Letters

With regard to Yoel Moskowitz’s Opinion piece, “Rabbis And Tough Love” (April 19), I think the author’s observations confirm the reality that most abusers are not persecuting individuals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are rarely, if ever 100 percent evil.

Robbie Gringras is not the first person to feel a mix of joy, inspiration, 
comfort, awkwardness, pain and isolation during a joy-filled Shabbat
service (“Shabbat Service Here Highlights Israel-Diaspora Gap,” Opinion, May 10).

Thanks to Robbie Gringras for his candid and reflective piece on his experience at Romemu (“Shabbat Service Here Highlights Israel-Diaspora Gap,” Opinion, May 10). I
do have a few questions for him.

I feel compelled to respond to Robbie Gringras’ article on his Friday
night experience at Romemu (“Shabbat Service Here Highlights Israel-Diaspora Gap,” Opinion, May 10).
Gringras complains that the sermon at Romemu was too individual in focus, 
that it was “a message for a people without a communal identity” and
“ever-so-slightly Christian.

Kudos to Ted Merwin and the Hillel directors implementing the Peer Network Engagement Initiative (“Jewish Identity, One On One,” Back Of The Book, April 26).

They recognize that “if you build it, they will come” might work in the movies, but it is not a sufficient strategy for engaging Jewish college students. Engaging young adults on their terms and putting people before programming are key to fostering Jewish continuity, on campus and beyond.

Many college grads arrive in New York ready to tackle professional school or take on the business world. Yet they find that New York can be cold and lonely. They lack the community that Hillel and Chabad houses, or even a few like-minded classmates, provided.

The Brownstone NY offers these young adults a space to create their own community (“A ‘Brownstone’ For Young Jews,” May 3). The East Village six-story eco-friendly building features inviting lounges, dining spaces, meeting rooms and a rooftop terrace. It is an ideal place to encourage one-to-one peer conversations. 

Our building is buzzing with classes, social and networking events, alumni reunions, leadership programs, and Shabbat meals.

We’re a welcoming, inclusive place. We invite your readers to check us out.

Program Director Brownstone Russian Initiative

I fail to find the logic in your criticism of Secretary of State John Kerry or President Barack Obama in your editorial, “Crossing The Line” (April 26).

Julie Wiener’s excellent article “Jewish Child Care Model Poised for Growth Spurt”  (March 28) describes one creative model between a synagogue and Bright Horizons.

We very much appreciate Gary Rosenblatt’s attention to the critical issue of tuition affordability for middle-income families (“The Day School Dilemma,” Editor’s column, May 3). At Beit Rabban Day School, we are acutely sensitive to this concern and although we encourage all families to apply for financial aid, we recognize that traditional aid is not always the answer.

Re: “The Day School Dilemma” (Editor’s column, May 3), I hope that Carolyn and Don will ask their day school about financial aid. It sounds like they’re falling into the middle-class trap:

Regarding “Increased Competition Shakes Up N.J. Schools” (April 12), it is no secret that a severe tuition crisis exists in the Bergen County Jewish day school world today.