To the Editor:

Oh, if only all your letters were filled with the joyously pleasant musings of ignorant Stern girls just off the boat from Sharfman's. My first reaction to Ms. (it can't already be Mrs., can it?) Feldman's letter in the recent Commentator was to assume that it was a part of the Purim Issue; those who doubt the existence of an omnibenevolent G-d will have to somehow encounter the fact that He never ceases to provide us with an ever more entertaining lineup of geniuses at 34th Street.

It is pleasing to know that the seminary system in Israel is effective in imparting its ideologies, despite their flaws. Ms. Feldman, even if she is spouting moronicisms, is at least spouting the ones that her copy of Halichos Bas Yisroel tells her to.

Unfortunately for Ms. Feldman's dogma, Judaism does not see its ultimate manifestation in a Taliban-like regime. Were Ms. Feldman to glance beyond her 4-cubit phalanx of anti-cultural protection, she might notice the existence of esteemed rebbeim at Yeshiva far more capable than her at ascertaining halachically-compliant levels of appropriate dress. Ms. Feldman, with all the other zealots at Yeshiva who seek to be free of the yoke of liberal oppression that Yeshiva's rebbeim oppose upon them, might be unsatisfied with the Kaffiene employees' dress code, which happens to be regulated by the owners and mashgiach.

Perhaps Ms. Feldman, as she indicated, would feel more comfortable under radical-Islamic rule. Under such a regime, she would be prevented from writing to The Commentator or having any opinion at all. Hey, to each her own. As for me, I'm pretty comfortable with the way things are, knowing that the world's leading Torah figures are keeping an eye out for me as I sip on my double-tall mocha latte.

Shlomo Israel
YC '98