Valerie has pointed out in a private e-mail that none of us (except V.
herself) has expressed sympathy on Lactnet at the deaths and injuries of
babies who were fed on the Remedia soy formula.  I had to check the archives
and sure enough, there are plenty of reactions to how we have been
discussing the scandal itself, but no outright declarations of sympathy or
condolences.  This must seem very cold-hearted to our colleagues in Israel
and possibly to many others on this list.

For the record: I am very sad that babies have died from receiving formula
given to them with the best of intentions by their parents, who were led to
think it was a safe food for them.  I can only imagine the pain and remorse
they must feel, and I hope that mothers who are ceasing to use the formula
will be able to seek help from LCs in Israel because if the ones on this
list are anything to judge by, the mothers' feelings of guilt will not be
increased.  On the contrary, perhaps they will also gain the strength they
need to direct their righteous anger so that this tragedy is never repeated.
I'm sure the lawsuits will not be long in coming, and that is as it should
be, though it will not revive one single dead child, nor heal an injured
one.

I am sad that support for breastfeeding in Israel is in such a state that
there are as many as 5000 babies who have been fed this stuff, and I am
mortified that a Jewish columnist would choose this of all weeks to bash
breastfeeding supporters in his syndicated column in N. America.  I am
chagrined and nearly distraught to realize that I was so derailed by needing
to respond as a listmother to a tangential discussion stemming from this
very tragedy, that I did not notice the lack of public expressions of
sympathy here.  Meanwhile, I have corresponded with Esther, off the list,
and with *the* synagogue in Norway (yes, there is *one*, but not in my city)
to make sure that the Orthodox community here is aware of the recall.  I
have no idea whether there are any babies here being fed Remedia soy formula
and it hasn't made headlines here yet - I am hoping to avert the tragic
headlines by sending a heads up to the right people.

Rachel Myr
reminding you all, from Kristiansand, Norway, that one's country of
residence doesn't necessarily indicate anything about one's ethnic
background or nationality

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