8 June 13 • 2019
jn
continued from page 5
online comments
Rabbi Tamara Kolton’
s opinion piece
(page 8, May 30) about the abortion
issue prompted comments on the
JN’
s Facebook page:
Jim Van Eaton: “With today’
s
emphasis on science, when are we
going to start caring about the MOST
vulnerable of us, the unborn children?
Anyone who has seen an ultrasound
knows there is a person in there.
It’
s not just tissue. To equate pro-life
with patriarchy is the highest hubris I
could imagine. Killing children is not
feminism.”
Ambre Abbott: “Nice article. But
to be clear, it’
s not just ‘
late-term
abortions’
that’
s become a hot topic.
Any abortion, six weeks or even
in cases for rape, is trying to be
overturned.”
Lissa Zack LoVasco: “Pro-choice is
not equivalent to pro-abortion. The
so-called pro-life people seem to only
care about the zygote/child pre-being
born. If all the people who are pro-
life supporters took the time to help
children in need (who have already
been born), the world would be a
much better place.”
Steven Seiler: “It’
s not about power
of the ruling class and more to do
with destroying human life! You can
twist the subject all you want by
going back to slavery and the Salem
witch trials. Please take a long look
at yourself, and I will pray that you
change your ways!”
Frances Swoish: “Any man who
comments against abortion rights has
no idea whatsoever.”
Max Rohtbart: “Wow, [this piece]
really misses the mark. More
centered on religious or philosophical
arguments from the pro-life side
and liberty or practicality arguments
from the pro-choice side. Lots of
passions on both sides, which is
understandable since it really is
a complex issue which both sides
rationalize into simplistic talking
points.”
Laura Hearshen: “Jewish pro-life
female moderate Democrat survivor
of sexual assault. Thank you for the
article.”
The Jewish News welcomes reader
feedback. Feel free to comment on
thejewishnews.com, our Facebook page
or send a letter to letters@renmedia.us.
views
publisher’
s notebook
Father’s Day
Mir hobn, kinder, Mother’
s Day
Mit bloomen, dinner, that’
s OK.
But what about your Tate, too
Un alle things er toot for you?
Mein kind, that’
s all ich hob to say.
Mir hobn: we have
Kinder: children
Bloomen: flowers
Tate: Father
Un alle: And all
Er toot: he does
Mein kind: my child
Ich hob: I have
— By Rachel Kapen
Yiddish Limerick
possesses more of the skills necessary
to participate in the country’
s high-tech
economy — and reap its benefits — than
the Haredi Jewish population.
The Taub data show that 62.2 percent
of non-Haredi Jews and 36.9 percent of
Israeli-Arabs possess good or very good
English skills. This compares to 27 per-
cent of Haredi Jews.
For Israeli-Arab girls studying in high
school, 68 percent said their coursework
includes math, 57 percent physics, 56
percent computer science and 56 percent
electronics. In general, these numbers
are about twice as high as the overall
Jewish population, and substantially
higher than the Haredi population.
Further, the data show that about 3
percent of Haredi girls and 1 percent of
Haredi boys are on high-tech education
tracks.
The high cost of living in Israel places
added pressure on the bulk of the pop-
ulation. According to the Taub Center
data, prices in Israel are 14 percent
higher than the average OECD country.
They are 40 percent higher than the U.S.
And with Israeli prices as the bench-
mark, only two countries — Chile and
Latvia — are more expensive than Israel.
Behind the startup nation curtain, 18.6
percent of Israeli households fall below
the poverty rate. Among Israeli Arabs,
the poverty rate is 49.4 percent and 45.1
percent among the Haredi Jewish popu-
lation. It is 13.3 percent for non-Haredi
Jews. When measured using disposable
income, Israel’
s poverty rate is the high-
est among all OECD countries.
None of these data detract from the
miracle that is Israel, its high-tech savvy
and its regional and global achievements
under overwhelming external military,
political and economic pressure. But car-
ing about Israel’
s future requires looking
beyond the allure of “start-up nation”
and remembering there are millions of
ordinary Israelis from all walks of life
who struggle daily to make ends meet
in a high-cost, low-disposable income
country.
The Israeli government must prioritize
and address these fundamental dispari-
ties, equipping more of the current and
future labor force with the educational
and English-language skills needed
to compete and succeed. Jews in the
diaspora have an ongoing role to play,
too. One notable example is the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’
s
Partnership2Gether achievement in
teaching critical English language skills
to thousands of children residing in the
Central Galilee region.
With reliable data and trusted insights
from the Taub Center, closing the gap
between Israel’
s haves and have nots is
not rocket science — that’
s reserved for
moon shots. It will, however, require the
same now-legendary focus an
d deter-
mination that are the underpinnings of
“startup nation.” ■