Sadly, Jews have been through this before
All we Jews want is to live in peace.
Why can’t they let us?
Of course, this is a naive question. The world is full of hate and intolerance. We, as Holocaust survivors, know this very well. Six million of us perished because of Hitler, and now our children and grandchildren have to fight for survival. Enough is enough.
We are now old men and cannot carry guns anymore. The only weapons we have are our voices.
Laszlo Selly,
Holocaust survivor,
Aventura
Protect workers from heat
If I were the corporate boss of a team of Florida outdoor construction or agricultural workers, I would ensure that they had adequate access to shade, rest and water.
Not because I am a softhearted liberal or a “well-funded, politically linked activist,” but because, in my experience, rested and well-hydrated workers tend to be more productive than sick or dead ones.
Therefore, I cannot see why I could possibly object to the regulations that ensure when temperatures rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, employers must provide 10 minutes of rest every two hours, as well as giving access to free drinking water.
Why, then, did Jorge Perez, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Related Group, and Jose “Joche” Smith, chief executive officer of Costa Farms, write an op-ed in the Oct. 13 Miami Herald arguing that heat regulations would cripple the construction and agriculture industries, which are the backbone of the Florida economy?
I am sure that Perez already keeps his workers healthy and hydrated without being forced to do so. He is an intelligent and successful businessman.
In addition to objecting to the proposal to be considered by the Miami-Dade County Commission, did he also object to State Senate Bill 732, introduced by Republican Sen. Ana Maria Rodríguez, requiring employers to put in place heat-exposure safety programs like access to sufficient, free drinking water, as close as possible to the workplace?
When I play golf in temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, I need at least 10 minutes of rest every two hours.
How can Perez object to that for his workers, who are just doing their jobs under Florida’s brutal sun?
Patrick Alexander,
Coral Gables
Stay alert
For more than three quarters of a century we have been shouting “Never again!” in many languages but without much effect.
The Yom Kippur War of 1973 took the world by surprise, and put the Israeli military and intelligence, without warning, in a state of high vulnerability.
Last weekend, Hamas attacked Israel with rockets, most likely from Iran, on a Sabbath, while Israelis were fighting each other over internal judicial-reform issues.
A modern state should be able to take care of its security by remaining on alert all the time. This war between Israel and Hamas is an international failure on par with Russia versus Ukraine.
Does the United Nations have any teeth left to restore balance? If not, then what?
Barbarism was assumed to be historically behind us, not a current event.
Peter P. Tarjan,
Holocaust survivor,
Kendall
Adult truancy
On Oct. 4, I logged on to watch the scheduled meeting of the Miami-Dade Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board, because of an agenda item of importance to an elderly relative — the potential demolition of her condo building. The meeting’s start time came and went. Finally, the meeting was canceled for lack of a quorum of board members, and all matters postponed for at least a month.
The failure of so many members to attend a long-scheduled meeting cannot be excused on the grounds that they are volunteers. When they volunteered to serve, they became public servants with an obligation to discharge their duties, regardless of personal inconvenience. Board membership should never be sought only for bragging rights or résumé fillers.
I will be tuning in on Nov. 1, with the expectation that a quorum will be present.
Dawn Bowen,
Coral Gables
Rough handling
I appreciate Herald columnist Fabiola Santiago’s Oct. 12 opinion, “Support Israel, listen to the Palestinians,” explaining how Gazans are dependent on Israel for utilities and so much more. Most people do not know that Gazans cannot support themselves or build the needed infrastructure for their everyday survival without Israel.
Hamas, however, controls Gaza, and as long as it does (with the semi-approval of Gazans who voted Hamas into power), Gazans are all subject to monitoring because Hamas’ mission is that all Jews must die.
Those who disagree with the treatment of Gazans can leave Gaza and not be part of this conflict and its results.
I would want to monitor Hamas, its supporters and neighbors, to protect myself. If this is mistreatment, I am not buying it.
Janet Weller,
Coral Springs
Help wanted
Job description: must understand parliamentary procedures; must build consensus; must work well with all across party lines; must seek knowledge to make informed decisions; must create a big tent for all Americans; must ignore partisans representing extreme positions.
Hard to imagine that conservative Republicans would want the former president to be speaker of the House of Representatives, given his total inability or desire to check any of the above boxes.
On second thought, maybe it isn’t.
Bruce Shpiner, Miami
Supporting Israel
Hamas’ attack on Israel is not a matter of Jews vs. Muslims. This is Jewish faith against Hamas, a terrorist organization whose principal belief is wiping Israel and its people off the face of the Earth.
As Americans, we do not have to look far into the past to put ourselves in Israel’s shoes. After 9/11, we all stood, and still stand, in unity that al Qaeda, a terrorist organization, must be destroyed.
I fully support Israel doing whatever it takes to wipe Hamas off the map.
Rita Alvarez,
Miami
Winning colors
The University of Miami must return to the uniforms they wore when they won national championships. Our school colors are orange and green, not black.
Lisa Ben-Lipp,
Cooper City
