sarahGratitude to Our Community
To the Editor:
I am writing to express my deepest gratitude to the Montpelier community and the Montpelier Police Department.
On Feb. 3, 2026, a small bag containing all of our family’s important documents — including identification cards and bank cards — was lost. We were extremely anxious and distressed. To our great relief, we received a phone call from the Montpelier Police Department informing us that a kind passerby had found the bag and turned it in. We were able to recover everything safely at the police station.
I was so moved that I couldn’t help but cry. In a world where people often worry about loss and dishonesty, this experience reminded us how much kindness and integrity still exist in our community.
I would like to sincerely thank the individual who found the bag and chose to do the right thing, as well as the Montpelier Police Department for their professionalism and care. Living in Montpelier makes us feel safe, respected, and truly at home.
Thank you for allowing me to share this message of gratitude. I hope this story can remind others that kindness is powerful and that it still surrounds us every day.
With heartfelt appreciation,
Jilly Li, Montpelier
Vote No on Article 12
To the Editor:
I know there are people who feel that Article 12 on the Montpelier Town Meeting Ballot helps the Palestinians. I too want to help Palestinians. Article 12 does nothing to help them. Article 12 is part of a concerted effort throughout Vermont that is being brought up in each town that singles out and demonizes Israel. (The city of Montpelier already determined last year that our city does not give money to the U.S. government to support Israel.) What this Article does is makes me and many Jews I know in Montpelier and throughout Vermont feel unsafe. If any other minority told you that they felt unsafe, you would listen. I’m asking you to listen to those of us who are feeling unsafe. We have every reason to. After Oct. 7, antisemitism has skyrocketed in Vermont and around the world.
Jews have been attacked and killed because of this kind of anti-Israel effort to delegitimize Israel, with the most recent tragedy in Australia. People equate Jews with Israel. Just look at the news. This ballot measure was voted down several times in Burlington because it was deemed divisive. The meetings in Burlington to “discuss” getting this on the ballot for several years were filled with vile hatred at the Jews attending, with chanting of slogans against the existence of the state of Israel, yelling and bullying, and making those attending feel extremely unsafe.
If you really want to promote peace and help Palestinians there are many ways to do so. Look at Allmep, the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP). This organization leads a growing network of over 180 civil society organizations, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis living and working in the region.
As caring citizens of Montpelier, let’s work together.
Rabbi Tobie Weisman, Montpelier
Thetford’s Apartheid-Free Pledge
To the Editor:
Town meeting voters all across the state, including Montpelier, Hartford, and 15 other towns, are considering their vote on the Apartheid-Free Communities (AFC) pledge. We in Thetford voted “Yes” for the pledge to help Palestinians last year. Consequently, our selectboard is working on a human rights purchasing policy, and many townspeople are boycotting Israeli products on their own. The work by Vermonters — and many all over the world — to hold Israel accountable while our national government has failed to do so, has had great influence. Vermonters often proudly led the way. For example, in 1999 Vermonters worked to pass the first civil unions bill in the country. Vermonters believe in freedom and equal rights for all people, especially when our hard-earned tax money is used to help oppress them. It’s up to us now.
Duncan Nichols, Thetford
Offer Plant-based Milks in Schools
To the Editor:
A recent move to expand access to non-dairy milk in school lunch programs is a long-overdue step toward healthier, more inclusive nutrition. Millions of students are lactose intolerant, allergic to dairy, or come from families that avoid animal products for ethical or cultural reasons.
Offering plant-based milk isn’t radical — it’s practical. These options provide essential nutrients without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in dairy, and they come with a much smaller environmental footprint.
School meals shape lifelong habits. When we normalize plant-based choices early, we teach children that compassion, health, and sustainability can coexist on the same tray.
In a time when childhood health concerns and climate anxiety are rising, modernizing school nutrition just makes sense. Giving students plant-based options empowers families, respects differences, and quietly models a kinder way forward — one lunch at a time.
Moses Belinie, Montpelier
Letters to the editor represent the opinions of the authors and do not reflect the opinions of The Bridge. Submit your letter by email to editor@montpelierbridge.com. Preference is given to submissions by those who live in central Vermont, should not exceed 300 words in length, and may be edited for brevity and accuracy.
