Ms Spivak,

As much as I appreciate receiving your online publication, a printable version would be even more appreciated. It would make the Review available for Shabbos reading.

Rocky Kravetsky

Hi Rhonda,

Thank you for this edition. Very interesting.

Sandy Hyman

To the Editor,

I like the paper.

Jay Raisen, Fargo

I attended several sessions of the events at the university of Manitoba’s Israel Apartheid Week.

On Wednesday March 10 during his monologue of propaganda, during Israel Apartheid Week at University of Manitoba, Mordechai Briemberg had an empty chair labeled "David Matas". He claimed that Mr. Matas had agreed to debate him, but cancelled out at the last minute. Mr. Matas opted out on "February 16th on the ground that it (my participating) would serve to legitimize the existence of anti-apartheid week", far from the last minute.

But it served Mr. Briemberg's purpose to discredit opposing views and to go virtually unchallenged

What was sorely missing from the Israel Apartheid Week presentations was, "Why are the Palestinians suffering?"

In 1948 as the UN was about to partition Palestine (renamed Israel) as a Jewish homeland, the surrounding Arab countries expelled their Jewish people. The Palestinians and Arab states refused to recognize partition.

As soon as Israel was declared a state, the Arab countries attacked, with Egypt taking Gaza and Jordan taking the West Bank and the Old City Jerusalem. Jordan destroyed 58 synagogues.

While Israel welcomed the 500,000 Jewish refugees from Arab countries and gave them citizenship, the surrounding Arab countries put their 500,000 Arab brethren into refugee camps and denied them citizenship, to this day.

Speaking of “Apartheid’, what about the treatment of Christian minorities by Arab states. From 1948 to 2000, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Lybia, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen reduced their Christian populations by 96.84%. From 1948 to 1967, Jordan reduced the Christians in Jerusalem by 61%. In Bethlehem, the birth place of Jesus, from 1993 to 2002, Arafat and the PLO (PA) reduced the Christians from an 80% majority to a rapidly shrinking 20% minority as they flee for their lives. In Sudan, the government sanctions the rape and killing of the Christians in the South and the Black Muslims in Darfur while the UN does virtually nothing about it.

Accusing Israel of being an Apartheid State is hypocritical and dishonest. But that should not bother those promoting it. Their objective is to sway more support to Anti-Israel (with it's related Anti-Semitism) to help destroy the only democratic country in the Middle East that has freedom of speech, freedom of religion, human rights, women's rights, the right to vote, etc.

Since 1973, the Arab countries attack Israel through the UN which 57 Islamic countries support, the media, and with surrogates to do the combat. The surrogates are Hezbollah in Lebanon funded and armed by Iran and Syria, Hamas in Gaza funded and armed by Saudi Arabia and Iran through Egypt and Fatah funded through the UNRWA and assorted charity drives in the Western world.

Hezbollah's rocket attacks and border raids and kidnapping resulted in two Lebanese wars. Israel removed it's Jews from Gaza and ceded Gaza to give the "Land For Peace" and "Two State Solution" a chance. With an ongoing bombardment of rockets and mortars from Gaza into Israel and border raids, Israel retaliated with Operation Cast Lead. No other country in the world would tolerate these threats to its citizens.

While Mahmoud Abbas (Arafat's co-founder of the PLO) talks softer to the West, he will not accept a Jewish state. Hamas says it won't leave "one square centimetre" for Israel. Their objective is Israel's destruction, without allowing any Jews to live under their controlled state.

Is Israel not justified in defending itself? Every other country would.

And as to Israel Apartheid Week, this is an offshoot of the media campaign to twist young and impressionable minds in now a 26th university, U of M.

I'm amazed by the poor judgment of David Barnard, President of University of Manitoba that under the guise of freedom of speech, they give the IAW at the U of M as a forum to spout their misleading propaganda.

Will he next offer this tax-payer supported facility to the Ku Klux Klan?

Why are we funding this University?

Philip Spevack, Winnipeg

Mazal Tov!!

