To the Editor:
Rabbi Yosef Glassman, an attendee of the Jewish Cultural Festival, who once lived and worked on the Island, was quoted in the article as saying that before the Chabad-sponsored Jewish Cultural Festival, Martha’s Vineyard had been a “desert full of Jews, and now they’re sprouting.” This is disrespectful to the historic and local Jewish community on the Island that was founded by the first Jewish families who came here over 100 years ago. The Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center is happy to welcome another Jewish community who enrich the already vibrant Jewish life here on the Island, and commend them for the Jewish festival. For Rabbi Glassman to insult the historic Jewish community here, however, was unkind and unnecessary.
Robert Herman, president
Sharon Kleinberg, vice president
Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center
