I am appalled and personally disgraced by the multitude of so-called cease-fires wherein Israel desists and our sworn and true enemies continue to fire to kill. We actually were stupid enough to "disengage" from Gaza and then watch the immediate and incessant barrage on Sderot. Two or more of our soldiers are pawns for a one-more-time "peace talk" wherein we usually return hundreds of Palestinian prisoners for, we hope, one or two (possibly) living Israeli soldiers. How inept our government must seem if to us, then to the larger world.

The same went on in the north with much firing of missiles until our army went in, did nothing much of anything, and then retreated. What happened to the Israel of yore? What happened to the bravery of our military past and the halting in its tracks of all forces destined to kill any or all of us? I am truly embarrassed that any Israeli leaders can honestly believe that all our promises will in any way end the battle of Hamas and other even more militant groups to destroy and disgrace our nation. Iran stands behind Hamas, as does Syria. Who stands behind all of our begging and conciliations?

Should we withdraw from the Golan, there will be a new influx of terrorists into a civilized area, who give not a damn for the so-called peace treaties made by our leaders in suits and ties which can only result in more bloodshed and deaths. All of this talk will go nowhere if the reality is made perfectly clear; none of our surrounding neighbors, least of all Iran, wish for an Israeli Jewish state to occupy one inch of the land in which it has created a flourishing and renowned nation of millions. If it were up to our enemies, there would not remain a Jew in the entire Middle East. Despite the lack of acknowledgement and refusal to concede one single thing in response to Israeli’s pleading for "peace," this government continues in the footsteps of another bad leader.

Why do we have this shameless need to demoralize our country still more with cease-fires that are not real, with peace talks that are a huge pack of lies causing our citizens first in the north and now in the south to live in mortal fear? Soon we will not have a safe zone anywhere in our country. How do we explain the return of Palestinian terrorists from our custody back into the hands that will re-arm them? Where is our chutzpah? What happened to the brave and courageous Israel that we boasted of years ago?

A one-sided peace is a sham and a fiction and is being begged for on bended knees by fools who have not learned from the past.

This is a true insanity and a shame for Israel and its people.

We at AMIT greatly enjoyed reading the June 20 articles on Sderot. I would like to add the following, as I have personally visited Sderot many times and can attest to the fundamental role AMIT is playing in the life of this community and its children.

AMIT, an educational network throughout Israel, has six schools in Sderot, with an enrollment of almost 2,000 students from kindergarten through high school. We are responsible for the education of all the children in Sderot who attend religious schools, and also administer the only secular high school in the city. Every school has a bomb shelter and additional concrete shelters have been erected in the school playgrounds. AMIT facilities have sustained damage from the kassam attacks; students have been seriously injured, and siblings and parents killed.

Throughout the past several years, as Sderot has been under constant assault from kassam rockets from across the border with Gaza, AMIT has been a steady presence in the life of the city and its children. AMIT’s principals and teachers in Sderot have been in regular contact, via both phone and by personal visits, with all parents and students. Psychologists have been helping students whenever necessary. Extra tutorials and study sessions have been added to help children keep up with their schoolwork under these difficult circumstances. Special activities, such as arts and crafts, have been organized to keep the younger children calm, and AMIT has organized bus trips for our students, as well as for our faculty and their families, to take them out of the city.

AMIT is determined that the terrorists will not win — they will not deprive the children of Sderot of a quality education and the chance for a meaningful future. Should your readers wish to contribute to the well-being of the 2,000 children in the AMIT Network in Sderot, they may visit our Website at www.amitchildren.org or call (212) 477-4725.

Re: Offshore drilling plan faces opposition (June 27):

The opponents of offshore drilling are using out-dated anecdotal information that shows a total lack of knowledge concerning the current methodology in use off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas. Even Hurricane Katrina and other high category storms did not compromise platform integrity and cause oil leaks.

Especially noteworthy was Rep. Steve Rothman’s reference to "19th-century oil and gas exploration instead of investing in 21st-century technology." However, whereas "super cell" battery-driven cars (300 miles prior to recharge) might be in production within five years, followed by fuel cell vehicles some years later, does the honorable congressman really believe that most of us would be willing or able to just scrap our cars and go green? I don’t think so. We also depend on petroleum for byproducts as well as for fuel.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg cites the Exxon Valdez disaster. I respectfully suggest that he review the 1992 Amendment to the Jones Act, regarding the entry of single hull tankers into U.S. ports, as well as the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The Exxon Valdez was of single hull construction.

Sen. Robert Menendez states that the "government has already leased 68 million acres to the oil companies but serious oil exploration is largely not being pursued." One would think that the good senator would have gone the extra mile and found out why not.

We should have resolved our oil "problem" years ago. "NIMBY" will not do regarding oil platforms and refineries! If the price of oil continues on its present trend, expect the price to double within the next two years.

Rep. Scott Garrett called for the development of "sound energy policies so as not to be dependent on foreign sources and unstable regimes." We’ve been hearing these words since President Carter was in office. Why doesn’t Congress act now?

Actually, the best near-term solution would be for our politicians and tax-paying public to go all-out for the expansion of light rail and "green" bus routes so that sooner, rather than later, the parking lots of shopping malls and businesses would become virtually empty. If not now, when?

A June 27 article states our local legislators and Sen. Frank Lautenberg stand four-square against drilling for oil off the coast. I would like these legislators to tell us what they have done or proposed during their terms of office to make us less dependent on imported oil. Thanks to their inaction and that of the other legislators, we are vulnerable and somewhat helpless. I am as mad as hell, and I don’t want to accept this calmly.

I read Rabbi Boteach’s "Disappearing babies, narcissism" (July 4) with horror. He knows nothing of the cycle of domestic violence. If he foolishly believes that a man with sisters won’t abuse his wife, then he probably also believes that domestic violence isn’t a Jewish problem. More often than not a man who abuses saw his father abuse his mother and probably his sisters. There is a very high rate of wife-abuse in the ultra-Orthodox community and why? Because not only have these men seen their own fathers act abusively, they are in households with six, seven, or eight children. While they spend their days studying, their wives spend their days caring for the children and trying to earn a living. The stress levels are so high the men react with the violence they learned as a child.

It is an epidemic — not an only-child syndrome. Instead of suggesting television shows, Rabbi Boteach should start a not-for-profit program to help save these women.

Children need love and attention. They know they are loved when their parents give them attention and acknowledge them. Although older siblings should occasionally assist with younger siblings, they shouldn’t be caring for younger siblings on a daily basis. That is parenting. If parents can’t do that, they should have fewer children.

Not everyone meets their bashert while in their 20s. You should only get married when you are ready and meet the person who shares your goals and treats you with respect and love. Is it narcissistic to want a husband, best friend, and lover all wrapped in one?

My husband and I spent at least $150,000 on fertility treatments to make our dream of having children come true. We suffered through four years of hell until we were blessed with the most amazing boy/girl twins, who will be our only children. I wasn’t being narcissistic in my choices. I was being true to myself, my best friend. We all must be true to ourselves. If I am not for myself who will be for me?

Does Rabbi Boteach know what it is like to go through the trials and tribulations of fertility treatments or the cost and stress of trying to adopt? Has he ever thought that maybe those with one or two children — or none — yearn for more but can’t have them? Probably not, since his wife just had No. 9. He should put his money where his mouth is and pay for fertility treatments or adoption services for Jewish couples.