Letters to the Editor: Rosalind Franklin ran deadly risk

Franklin ran deadly risk

Your article about genetic screening of Ashkenazi women mentioned the Jewish chemist and X-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin, who died from ovarian cancer, might have carried the BRCA gene mutation that hugely increases the risk of developing ovarian cancer (Jewish News,  11 October 2019).

While this may be true, it is generally accepted that the X-ray equipment Franklin used to produce photographs of DNA exposed her to hundreds of hours of radiation.

In those days, there were few ways for her to protect herself from this excessive exposure to radiation, which resulted in her developing ovarian cancer. She had three operations and experimental chemotherapy, gaining her 10 months’ remission, allowing her to continue her experiments until she died in 1958, aged 37.

Kay Bagon, Radlett 

No problems at my tennis clubs

My tennis club membership was different to Len Lawrence (Jewish News, 19 September 2019). I played at  Ellenborough-Palmers Green and Parkside Southgate and at both,  membership was approved after a playing-in test and they had members of all nationalities, colour and religion among whom were Alan Jones, coach to Jo Durie, Neil, men’s captain at Chandos, Harvey, first black coach at Crouch End, and my daughter Karen Simon, chair at Mercury. We were all together for the love of the game. I was also born in 1929 and played to 70.

Norman Brill, By email

Ajex at Field of remembrance

AJEX will have a plot at this year’s Field of Remembrance, Westminster Abbey. If a member of your family served in the British or Commonwealth Armed Forces and was killed in action, tell us and we will lay a Magen David marker in their name.

Email us at headoffice@ajex.org.uk before 1 November with their rank, name, age, date of death and the unit they served in.

The Field of Remembrance will be officially opened on 7 November, and will be accessible to the public from 1pm to 4pm and from 9am to 4pm on 15 to 17 November.

Brian Bloom, AJEX vice president

Y-word is antisemitic: it must be banned in every ground

I fully agree with William Mach’s letter, ‘Y’ are we still waiting?” (Jewish News, 11 October 2019). This is an apt question, not just for Spurs football club and their fans, but the whole football community.

‘Yid’ is antisemitic – whoever, whenever, and wherever it is spoken or written down.

The powers that be at Spurs should introduce a ban on its use by any fan at any game ever again. Let us get rid of this Y-word at all football fixtures in this country, European competitions and World Cups.

As we celebrate the joyous festival of Succot, I wish everyone a Chag Succot Sameach.

J D Milaric,  By email

Not every cruiser is loaded

I read the travel review of the Royal Caribbean cruise with great interest (Jewish News, 11 September 2019).

As a seasoned cruiser, your reviewer will know that on board ship, a tour of the ship’s kitchens, a visit to the bridge, excursions, and speciality restaurants come at quite an additional cost, excluding the net payment for the cruise. What sort of a room did she stay in? What were the activities enjoyed on-board? There was no mention of quizzes, talks, the well-stocked library, dance classes, etc.

Please do not assume everyone embarking on a cruise is loaded, and can afford to indulge themselves as you appear to have done. Think of those cruisers who may be going for the first time, the single people who may need a little guidance as to what is available for them, as well as those who are disabled, and those with a limited budget.

Your self-indulgent article failed to put at ease those who have never before been at sea.

Howard Franklin , by email