Nathan Jacobson, Tel-Aviv, Israel

This is my first time reading Winnipeg Jewish Review and I just wanted you to know that I found it thoroughly enjoyable. Interesting articles and easy navigation – that’s all I need to make me happy. Good job Rhonda!

Elana Palay (formerly Elana Dil)

Mazel-tov and yasher koach !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hillel Taylor

To the Editor,

Shalom and thank you!

Michael Shrimpton, United Kingdom

To the Editor,

Your site looks great. Please add my address.

Michael Perle

To the Editor,

Wow!!! I was delighted to receive your newest venture, Rhonda. Thank you so much!!! I will enjoy reading the many interesting articles, especially ones from Israel. My very best to you.

Lillian Zentner, Winnipeg

To the Editor,

Thanks Rhonda. The articles are definitely great and well-written.

Adam Abrams

To the Editor,

Looks like a nice effort. Very nice. Mazel Tov on this.

Brenda Barrie

To the Editor,

Hi Rhonda. Glad to see you are still busy and involved in communal affairs. Best wishes.

Ephraim Zuroff, director, Simon Wiesenthal Centre, Jerusalem

To the Editor,

I attended the Jewish Agency's Youth Leadership Institute during 1966-67, Mahzor 39. There were residents of Winnipeg, from Young Judea and perhaps HaBonim, who also attended. I would be interested in renewing contact.

Yisrael Medad, Shiloh
Mobile Post Efraim 44830, Israel

Hi Rhonda & Rhonda [Prepes and Spivak]:

Thank you so much for this lovely article. If it helps anyone to find their roots in our community, I'm thrilled.

Lynn Roseman

To the Editor,

I’m so glad you added me to your email list! It’s a nice site. Well put together.

Sandra Antoniani, Barrister & Solicitor

I liked Faith's piece, "I love Israel."

Marty Goldberg, President and Founder
thinkdo inc. Toronto, ON

To the Editor,

Thank you so very much for the WJR. I am enjoying it thoroughly. Pass on regards to Rhonda Prepes!

Shachaf Tcherni

Hi Rhonda,

Congratulations on another informative issue! I was particularly pleased to see the article written by Paul Shindman about Paul Henderson and Darryl Sittler in Israel, especially since Canada-Israel Committee sponsored their trip and enabled them to be in Metulla for the tournament. I was fortunate to be the staff person who spent a week in Israel with them on a CIC mission, introducing them to the places, people and political realities of the Jewish homeland. As you may be aware, our missions program as all CIC initiatives are, is funded by UIAC, of which Winnipeg Federation is a very important part. It’s a shame that Canada-Israel Committee was not mentioned nor the important link to the generous donors in Winnipeg.

Judy Zelikovitz, National Manager, Community Services, Canada-Israel Committee
www.cicweb.ca, www. buycottisrael.ca

Good Evening,

I attended the Bnai Brith News Conference today where David Matas addressed the media and members of the Community on the Israeli Apartheid Week unfolding here in our fair city.

This Israeli Apartheid Week must be stopped in its evil tracks. It is disgraceful, frightening, ignorant and obviously born from a racist mindset and of course vibrates a message of hatred towards the state of Israel and Jews in general. Every voice matters. Again we need all of your voices heard and heard clearly. We cannot sit by and do nothing. It is our duty to speak up. It is scheduled to be held on campuses in Winnipeg and around the world on March 8 to 12. This Apartheid Week targeting Israel is actually about to happen at this moment in time at the U of M on the above dates.

I am a firm believer in “freedom of speech” however when it is sent out with a racist message directed towards any group or culture it must be stopped “dead” in its tracks. Canadians live in a multi cultural country. Every one deserves their freedom from attack of the self. Anti Racism of any nature makes Canada the country it is...a beacon of hope and example the world can emulate.

Speak up now while you have a chance to stop this Israel Apartheid Week with its twisted untruths, transmitted about the State of Israel.

The world should be held up to the standards it generally holds Israel to.

Contact the Bnai Brith (Alan Yusim, [email protected]) to obtain the names and phone numbers of the Heads of the Universities, Red River College and other individuals so you can voice your opinion and become part of the solution.

Hart Peikoff