Peace, and its allies, are bent on creating in Israel-Palestine a state where all are treated equally, regardless of religion, ethnicity, nationality.

How this would result in, in his words, “the destruction of the state of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people” is beyond me.

Since when does a “homeland” require long-term residents to be treated in an abjectly discriminatory manner?

Jews, Muslims, and Christians lived in peace and harmony for many years before the refusal of the West to accept the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust resulted in the flood of Jewish refugees to Palestine at the end of World War II, and the routing of Palestinian families from their homes.

Why is Israel not the “homeland” of these Palestinians, while those of us Jews in the diaspora, who have no memory of life in Jerusalem, are afforded that claim?

Are we to forget “Love thy neighbor as Thyself” (Leviticus 19:18)? A shanda.

Barbara August Walker, Downingtown

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

Sad and sickening

I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around Donald Trump’s vile comments about Rob Reiner’s death. To watch anyone, least of all the president of what was once the most envied country in the world, spew such venom about one deceased man is so far beyond my comprehension that I can only opine that this is the result of envy turned sickness.

And, as the would-be emperor fiddles, our country burns.

We can wait until the midterms and vote, but that will accomplish little.

Why don’t we take another look at the 25th Amendment, it has become obvious that our Congress is too wrapped up in politics to do its job.

Contact your Congress members, contact your representatives, contact the dog catcher if you think it helps.

Philip A. Tegtmeier Sr., Honey Brook

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When Charlie Kirk was assassinated, the Trump administration made it a point to go after anyone who criticized Kirk after his death. People lost their jobs over their criticism of Kirk. I think the president should lose his job for criticizing Rob Reiner after the tragic death of him and his wife.

Julio Casiano Jr., Philadelphia

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The social media posting by the president with regard to the tragic death of Rob Reiner shows the state of mind of a man who totally lacks compassion, character, and empathy. His hatred has infected this nation and the world in ways never seen before. He’s not making America great; he’s making America hate and that’s not a good thing.

Gerard Iannelli, Haddon Heights

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The president of the United States used social media to post a disgusting political attack on Rob Reiner in the aftermath of his killing. Yet following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, he railed against any public comments taking Kirk to task for his racist and misogynist commentary, recommending retaliation against anyone who chose a public forum to tell the truth about Kirk.

Just when you think Trump has reached a low in his absence of shame and decency, he shows us that there is no bottom.

Steven Barrer, Huntingdon Valley, sjbarrer@gmail.com

Season for giving

When disaster strikes, it often happens in the middle of the night, catching families off guard and leaving them with nothing but uncertainty. In those moments, Red Cross volunteers — neighbors from our own community — are there to provide comfort, emergency lodging, and recovery support.

Thanks to donations of money and time, this kind of care happens every eight minutes across the U.S., most often after a home fire.

Whenever it happens, we’ll be there — because of our generous donors and volunteers who help in so many ways. But our mission goes beyond disaster relief; we help patients in need of lifesaving blood, teach critical skills like first aid and CPR, and support veterans and military families navigating unique challenges.

This holiday season, please consider donating at redcross.org. Your gift ensures that when the unexpected happens, families have the support and care they need — because no one should face a disaster alone.

Jennifer Graham, CEO, American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

Incomplete portrait

Rabbi Linda Holtzman’s op-ed about suspending military aid to Israel crucially omits the role of Hamas and the trauma of Oct. 7, 2023, presenting an incomplete and troubling framework. Rather than presenting a legitimate criticism of Israeli policy, Rabbi Holtzman depends on contemporary anti-Zionism that denies Jewish people the same right to safety, self-determination, and moral consideration afforded to others.

Hanukkah commemorates the Jewish people’s struggle for survival, religious freedom, and self-determination in our ancestral homeland, values many Jews hold close. This holiday should not be used to argue for policies that leave Israel vulnerable to continued terror and violence.

Both Palestinian and Jewish lives are precious, and the impact of the war is felt by all. Any path toward peace must reject extremism and uphold the right of Jews to live in safety and dignity.

Our community is strengthened not by absolutism, but by nuance, responsibility and a shared commitment to human dignity for all.

Jason Holtzman, chief of the Jewish Community Relations Council, The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

A battle for ballots

Winston Churchill called the Battle of the Bulge “the greatest American battle of the war.” It was the German offensive launched against the U.S. Army in World War II in a snowbound Belgium forest during the Christmas season of 1944. Known as America’s Greatest Generation, thousands fought in that historic military operation so that future generations could live in a society where tyranny has no place and the authority of government depends on the consent of the governed.

