The children who brought gifts in were very special, as they show they are aware of helping those less fortunate than themselves.
It is very gratifying to see the spirit of helping others alive and well in the future generation.
The staff enjoyed meeting those who came in to the rooms to drop off gifts, as this gives us an opportunity to personally thank these generous people and to answer any questions they may have regarding our role in the community.
This year we were able to give six gifts each to 87 children aged under 13.
To the staff of Flooring Xtra, Property Brokers, Her Fitness, the congregation at Trinity Church, Rotary South, Winz, Ideal Services and Budget Advice -- your collections and donations do make a difference to our families.
The trip to see the Christmas lights, organised by LJ Hooker and the Chronicle, was a great success and the families really appreciated the treats as well.
My apologies if I have omitted anyone. Many thanks for your thoughtfulness and generosity.
For many families these were the only gifts they received at Christmas.
The families are very appreciative of the support from the public.
As I have now retired as manager of Birthright after 11 years, I would like to express my personal thanks to the community of Whanganui for their very generous hearts and caring natures when it comes to supporting other families.
BARBARA YOUNG
Birthright Wanganui
Racist tropes
Fred Frederikse (Chronicle, January 10) is clearly courageous in his willingness to skate on the thin ice of offering solutions for the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
He, like anyone else, has the right to criticise the Israeli government for its policies.
He also has the right to exhibit his biases favouring the Palestinian view of this long-standing conflict and failing to cite any of the flaws of their leadership, like the stated intention of Hamas to destroy Israel.
What is unacceptable are the tropes which are racist, false and anti-Semitic.
Who knew Benjamin Netanyahu was "religiously Jewish but genetically Slavic"? Who even knew there was a "genetic Slav"? And who cares -- except racists?
Willie Jackson, who has dabbled in those murky waters (and admits to a pro-Palestinian bias) was recently surprised to learn his own DNA comprised 25 per cent genetic identity with those of Eastern European Jews.
Fred's blanket generalisation that his own one-state solution would require that "Zionists give up their ideal of an exclusively Jewish state" neglects the reality that Zionists, like anti-Zionists -- like people everywhere -- come in all shapes.
I -- like my Israeli cousin, a concentration camp survivor -- am a Zionist.
We and most Israelis support a two-state solution that includes a democratic Israel. Democracies, by definition, cannot be exclusively Jewish or exclusively Christian, or exclusively Muslim, for that matter.
Then there is the line, "Not missing the business opportunity, Jewish Council spokeswoman Juliet Moses said ..."
This anti-Semitic trope of Jewish pecuniary motive stains the piece.
The association of commercial motive and historic anti-Semitism is too long to require refutation.
Like the Irish relation to drinking and the Dutch to obsessive orderliness, these stereotypes are not used to give compliments.
I'm certainly willing to listen to opinions with which I may differ. I won't accept those that carry the racist and anti-Semitic tropes Mr Frederikse's op-ed did.
To be clear, I understand Frederikse is pro-Palestinian, as is his right.
Nor am I accusing him of being, either by virtue of his politics or his objectionable language, either racist or anti-Semitic.
It's simply that his words would give a lot of comfort and support to those who genuinely are.
(Abridged.)
JAY KUTEN
Whanganui
