Concerning religious tolerance

In “Friedman plants a tree” (Grapevine, February 16) one finds the claim “India is well known for its pluralism and religious tolerance.”

Really? Just google the news about “India Muslims” to see what has been going on during the past few weeks.

BRENDA BRONNER Jerusalem

Some 50% of Grapevine’s space on February 16 was devoted to praising the activities of Chabad; rightly so.

The prohibition of Chabad activities in schools and kindergartens in Tel Aviv and Givatayim is also criticized. The article states authoritatively that Chabad activity is hardly missionary activity. Dead wrong. By definition, a missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to promote their faith or perform ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. This exactly fits the Chabad activities as described in the article.

It goes on to positively describe Chabad activity in stopping passersby to lay tefillin because “no one knows which good deed (mitzvah) is the key to opening the doors of heaven.” Which is exactly what missionary activity is.

I don’t want my kid (or grandkid) to come home and insist on laying tefillin because it may open his door to heaven. Lets call a spade a spade. Chabad is the epitome of missionary activity and should be kept out of secular schools – as well as all other forms of so-called religious observance.

YIGAL HOROWITZ Beersheba