Letter to Washington Post Columnist Richard Cohen

From: Dr. Michael Berenhaus [mailto:mberenhaus@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 5:03 PM
To: 'cohenr@washpost.com'
Subject: Rubbing AJC's nose in it

Dear Mr. Cohen,

The American Jewish Committee apologizes to you for including your name in a paper which lists those that aid anti-Semitism with their writings. Your response to the apology: rub the AJC’s nose in it. I think the AJC was taking the high road with you, it wasn’t returned. My take: when a prominent writer who is Jewish calls Israel an “honest mistake” in the paper on record in the Nation’s capital, it certainly adds fuel to the fire of those that espouse hatred of Israel and take it out on Jews throughout the world. So the AJC had no reason to apologize in my opinion – but they did and this is what they got!

In Cheapening a Fight Against Hatred [2/6/07]: Me thinks he doth protest too much. You seem to come across feeling guilty, you defend yourself too much, and you lash out – before against Israel as you said you did in anger – and now against the AJC. I may not know what you are thinking or feeling (as you say your readers don’t), but I know what you are writing. And that’s all that matters. Your response ended up being a temper tantrum which was only more damaging to those of the Jewish faith.

Michael Berenhaus
Potomac, MD