Dear Senator Paul:
It was a great honor to speak with you personally earlier this month at the Rotary Club lunch in Elizabethtown in support of diabetes research, and I appreciated the time you spent watching my daughter’s story that she recorded for you on my iPad. Your knowledge of the current state of the research was impressive and leads me to believe you share with those of us negatively impacted by this disease the desire to find better treatment options, and eventually, a cure.
Another cause that is close to my heart is that of maintaining a strong and vibrant Jewish community in Kentucky. As the president and CEO of the Jewish Community of Louisville, I strive to ensure that the traditions and values of the Jewish community are inherent in all that we do. So in the hopes of building a relationship between you and our community based on mutual respect, I am writing to you to express our community’s concern over the language you used in reference to President Obama’s position on same sex marriage. While we understand and respect your position on this divisive issue, we also feel your choice of language was not conducive to respectful debate as it alienated those Kentuckians, including many in our community, who feel differently than you do.
On behalf of our community, I welcome dialogue with you on this or any other current issue, and I invite you to visit us to discuss any other differences we might have and the many interests I’m sure we have in common.
With warm regards,
Stu Silberman
President & CEO
Jewish Community of Louisville