‘Business-class lounge’ joke in extremely bad taste

Dr Tali Frankel, Johannesburg

As a proud King David parent, I can’t be more disgusted by this scurrilous and unfounded caricature of our children, their teachers, and the institution in which we have chosen to educate them. While any or all of those descriptors may be true of some teens anywhere in the world, by laying these accusations exclusively at King David’s door, you have committed slander and defamation. If your mention of “Zev Lupo” is somehow a veiled reference to Rav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik of blessed memory, then this ironic farce is even more shameful as you have deliberately associated one of the greatest rabbinic figures and halachic authorities of his generation with behaviour that most decent people would find reprehensible.

In a world torn apart by baseless hatred, jealousy, and divisiveness, your article does nothing but serve the cause of division in a community desperately in need of unity. King David schools – and the Linksfield campus in particular of which we are a part – is a place that encourages excellence, community outreach, sensitivity, and service not just towards the Jewish community, but the greater Johannesburg area in which we reside. It upholds standards of morality, and utterly condemns behaviour that doesn’t bring honour and integrity to the school.

Your crime is further compounded by the cowardice of having your chairperson hide his real identity behind a perceived clever Purim nom de plume. Behind this mask is a spinelessness and vindictiveness that’s offensive. I suppose everyone is entitled to their private joke no matter the extent of their tastelessness, but then that’s what they should stay – private.

You owe the South African Board of Jewish Education, King David schools, their principals, teachers, pupils and parents a complete retraction and unreserved apology.