Eighty-one years later, America is once again engaged in a fight to preserve our representative democracy. Voting, democracy’s most fundamental right, is under siege by Republican lawmakers seeking to corrupt the electoral process through manipulative gerrymandering.

Since our nation’s founding, countless Americans have fought in defense of self-governance. Let’s not desecrate the graves of the fallen by turning a blind eye to an assault on the freedoms they died to protect.

Jim Paladino, Tampa, Fla.

Who’s the more foolish?

As the adage goes, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” Sadly, judging from the description of President Donald Trump’s recent rally in Mount Pocono, there are still plenty of folks willing to believe Trump’s lies. It was well known before the election that he is a liar and a cheat, but that didn’t seem to matter to the folks who voted for him last November and still support him. I’ve been accused of being woke, but I’d much rather be woke than asleep.

Carol Sundeen, Lower Makefield

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

Who’s deranged?

In the aftermath of the shocking killing of Rob Reiner and his wife, it’s clear that only person in this horrible scenario who has Trump Derangement Syndrome is Donald Trump himself. The president’s unhinged rant after the couple’s death, blaming this terrible family tragedy (their son, who has a history of drug addiction, has been arrested) on alleged “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (his made-up term for alleged “obsession” with Donald Trump) should be the final proof that the president needs to be removed from office under the 25th Amendment. His incredible personal insults (calling female reporters “piggy,” “stupid,” a “terrible person” etc.), his rambling and incoherent comments on “affordability” at the Mount Airy Casino last week, his tearing down part of the White House to build a party room — these actions are proof of his inability to perform the functions of the job.

This is the man who has his finger on the nuclear button. For the love of God, somebody please invoke the 25th Amendment already. While we still can.

Linda Falcao, Esq., Baltimore

Gridlocked

The Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection, the powerful but little-known operator of our region’s electric grid, is currently tasked with managing the increased energy demand from data centers. Just last month, PJM’s own watchdog filed a complaint saying it will not be able to manage all of the proposed data centers without restrictions.

Later this month, PJM’s board will vote to decide how and whether to accept these electricity-hungry data centers into our grid, and what (if any) restrictions will be put in place. One option is that the Big Tech companies behind many of these sites could be asked to dial back their power use for a few dozen hours a year.

This would mean that at the rare moments when our grid is peaking, data centers could slow down, preventing blackouts for everyday ratepayers. It would also save Pennsylvanians on our energy bills if fewer of these expensive “peaker” plants had to be built. Finally, this proposal would be better for our lungs and the planet, as the energy sources that data centers bring online are usually gas plants. PJM should prioritize people over data centers and decide on some restrictions before it welcomes them to our grid.

Jake Schwartz, Philadelphia

Making the grade?

Donald Trump came to Pennsylvania last week to tout the performance of the economy on his watch, for which in a recent television interview he gave himself an A+++++.

But let’s look at the facts:

The September 2025 unemployment rate was 4.4%. A year prior in September 2024, it stood at 4.1%. The inflation rate for this September was 3.0%, while exactly a year earlier it was 2.4%. Although Trump likes to claim that gas prices are down, they are in fact little changed from a year ago. On the other hand, healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and the Republicans in Congress are deliberately making the problem worse. The stock market indexes are doing well this year, but they rose by a greater percentage in both 2023 and 2024.

If Trump really believes that he deserves an A+++++ for the economy, then he should add a few more pluses for Joe Biden.

Bill Fanshel, Bryn Mawr

Profits over safety

For every tragic shooting, a profit has been made, on both the gun and the bullet. When a person’s life is taken, whether a targeted individual or a bystander, a profit was made. When a child is shot, a law enforcement officer is gunned down, an individual is slain in a domestic violence related incident, or a mass shooting occurs at a school, college, or religious gathering, at some point, a profit was made on the sale of the gun and the sale of the ammunition.

The issue is not about Second Amendment rights or gun rights, but about profits. There is too much money to be made to stop the traumas, the disabling injuries, and the killings. The National Rifle Association, gun and ammunition manufacturers, and retailers lobby lawmakers to keep the cash flowing. Legislators must put public safety above profits and pass gun safety legislation for assault weapons, require background checks for all gun purchases and more. We need to do whatever we can to stop this needless slaughter.

Gerald Koren, Exton

A ceasefire resonates

I would like to express my enthusiastic appreciation for the powerful opinion piece by Rabbi Linda Holtzman, which I found both deeply moving and thought-provoking. It strikes a perfect balance between principled passion and rational, fact-based arguments.

