Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., September 12, 2008 Elul 12, 5768 | | Israel Time: 14:27 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Letters to the Editor Regarding "Scapegoats," Haaretz Magazine, August 29 I want to thank Ofri Shuval for exposing the neglect and abuse of animals at petting zoos. Animals suffer twice, both at the hands of their abusers and at the hands of the Agriculture Ministry, which is supposed to protect them. It was absurd from the start to place the protection of animals in the hands of the Agriculture Ministry. The ministry's interest is in making a profit from animals, not in caring for their needs. Advertisement Anat Levin Tel Aviv I was pleased to read the article "Scapegoats." Two days earlier, I had sent a furious letter to a kibbutz after visiting its petting zoo, which could easily have been included in the article on the shameful conditions in which the miserable animals are kept. In my opinion, this is abuse for its own sake. There are no limits to the audacity, disrespect and arrogance of the zoo managers, who market them as wonderful, safe places, demand substantial entrance fees and keep them looking like pigpens - with pigs being the only animals who could feel at home there. It is time for this neglect to come to an end through suitable legislation and supervision. Nili Kornfeld Herzliya Regarding "Darkness Visible" and "The Mop Hop," Haaretz Magazine, August 22 The pieces by Sayed Kashua and Avner Bernheimer, on tradesman renovating Kashua's home and Bernheimer's cleaning woman, are reminiscent of Ephraim Kishon's humor from half a century ago. It's like nothing has changed - people still leave their apartments in the hands of tradesman who don't meet their commitments and turn every renovation into a trauma from which it is hard to recover. I've read countless recommendations in newspapers from people with experience: Don't make verbal agreements with tradesmen, but rather get them to sign a written contract, in which their commitments are detailed and payment is conditional upon meeting them: If the tradesman doesn't meet a deadline, he must pay a fine for every day there is a delay. Here and there, or so I've heard, there are people who do this, and swear by it; they even claim that they managed to find tradesmen willing to sign such a contract, met every last commitment and even left a clean apartment. But this sounds to me like an urban legend, because every time I try to get the address or phone number of such a saintly person, it turns out that he just left the country, changed careers, or retired. As for house cleaners, I just can't seem to understand, for example, how it is that people who have money to buy a new car can stand outside shamelessly on Friday afternoons with a bucket and rag in order to wash it themselves. If that's the case, why are they ashamed to clean their own homes? Miri Simon Petah Tikva Regarding "General Mofaz Runs for Office," Haaretz Magazine, August 22 Shaul Mofaz, we have learned, is considered the right-winger in the Kadima leadership. A week later, we learn from Naftali Spitzer, the husband of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, that his wife has views to the right of Benjamin Netanyahu. Spitzer is actually the one who reveals Livni's true face to us: Netanyahu gives in easily, whereas she comes in looking good and outflanks from the left, is willing to listen but doesn't give in. There really is a tough choice for those members of Kadima who came to it from the left, because they saw it as a center party. Whoever they choose, in the end they will get a right-wing Likud leadership. Adin Sagiv Rehovot Bookmark to del.icio.us   'I didn't kill Rose' Rose's mother, grandfather request court delay autopsy of body found in Yarkon River. Israeli requests Israel asks U.S. for arms and permission to use an air corridor to attack Iran.

Read & React Palin: U.S. shouldn't 'second guess' Israeli defensive measures Responses: 6 Antony Lerman / The bogus concept known as Jewish 'self-hatred' Responses: 1 Saab and Riedel / For the sake of peace, Israel and Syria must keep talking Send response Ari Shavit / Israel needs leadership and a renewed ability to strike first Send response More Headlines 07:24 Abbas to Haaretz: Peace deal unlikely this year 13:09 Palin: U.S. shouldn't 'second guess' defensive military steps taken by Israel 10:26 Father,infant son, hurt in second suspected Netanya mob hit this week 11:28 Police: Likelihood that this is Rose's body is very high 05:27 Who are the 100 most influential people in Israel? 07:41 Canada PM's holiday cards raise concern over religious profiling 14:26 Austrian Jews irate as court unfreezes $10m account of number 1 terrorist of the 80s 05:03 Pollsters use new gadget to gauge Mofaz, Livni credibility 04:26 PM vows to resign as soon as new Kadima leader chosen 11:52 Eskimos at the Kinneret? No, you aren't hallucinating 04:45 Reports of child abuse nearly doubled in past decade Previous Editions Select Day 11 sep 10 sep 09 sep 08 sep 07 sep 05 sep 04 sep 03 sep 02 sep 01 sep 31 aug 29 aug

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved