Kudos to Keinon and Cashman

There are two writers in your paper whose articles I enjoy immensely. The first one is Herb Keinon and the second is Greer Fay Cashman.

• Keinon is an island of tolerance and diplomacy in a sea of critics. He has a way of approaching prickly issues in a diplomatic and logical manner ( he also has a great sense of humor), but I’m specifically referring to his article “Enforce COVID- 19 laws with sensitivity, resolve” ( October 19). I, like most Israeli citizens, decry the lack of adherence to the COVID rules set by the government by the haredim and this is evident by the high infection rates in the neighborhoods and cities predominantly inhabited by this community. Let’s face it, we’re not going to change their mentality and their unique way of interpreting the health danger of the virus. Therefore, Keinon’s suggestions of dealing with their school’s opening when the government’s instructions were to the exact reverse, is sensitive and with resolve, as is seen in the title of the article.

• Cashman’s Grapevine column I regularly read with great interest, not only because I’m an expat Aussie, also from her hometown, Melbourne, ( she ate in our sukkah when I was a child), but because she’s an extremely talented writer who has the knack of turning even a fairly uninteresting issue into an exciting one. She writes the historical background of her topics and usually adds interesting anecdotes. In October 21’ s Grapevine column, she talks about The Australian Jewish News and about Di Yiddishe Nayes and their beginnings, and demise of the latter, both which were always present in our home, the former, read by us Aussie children, and the latter by my Holocaust survivor parents.

So, kudos to Keinon and Cashman and I look forward to reading their articles in the future.

MINA STERN Ramat Bet Shemesh