The issues need to be brought out into the open, as Rabbi Holtzman does masterfully.

Our family members are longtime subscribers who greatly appreciate your commitment to the highest quality journalism.

Helene Pollock, Philadelphia

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For 75 years, the idea of safety for the Israeli people has been tried in one way and has not succeeded. Rabbi Linda Holtzman recognizes this and argues that the world desperately needs another model. We need to hear more nonviolent proposals for how this sacred land can be a home for all of the people who live there — a home defined by safety and peace. And it requires us all to support that process and not allow violence and hatred from either side to prevail.

Joan Gunn Broadfield, Chester, broadfieldje@gmail.com

Who owns public schools?

The School District of Philadelphia recently approved a resolution authorizing its superintendent to negotiate the transfer of up to 20 vacant school buildings to the City of Philadelphia, potentially at no cost. Philadelphia has a reputation for property thefts in which law enforcement threatens severe penalties. However, it is essential to note that neither private nor public properties can be sold by individuals who do not hold ownership. Ultimately, the people retain ownership of the schools, which are funded through the capital budget using taxpayer monies. The public allows the board to lease those buildings, and when they are finished with them, they should be required to return them.

Leon Williams, Philadelphia

Drowning in medical debt

Congressional Republicans are having trouble coming up with a coherent proposal as an alternative to the Affordable Care Act. One reason for their difficulty is that the act itself is modeled after the Republican plan that was enacted in Massachusetts after the Universal Care Act of 1993 was defeated by a coalition of conservatives in Congress and lobbyists for the healthcare and insurance industries. As costs continue to spiral out of control and national health metrics decline, there is now, more than ever, a need for comprehensive universal healthcare in this country. Nations with such plans have lower costs and better healthcare outcomes, compared to the United States. There is no nation in the world other than ours in which hundreds of thousands of people are bankrupted by the cost of their medical treatments. Increasingly, many Americans simply choose to decline medical care because they can’t afford it. It is time for our elected representatives to act for the benefit of the people, for a change.

Patrick J. Ream, Millville

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

Check and balances

When any one branch of our federal government gains power, another loses some. For several years, the Supreme Court has expanded the power of the executive branch to the detriment of the legislative. President Donald Trump’s implementation of tariffs and his refusal to provide information to Congress about the military operations in the Caribbean, the Pacific, and off the Venezuelan coast are recent examples in which the White House has pushed the limits of its authority and sidestepped lawmakers.

The Supreme Court seems poised to expand the president’s power even further early next year by giving the Oval Office control over government agencies that have always been independent.

A 90-year-old Supreme Court decision in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States upheld the independence of these executive branch agencies, the justices seem to be signaling that they intend to reverse this long-standing precedent.

Our founders wanted governing and decision-making to be done collaboratively with Congress, where the three branches work together, and no single individual wields too much control. We need to resist this ongoing shift in power and demand a return to a balance that best serves our ability to self-govern.

Joseph Goldberg, Philadelphia

Questionable buzzwords

There are many flaws in Rabbi Linda Holtzman’s op-ed which advocates limiting military aid to Israel, but the overriding flaw in this piece is its dishonesty. By using the buzzwords “Palestinian liberation” and “anti-Zionist,” she is cleverly avoiding stating the real aim of her organization and its allies, namely, the destruction of the state of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people.

She recognizes, of course, that saying this out loud would not fly with most readers of the Inquirer, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. The fact that the author is a rabbi and teacher at a Jewish institution gives no special credence to this extreme position, but may fool some readers to think that she speaks for mainstream Jewish opinion.

And speaking of liberation, my hope is that the Palestinian people will be liberated from the corrupt and hateful leaders whose rejectionist position over the years has denied them the opportunity to have a state of their own.

Henry Maurer, Cherry Hill

The stories of our neighbors

Thank you for your continuing commitment to publishing news reports and op-eds about what is happening to our immigrant communities locally and across the nation. Your news articles, such as the one about activists in Montgomery County, as well as your broad-based Opinion coverage — with Will Bunch covering ICE raids in Louisiana and Luis Carrasco writing from the border — are very much appreciated.

In the face of a fractured Congress and a seemingly complicit Supreme Court, it’s up to the free press to inform and empower everyday people to step up and denounce the inhuman and unjust treatment of our immigrant neighbors. Citizens have an important role to play in defending neighbors who contribute so much to our communities and our economy. Let us hope our fellow Americans will become as concerned with the deplorable treatment of other human beings as they are about the economy.

Sister Veronica Roche, Westmont

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.