Of all people, Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League should not weigh in on the topic of whether the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous should honor an Allianz executive (“Fresh Outrage Over Plan To Honor Allianz Chief,” Nov. 1).
In 1999, the ADL chose to honor Turkey on its 75th birthday as a modern republic. Turkey was good to the Jews who fled Spain and Germany and was good to Israel and the United States. But Turkey committed acts of genocide, for which they have never apologized.
Unlike the German leaders after the Holocaust, Turkish leaders have not accepted responsibility for the 1915 Armenian Holocaust. No money was ever paid in reparations and/or restitution. And the Armenian Holocaust is not taught in Turkish schools.
The ADL should not have honored Turkey in 1999, just as Allianz executives should not be honored today. Allianz 2013 is not the Allianz of 1933-1945, but the feelings of the survivors of the Holocaust should be paramount in any discussion as to the appropriateness of honoring a company that did Jews wrong.
If Jewish groups choose to ignore the past, we are guilty of the anti-Semitic accusation that we will do anything for money — even sell out our own martyrs.
Merion Station, Pa.
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