Letters
Right about Mamdani, wrong about Khan
I fully agree with Stuart Goldberg’s concern (“Zohran Mamdani: The Trojan horse of his mayorship,” December 4) that the impending Mamdani administration in New York City will not be adequately protective of the city’s Jewish population, and that the mayor will use his position to further his obsessive anti-Israel ideology.
But I must object to his listing of Lina Khan with several individuals who take outlier political positions that could result in actual harm to New York’s Jews and other minorities. If Khan is an extremist, then so is Louis Brandeis, because he believed that over-concentrated private economic power posed a danger to the economic and social conditions on which democracy depended, as well as to innovation in business. Brandeis (also a pioneering American Zionist) favored active use of antitrust laws against concentrated economic power, as does the “Neo-Brandeis” movement in which Lina Khan has been a major figure. Brandeis and Khan are/were not Marxists or socialists.
Mr. Goldberg is the founder of G6 Capital Partners, an investment firm, and formerly worked for Salomon Smith Barney. I trust that his views on economic power and on the utility of antitrust differ widely from those of Lina Khan. I’m not taking sides; I would just prefer that Mr. Goldberg not engage in guilt by association and concede that his own high economic standing would be threatened by the Neo-Brandeis agenda.
Keith Danish
Leonia
Admitting being wrong?!
How refreshing to read Alexander Smukler’s response to your correspondent David Teitelbaum’s December 5 letter to the editor critiquing Mr. Smukler’s November 28 analysis of the Russia-Ukraine war. Mr. Teitelbaum indicated the dangers in Smukler’s calling the war “hopeless” for Ukraine. Mr. Smukler’s response: “Thank you very much for your insightful comments. I found your advice to be both useful and reasonable…. I agree with you that the last article was one-sided….”
Unfortunately, it is rare indeed for anyone to admit to errors or being “one-sided.” How we need such honest self-critical voices in politics and in our nations, both in Israel and the USA today.
Please continue to include Alexander Smukler’s insightful insights. His self-critical words make his words that much more valuable.
Rabbi Richard Hammerman
Caldwell
Suffering from TDS
If it wasn’t so tragic, it would be amusing to read the seemingly TDS inspired writings of the likes of Rosanne Skopp. One of the latest is found in the December 5, 2025, issue under the title, “Poison Ivy”. It starts off with, “Why are Trump and his henchmen finding the University of Pennsylvania worthy of yet another in their administration’s long and catastrophic series of revenge attacks?” The NGO Stopantisemitism.org issues regular reports concerning antisemitic incidents. In 2025 they issued a report card grading colleges across the United States. It appears that Mrs. Skopp was not aware that the University of Pennsylvania earned an “F” concerning their treatment of antisemitism on campus. She also overlooks that fact that during one of the apparently Trump administration “revenge attacks”, President Elizabeth Magill, (U Penn) at a Congressional Hearing could not find herself capable of condemning the call for genocide against Jews/Israel on her campus.
The investigation of antisemitism, especially within our institutions of higher education is continuing. As part of this, investigators must speak with affected individuals and groups. If they don’t come forward on their own, they must be sought. In seeking them, institutions may be asked for contact information. For those seemingly hating President Trump and his allies, the intent and insinuation of the following quote is easily understood. “We all know that identifying Jews is part of the heinous history of rabid antisemites”, according to Skopp. Seeking to speak directly with those affected by antisemitism should not be viewed by the insinuation that she has presented. It is a way to get to the truth without intermediaries.
We are informed of the position of Jews supporting the University of Pennsylvania but are not made aware of the complaints and lawsuits brought forth by members of the UPenn community who were victims of antisemitism there. It is interesting that none of her progeny suffered at UPenn? Was it pure luck, turning a blind eye, or just not sharing negative incidents with her?
I would suggest those thinking about which institute of higher education they are considering attending, check the report card issued by Stopantisemitism.org and apply to one with a higher grade score.
Howard J. Cohn
New Milford
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