Readers' Letters 211

Humor wasn't funny

I must congratulate you on the latest ESRA Magazine, September 2021 issue. It was even better than it always is and it gave me many hours of fascinating reading material.

I finished it to the last page called HUMOR. Very disappointing. Try as hard as I could, I could not find any humor at all on both pages. Not up to the standard of this magazine.

Please find other sources for this section for future issues.

Light and Love,

Leon Charney 

What a coincidence

While glancing at your Milestones page in ESRA Magazine September 2021 issue, my eye was caught by the name of Judy Copeland. I remember Judy from when I was a student in Arad on the first course at the WUJS Ulpan which was set up by her late husband Michael with Justin Phillips. My casual interest turned to astonishment when I read that she is celebrating the barmitzvah of her twin grandsons, Itai and Yoav, as these are exactly the names of my own twin sons! What are the chances?

Ilana Walsh (formerly Elaine Cohen)
Rehovot

Srulik

Regarding ESRA Magazine's cover of June 2021, with its appealing picture of Srulik, the creation of Kariel Gardosh, popularly known as Dosh, I emphatically disagree with Bob Bachmann's description of it as "a boring grey-dark front cover of a very uninspiring figure" (September 2021).

It is widely known that Dosh's most famous cartoon character is the much-loved Srulik, who is usually depicted as wearing a "kova tembel" and Biblical sandals – and is known to have a deep love of the country. It has been said that Srulik became a symbol of the Sabras and the State of Israel, similar to Uncle Sam in the United States.

Also well-known is that Dosh and Ephraim Kishon were good friends, and Kishon, who can be regarded as Israel's finest satirist and one of the most widely-read satirists in the world, frequently used Dosh's cartoon characters to illustrate his works.

I was delighted to see Srulik on June's cover, and consider such a cover more meaningful than one showing merely "colorful and happy pictures", as Bachmann would have preferred.

I take this opportunity to compliment ESRA Magazine not only on its "Srulik" cover but also on Sharyn Weizman's interesting account of her collection of beautiful ceramics, including the Srulik item, about which we read in ESRA's June issue.

Rhona Yemini
Givatayim 

Slurring speech may indicate a stroke

Last week, while I was home chatting to my daughter who was visiting, I experienced a strong pain on the left side of my face, experiencing simultaneously a heavy drooping of my cheek. This was accompanied by slurring of words which were unintelligible.

My daughter, not aware that I was having a stroke, nevertheless saw the urgency of calling an ambulance. And I - being stubborn - refused, thinking that whatever it was would pass soon. It did pass thankfully after 15 minutes.

When I visited the doctor (my son had insisted) the next day, he took it very seriously, telling me that it was not bobamisen but that what I'd experienced was a Mini Stroke called TIA (transient) and I should have called MAGEN DAVID ADOM 101 immediately.

Never wait should you experience what I experienced. If you get to hospital in time, the reverse to the clotting in the brain can be rectified. If too late the damage is done! How fortunate that mine passed over but I still have many tests to do to assess if any damage was done. The most important is to have a CT scan of the head. The earliest appointment in Eilat was for one month's time.

There are other ways of testing to see if you're having a stroke:

• if you can stick your tongue out
• if you can lift your arms
• if you experience loss of balance and coordination, blurred vision or severe headaches

The nurse who visited me yesterday told me that because of my experience they intend to organize a lecture explaining to the residents of our home how to recognize the signs; slurring of speech and pain on one side of the face is definitely one of them AND the importance of calling an ambulance immediately.

Fonda Dubb
Eilat 

Thank you ESRA Knitting Group Beer Sheva

Dear Ruth Friesem and ESRA Knitting Group,

On behalf of the Soroka Medical Center, we would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for your beautiful handmade hats, octopuses and blankets.

Your gift was sent to the neonatal intensive care unit at Saban Pediatric Medical Center.

We are all deeply thankful to you.

Asher Grinbaum, Chairman Orna Miara, Executive Manager

Friends of Soroka Medical Center 

Lovely New Year cover

What a pleasure to pack the latest ESRA Magazine (September 2021). Everyone remarked on the lovely cover. So bright and friendly. Great to eventually receive a Yom Tov cover with a greeting. Thanks Merle it meant a lot to so many people.

