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October 8, 2024
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Leftist Does Not Mean Secular

I could not help but laugh when I read the letter to the editor by Marc Sapin from River Edge (“Differing Approaches to Secular Jews,” January 10, 2019). There is not a single word in my letter (“We Are Our Own Worst Enemy,” January 3, 2019) of which he speaks that even mentions “secular Jews.”

Perhaps Mr. Sapin equates all leftist self-hating Jews with secular Jews but that is his problem, not mine. He is also very clearly not a regular reader of The Jewish Link, for if he were he would have read several of my letters in which I condemn the ultra-right charedi Jews for failing to credit and give thanks to the non-Orthodox and secular Jews who fought so vigorously in 1947/48 and who worked so hard before that to build up what has become the very successful state of Israel. And for that matter, who defend Israel today as part of the IDF.

Perhaps Mr. Sapin should dig a little deeper into the facts before he makes comments about a letter or its writer and he should certainly not put words into a letter that are simply not there. If he re-reads the letter he will find words like “leftist” and “progressive,” but never secular.

Clearly he thinks that all secular Jews are also leftist and progressive and anti-Israel. Thank God he is wrong. I do, however, now know where he stands.

Rabbi Bob Mark
Clifton, NJ
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