Letters to the editor
Readers respond
Biden disrespects justice system
Although it is gratifying that three of the worst human beings on the face of the earth were not included in his order, I am sadly disappointed in President Joe Biden for commuting the death sentences of 37 killers, including mass murderers and those who slaughtered children and law enforcement officers (“Biden commutes death sentences of 37 federal prisoners — but not the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter,” Dec. 27).
The president has seized the wheels of justice from the judges and juries that concluded that under our laws, the crimes committed by those who will now serve sentences of life in prison were sufficiently serious as to justify the ultimate punishment. He has let down many of the survivors of those who were slain, heaping additional pain upon them.
Mr. Biden’s action serves to diminish respect for our system of governance and our laws.
Oren Spiegler
Peters Township
Profile neglects contributions to Jewish community
I was pleased to see Deborah Weisberg’s lengthy profile of Mark Rubinstein’s nonprofit, Pittsburgh Youth Leadership, in your Dec. 27 issue (“Two wheels and one mission: Jewish lawyer’s bike trips empower kids to lead”). The piece was a wonderful tribute to his impactful work helping empower at-risk youth. However, surprisingly for a Jewish newspaper, the article did not make any mention of Mark’s leadership in the Jewish community — specifically, Congregation Dor Hadash. Mark is a past president of our congregation and has been an active lay leader for many years since. In the past year alone, he served as nominations chair, organized our Friday night speakers’ program, and emceed our 60th anniversary celebration. Since the shooting in 2018, Mark has hosted the annual “Bike Ride for Jerry” in memory of Jerry Rabinowitz, z”l. His commitment to serving others is grounded in the Jewish values that Dor Hadash exemplifies.
Rabbi Amy Bardack
Congregation Dor Hadash
Pittsburgh
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