Highlighting the good

I always endeavor to help make Israel look its best to my local and foreign acquaintances.

I sent a link to “We’ve never encountered a situation like this” (February 1) to many of my friends here and abroad.

It describes the aid effort sent – only by Israel – to Brazil following an accidental rupture of a dam followed by a river of muddy slurry that so far has killed 99 with 250 missing.

Several of the foreign recipients of my email wrote back that this was the first time they had heard about this action by Israel. I am not surprised. Many of the major news outlets in Europe, Asia, Africa and even in the US are overtly or covertly antisemitic. They take every opportunity to demonize Israel for any possible cause, while ignoring the many cases where Israel, on its own, sends rescue teams to places like Mexico, Haiti, The Philippines, Japan, Turkey, Nepal or helps our war-ravaged neighbors, such as on the Syrian border.

Israel, one of the most advanced nations in science, technology, in the medical sciences, agriculture, water recycling, etc., still lives by Biblical and rabbinic commandments to be a light unto the nations, to repair and heal the world (tikkun olam).

We and our government should all make every possible effort to show to the rest of the world what Israel can and does do. Perhaps one day the world will thank us. RICHARD SPITZBERG Tel Aviv