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Letters to the Editor Between two images Advertisement Regarding "Framed," Haaretz Magazine, June 27 In his photos with multiple meanings, Alex Levac succeeds again and again in reflecting the Israeli way of life, providing a sort of X-ray of ourselves. This photograph shows a homeless man, helpless and withdrawn, while next to him sits a dog, looking into the distance and perhaps guarding his friend/neighbor. Behind them is a shuttered store. Does this not recall the famous intifada photograph [of the Al-Duras] - whether it is genuine or not has yet to be decided, nor does it matter here - in which the father is watching events and protecting his wounded boy, who is huddled next to him, also against the background of a closed-down, old building? Perhaps this association illustrates the connection between the totality of our problems: the internal ones, in the realm of social welfare, and the external ones, having to do with security and relations with our neighbors. Yossi Razi Rehovot Still to blame Regarding "School Daze," Haaretz Magazine, June 27 Following the strike by high-school teachers at the beginning of the academic year, it seemed for a brief moment as though public opinion and the press were empathizing with us, the teachers. The article by Esti Ahronovitz thrust us back into the reality to which we were accustomed for many years: hostility, ungrounded accusations, projection of all the ills of the country on the education system and on us. Israel is the world record-holder when it comes to the number of vacation days enjoyed by schoolchildren, as you noted. Only the fine print later in the article reveals to us that in contrast to colleagues in other industrialized states, teachers in Israel are the last to still work a six-day week. Indeed, the demand of the teachers' unions that a reduction in the number of vacation days be accompanied by a pay rise is unparalleled chutzpah. Because of the teachers the high-tech mothers described in the article, who earn double and quadruple their pay, are suffering mightily. But have no worry; they will probably meet at 10 o'clock Friday morning in an air-conditioned cafe to discuss this because in the meantime, thank heaven, they have a babysitter. Naomi De Malach Haifa Last in the West At last a comprehensive article about the mess that prevails in regard to school holidays. Not only is the school day very short in this country, but the number of school vacation days is soaring to new heights. Instead of being first in the world in terms of the number of teaching hours and of days spent in school - we are last in the West . The educational system is the largest, costliest and perhaps most important institution in the country. But a large part of the budgets, personnel, equipment and facilities are wasted because of the many days off. Apart from the harm this does to the children's education, it inflicts a very high and unnecessary cost on the parents, and does serious damage to the economy. There is no reason on earth for the Sukkot break to be 10 days, the Hanukkah break seven, Pesach 17, and the summer vacation two full months. The solution: reduce the summer vacation to one month, confine the other breaks to actual holy days - and we will easily go down to 40 days off a year in the schools. There is no justification for even one day more. Udi Boch Haifa Forgiving all Regarding "The Big Yudkovsky," Haaretz Magazine, June 27 Dov Yudkovsky maintains that no one (he means politicians) should be given "total immunity" - as though anyone actually gave anyone this kind of immunity - and explains, "The attitude that if a certain politician has a peace plan that we like we'll forgive him everything is unprofessional." Excuse me? Will Yudkovsky deign to point to one media outlet, one editor - one journalist - who takes this approach? It was apparently not by chance that he chose not to name names. And what does "we'll forgive him everything" mean? After all, Yudkovsky himself admits that "Olmert has not been convicted or even indicted," so what are we supposed to forgive him for, in the meantime? Eyal Mishmar Haifa Behind the front page Ari Shavit created a journalistic jewel with his article about Dov Yudkovsky. Within a limited framework, he succeeded in presenting a complete picture of a rich and complex personality, both intellectually and in terms of his life story. The story he tells could easily be the scaffolding for a novel. In addition and in parallel, we were given a glimpse behind the front page of the Israeli press. I personally understood why we stopped reading the daily edition of Yedioth Ahronoth, and afterward the Friday weekend edition, too. Monica Tivon Haifa Bookmark to del.icio.us   By the numbers A study shows Jewish Israeli men live almost four years longer than Israeli Arabs. Local threat The Shin Bet arrests two Bedouin, accused of supplying information to al-Qaida.

Read & React Iran tests new round of missiles, as U.S. vows to defend allies Responses: 133 Olmert: I can persuade U.S. to sponsor Israel-Syria talks Responses: 38 IDF kills unarmed Gazan at border, rocking fragile truce Responses: 65 Peres to get hotel in Olympic village so he can keep the Sabbath Responses: 26 Ze'ev Sternhell: It's pricier than ever to exist as a Jewish state Responses: 21 More Headlines 13:56 Iran tests new round of missiles, as U.S. vows to defend allies 17:12 Two Qassams strike Negev after IDF kills unarmed Gazan 12:29 Tycoon Abramovich buys world's most expensive house at $500M 16:04 PA official: We'll freeze talks if settlement building continues 16:06 Olmert's lawyers: We'll need to extend Talansky cross-examination 14:56 Obama's real problem with the Iraq issue 12:58 Bidding war erupts over Kafka's Tel Aviv legacy 14:10 Olmert: I can persuade U.S. to sponsor Israel-Syria talks 12:12 Dollar hits lowest point in 12 years, trading at NIS 3.225 10:15 Kadima agrees to September primary; Olmert unlikely to run 15:34 Gaza Fulbright scholars meet U.S. visa officials, hoping to ease travel ban 08:30 Labor Court upholds ruling that pimps must pay trafficked woman wages due 15:37 Bili'in sues 2 Canadian firms for building in West Bank settlement 14:17 Peres to get hotel in Olympic village so he can keep the Sabbath 12:12 El Al to increase ticket prices by 5% after July 14 Previous Editions Select Day 09 jul 08 jul 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun 29 jun 27 jun 26 jun

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