Rika Meyerowitz
Netanya 

Great layout, interesting articles

I read the latest ESRA Magazine (September 2021) and as always, great layout with interesting articles. After reading the magazine, I pass it on to our son in law's grandmother who loves it! She is originally from Turkey and reads and speaks a fluent English. She lives in Raanana, is over 90, a lovely lady and she eagerly looks forward to getting the ESRA Magazine.

Stephen Schulman
Ramat Hasharon

Yachad, unfortunate choice of new name for AWIS

Welcoming September 2021 ESRA Magazine, and thumbing through its lively pages, I was somewhat alarmed to find an article entitled "Yachad". Why, indeed, I thought, was ESRA involved with this organization, whose members in the UK stood shoulder-to-shoulder with supporters of Hamas, in memory of the terrorists who had lost their lives in hostilities against Israel? Reading further, I am informed that Yachad is the new title for AWIS (Association for the Well-being of Israel's Soldiers). In my view, this is a somewhat unfortunate choice of a new name for AWIS, since it confuses that admirable organization with a political group, which is questionable in the eyes of the majority of Israel's supporters in the UK and beyond.

Leila Cumber
London, UK 

Nothing beats a printed magazine

I wanted to share a meaningful realization with our readers. There's something uniquely comforting and fulfilling in the experience of taking a printed magazine and holding it in one's hands. To feel the texture of the high quality white paper, to turn the pages and inhale the good and familiar smell of the print that emanates from inside these pages, then to dive into the depths of the wide range of subjects within its contents.

The exciting expectation that in just a moment I am going to be getting quality-time, with fascinating content on subjects that are diverse and relevant to our lives, surprising me and giving me new knowledge that I had been unaware of causes all other thoughts to be swept aside and puts one into "quiet mode". A world of calm, in which one doesn't want to do anything except immerse oneself into the world of rich contents that is in front of one now.

It's just you, with your time that you have devoted to yourself. Your own choice to take time out and give yourself that quality time by perusing the diverse and endlessly surprising ESRA Magazine. It recurs every time a new magazine arrives. Such a delicious moment.

Jennia Ganit Chodorov
Herzliya

Logo of Israel Post being used to scam people

Online shopping is growing in popularity. According to statistics 44% of the Israeli population bought at least one product online in 2020.
Israel Post is the largest deliverer of items ordered from abroad.

So, if you received a SMS headed with the Logo of Israel Post, saying your package cannot be delivered to you until you send NIS 4.50 to cover underpaid postage, you might feel justified in paying this small amount to get that item you've been waiting for.

And if you received an email message asking you to confirm that the delivery address for the item you ordered is 24 Wingate Avenue, Ramat Gan, you might feel justified in immediately correcting this address to that of your own to ensure speedy delivery of the item you've been waiting for.

I have been the recipient of numerous such messages and have written to the consumer service at Israel Post several times to complain of the ongoing incidence of such spam messages This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
In an email message sent last week, I expressed surprise that in a country with such advanced computer technology they were not able to locate and bring these criminals to justice.

I also asked why there hadn't been a widely publicized advertising campaign to warn gullible consumers that the logo of Israel Post was being used to scam them.

I received immediate replies to my messages. One offered the following advice :
"It is always advisable to pay attention to the address from which the email was sent. And be extra careful in paying to a source that is unfamiliar to you.
If in doubt, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.".
Last week's response explained that they are aware of the issue which is being handled by the cyber division of the Israel Postal Authority. They also assured me that the website of the postal company has a warning to customers about false messages and the phenomenon has been publicized in the various media channels. Of course, this is of little help to consumers who may not read Hebrew or understand Hebrew media channels.

So, please be warned. NEVER respond to any message or click on any link before checking its validity even if it bears an official logo like that of the Israel Post.

Lola Katz
Herzliya 

ESRA should not condone disrespectful attitudes

After reading Barbara Resnick's letter in ESRA Magazine (September 2021) and the CEO Sunny Marshansky's response, I would like to say that I absolutely applaud the work that ESRA is doing with the English Tutoring Program. The success is truly phenomenal. However, I agree with Barbara that as an organization ESRA should not condone disrespectful attitudes. Prospective volunteers can be advised that students taking part in the program may come from the secular, religious or Arab sector. If they don't want to take part then they don't have to.

Peta Singer
Degania Bet

Editor's note: Please see Sunny Marshansky's article on this subject