I am not one to broadcast my political opinions publicly, but I have been so disheartened by the letters of previous weeks that I feel no choice but to speak out. It shocks and appalls me that any self-described “frum” person would continue to support Former President Trump in the upcoming election, especially in light of the blatantly racist nativist rhetoric he has had no shame in spewing on national television. Are we that quick to forget that in the 1920s this same nativism was directed at Jews for decades in this country? It was this xenophobic sentiment that led to President Coolidge passing the Immigration Act of 1924, effectively banning Jewish immigration during an era that would become their time of greatest need. Anyone claiming a faithful adherence to traditional Jewish ethics cannot discount the importance of Hillel the Elder’s aphorism, “What is hateful to you, do not do to another.” (Shabbat 31a) As Jews, we know the horrific impact that small-minded bigotry can have on our safety and should not tolerate this same rhetoric when directed at others.

Conversely, I was pleased to read Mr. Jasphy’s letter last week (“Guns in the Jewish Community,” September 12, 2024) that spoke about the possibility, God forbid, of a school shooting at one of our local yeshiva day schools. As a teacher who teaches in the day school system, it has always shocked me that the emphasis of lockdown drills and training for faculty seems to exclusively revolve around the prospect of a terrorist, God forbid, entering the school premises, when the fact is that an attack on any school is more likely to come from a student than an outside intruder. As gun ownership, unfortunately, rises in the Orthodox community it behooves schools to contend with the fact that our institutions are not immune from the problems faced by the rest of the country. It is imperative that our schools not “bury their heads in the sand” regarding this ugly prospect and they are cognizant of the danger that guns in the home can present to the school’s safety.

Zachary Ottenstein

Manhattan