I am sorely disappointed in the article by Manny Frishberg.
First, there is no statement from the Port of Seattle regarding their position on this issue. Apparently Mr. Frishberg elected to write an article which clearly mirrors the stance taken by Rabbi Bogomilsky as representative of Chabad. Why should Chabad, which represents a distinctly small segment of our Jewish community, be accorded a continuing position of self-importance? Maybe this “article” is actually an “editorial” because it clearly lacks the balance required in journalistic work.
Second, the tone of this article seems to indicate that JTNews doesn’t have an accurate sense of the pulse of the community. If your Web site only elicited the letters to the editor on page 3 as a response to its query, “Was the Port of Seattle right in removing Christmas trees from SeaTac Airport instead of installing a menorah?” you’ve done a disservice to the community by printing the six line letter from Mr. Robert Aronson juxtaposed to the two other letters which wreaked of vitriol and loathing. In fact I’ve heard over and over again that Rabbi Bogomilsky “doesn’t speak for ‘me.’” I said it myself a number of times when both Jewish and non-Jewish acquaintances asked, “What do you think?”
I hate to say it, but you got scooped after the fact by the Seattle Times, which on Saturday had articles written by a number of local clergy. On whole these were thoughtful and balanced and gave a sense of reality to this issue. That it was blown out of proportion locally, nationally and around the world is due to lack of information and ignorance.
Perhaps the JTNews should do a reality check with its mission and paint a broader, clearer and more thoughtful and balanced picture for its readers (wherein you might even consider interviewing folks on the street as well as community leaders). Giving us this broader based set of opinions would be the best way to inform and educate so that all of us could responsibly develop our own responsible opinion about this issue instead of solely an emotional one.