LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

I was very touched by your Purim feature “Persian: My Story of Escape from Iran.” Even though I am not from Iran, nor do I have any family ties to that region, I was very moved by the story shared. This tragedy plays out in country after country decade after decade.  I wish more Jews would realize that as comfortable we are, we are only temporary inhabitants of whichever place we choose to live until Moshiach arrives. I have heard similar accounts from people escaping Russia, Germany, Poland, Yemen, Ethiopia etc. We have it to so good here, but I will never be so naive as to think that this story from Shiraz cannot repeat itself right here in America.   Lipa S.

Dear Editor,

Thank you for so eloquently expressing what so many Jewish Persians went through when they had to flee Iran back in the 1970s. My family also managed to escape that hostile country and it has left a scar on us until today. We had a thriving rug business in Tehran and enjoyed living in close proximity to all our cousins. Life was good and just like the story mentioned, we got along very well with our Muslim neighbors. That is until the revolution happened and our whole world was turned upside down.  We managed to escape using all the resources we had and made it to America after spending some time in Vienna and Italy. Pesach holds a special place in our family’s heart because we truly feel that we escaped Mitzrayim. I only wish the lady’s three sisters can also get out so they can all be reunited as a family. Mitzriyim come in all shapes and forms. Sara Faroosh

Dear Editor,

I agree very much with Rabbi Gewirtz’s column ”All Dressed up and No Place to Grow.” It was very nice seeing so many Yiddishe kinderlach dressed up as Cohanim, Mordechai, Rabbis, Hatzalah workers, Queen Esther etc. This is what they should be emulating. On the flip side, I was disheartened to see families, not lone kids, but whole mishpachos choosing to dress as their theme to dress up as rock stars, cartoon people, and other low life characters. Parents should think as Rabbi Gewirtz wrote, “What do I want my kids to be?” Hopefully next year we will only see Yiddishe costumes.   G. R.

Dear Editor,

I just wanted to let you know that I followed Yitti Berkovic’s advice in Musings and delivered mishloach manos to a distant neighbor that I have never given to before. Seeing the shock and how her face lit up made my Purim. I never realized how much of an impact a wafer and a bottle of grape juice can have on someone. I made each of my kids deliver mishloach manos to a classmate that was not on their original list and they also said it made the kid feel so happy and important. My list may be getting longer each year, but so are my zechusim!   Rabinovitch Family

Dear Editor,

Please print this as a PSA for the Orthodox community. A reminder that Pesach cleaning is about ridding your home of traces of chametz. It does not mean scrubbing the crown molding, washing the walls, and power washing window screens as so many people do. There is nothing wrong with doing all of these things, but don’t call it Pesach cleaning; that is spring cleaning! Women, especially, are so stressed out  this time of year and make everyone around them crazy engaging in  unnecessary cleaning. Learn the halachos!   Stressed out Husband