Dear Jeffrey Dekro & Debbie Fleischaker,

Do you think that your comments below are responsible ones? I quote: “the far right settler movement’s radio station”, “the same station that unconscionably fanned hatred of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in the months before his assassination”, “a zealot who has a history of distorted “reporting” about pro-peace Jewish organizations”, “a journalist who was a self-confessed participant in building that hateful climate leading to Rabin’s murder, has further circulated Bedein’s poison and added her own slanders that we are “low-lifes” and should be “put out of business.” Do you think that such defamatory statements should come from what you describe as a “Jewish Foundation committed to Jewish values.” Even if everything you wrote was correct (it is not), why do you sink to such a low level? Frankly, I would not be surprised if one or more of the above parties end up suing you for defamation.

In addition, I note that you do not answer the original questions posed:

1. “you should direct your money towards the families of the Israelis who have been murdered or the many small business owners that have been devastated by the drop in tourism caused by the Oslo”. Isn’t this more important or at least as important as any of your current efforts?

2. You heap all the blame on Israel, but there is no mention about the more than $1 billion that Arafat has stolen from his own people which would have made a substantial difference in the lives of those he is supposed to ‘represent.’

3. The majority of your support seems to be to organizations who take a negative view of everything that Israel does. Do you know that there are more Israelis over the age of reserve duty who are today doing reserve duty as volunteers than all the members of the two organizations which you support?

How do you explain Arafat’s outright rejection of the Camp David proposals made by President Clinton and Prime Minister Barak? He did not even attempt to negotiate further concessions. Just a simple rejection.

I don’t expect you to share this message with those 800 individuals who made contributions to your organization in the past, but you must understand that the majority of people in Israel would see your efforts as undermining the efforts of the State and have every right to encourage the public to refrain from supporting the Shefa Fund and those it supports.

There is certainly not a lack of good positive causes and organizations in Israel (taking care of handicapped children [Beit Issie Shapiro], helping sick people find the right medical treatment [Ezra LeMarpeh], helping victims of Arab terror, feeding the hungry in Israel [Hazon Yeshiya], helping Israeli businesses adversely affected by the current reign of terror, sending packages to Israeli soldiers [the Israeli soldiers fund], helping Israelis to defend themselves against terror, etc.). I notice that Federation is in the midst of supplying the Israel Civil Guard with new vehicles and communication equipment to help defend our civilians against further terror attacks. Are all of these efforts contrary to your program?

I know and understand that you have an agenda and a right to express your views, but it is contrary to what the vast majority of Israelis want and I would urge you to move to more positive efforts. Until I see actual evidence of this, I will encourage everyone I know not to support the Shefa Fund and to continue writing to you so that perhaps you will better understand that your current efforts are not helpful and are in fact the antithesis of what Israelis really want.

Jack de Lowe lives in Raanana, Israel

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