Community Magazine July - August 2003

14 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Dear Community Magazine, I saw your magazine over Passover and it is a great publication. I especially enjoyed the arti- cle on Isidore Nouri Dayan, may he rest in peace. I also enjoyed reading about my grandfa- ther David Bibi who I never got a chance to meet, unfortunately. Thank you very much for sending your magazine to me in Maryland. D AVID C AIN Dear Editor, I just had the occasion to see your magazine for the first time, and I’d like to congratulate you on a job well done. I have yet to see another magazine catering to a Sefaradi readership that features—as yours does—such an engaging mix of entertaining and informative articles. Sincerely, E YTAN A. K OBRE Dear Community Magazine, This is in response to Nechama Yitzchaki’s article in the June issue about the Shabbat siren in Flatbush. I have been a Shomer Shabbat res- ident of this neighborhood for 51 years. I along with many of my neighbors do not appreciate the siren. As Ms. Yitzchaki herself states, it sounds like an air raid siren. Since 9/11, we live in a changed world. Ear splitting sirens can be very scary, especially to children and the elder- ly. Maybe in Israel citizens are taught to distin- guish the Shabbat siren from the real thing, but such is not the case here. Sirens are universally understood as emergency signals and should be reserved for emergencies. We value our community as a place where Americans of every race and creed can live together in peace; this noise disturbs our non- observant and Gentile neighbors and is an unnec- essary breach of darkei shalom. As for people losing track of time in the Pre-Shabbat haste, for 51 years I never needed a siren to remind me of Shabbat, even before the advent of wrist watches that beep at a pre-set time. If a “religious exemp- tion” is passed by the City Council, we must be prepared to have our peace disturbed five times a day by amplified muezzins calling their faithful to prayer over loudspeakers. I have an idea that just might accommodate those who need a reminder of Shabbat and those like me who object to a siren for this pur- pose. Have the device play Hava Nagila at the current lowered volume. At least that will not be mistaken for a terrorist attack. Sincerely yours, Z EV S TERN , P H D s ” xc L E T T E R S Send us your letters : Mail : Community Magazine • 1616 Ocean Pkwy • Brooklyn, NY 11223 Fax: 718-504-4246 • email: letters@communitym.com Letters submitted become the property of Community Magazine and will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed Looking forward to greeting you! Shell y Baraka : (718 )627-0385 (732 ) 531-6632 Credit Cards Accepted S PECIAL S HOWING Mon. & Tue. July 14th & 15th 10am-6pm at 65 Jerome Avenue Deal, NJ Come see a full selection of Tablecloths, napking rings, tapestries and more, for your summer entertaining and gift giving needs. Also Available: folding tables & chairs and custom made table pads. I T ’ S NOT TOO LATE TO ORDER FROM OUR FANTASTIC LINE OF OUTDOOR FURNITURE ! i s “ Setting Pretty “