Page 2 r the Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, May 17,1984
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By
RABBI W. GUNTHERPLAUT
Carol Tator, president of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, and concerned member of the Jewish community writes: > Dear Rabbi Plaut:
In your recent article entitled "Bjittle vs. Racism Loses Edge" (April 19), you pose a serious question to Toronto's Jewish community. You ask^ have we Jews retreated from our sense of social responsibility towards those who "still struggle against the vicious impact of discrimination?" - Reigretabiy, .1 have to agree with your
Rabbi Pkuit
conclusion. Toronto Jews have mcreasingly become isolated from the concerns of other minority grbups who are the present victims of racism in Canadian society.
There are two important exceptions of course. They are the Canadian Jewish Congress and the B'nai B'rith League for Human Rights. As you well know, both these national bodies have clearly taken a lead role in speaking out against racism in all of its virulent forms across Canada.
However, witfafai the Jewish oommiuilty here in Toronto, there appears to be a prevailing sense of either denial or Indifference to tihe pervasive reality of racism as It affects Black, East Indian and Asbun groups hi partlcalar. in the dozens of woiiuhops, seminars and lectores I have given in the last eight years with commonlty organizations, agencies and syna-gogaes, die pverwlielmfaig response is reflected in statements sach as >*Jews have managed tb overcome enonnoos obstades without anyone's help; why can*t they?" or, **We Jews have our own problems, we can't take on those of the worid."
Views deeply distuiting
I find these commonly expressed views deeply disturbing for two reasons.
First, they assume that each new group must simply endure the frustration, pain and isolation that prejudice and discrimination inflicts. This perspective suggests that it is part of the dues one pays to become part of Canadian society.
Secondly, these assumptions ignore the fact that while historically every new immigrant group (mcluding Jews) has successfully improved its social and economic ix)sitionv 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation non-white Canadians continue to sujEfer from similar institutionalized racist policies and practices as experienced by their fathers, grandfathers, and even greatgrandfathers.
Surely as a community which once was the prime target of racism in Canada, We should know the social and economic waste of excluding whole groups of people from equality of opportunity in the workplace, housing, education and other vital sectors of society. It is our own intimate knowledge of the insidious effects of racism which perhaps places on us a special burden of responsibility for helping to create a more just and equitable society not only for ourselves, but for people of all colours and creeds.
While it is perhaps idealistic or even Utopian to think that we can ever eliminate racism totally from our midst, I do believe we can^ with the wealth of human resources that exists in our community, help wage an effective battle agaiiist its devastating impact. Now is not too late,, but surely we must not delay.
Carol Tator's plea is a cogent one that deserves a postscript.
Some of our people say: "Look how they repay our concern for them. Theu- Jesse Jacksons and Louis Farrakhans bash Jews the first chance they get. Count me out."
To which I respond: I wlD not let Jackson and Farrakhan deflect me from dofaig what right. Racism exists hi our society and that Is enough to bestir me. We must look to duly, not to expectations of gratitude.
Makeup 10% of
NECHEMIA MEYERS
JERUSALEM —
Arab voters may well determine the outcome of this year's elections in the Jewish state.
It is for this reason that Israeli political parties are: making every effort to woo Arab voters, who make up 10% of the electorate — more than enough to tip the balance in a situation where the Labor bloc and the Likud bloc enjoy roughly the same degree of support among Jewish voters.
Last week, for example, Ezer Weizman —-the charismatic, former defence minister who heads the new Yahad Party — chose to begin his election campaign in
Nazareth, "capital of -Arab Israel." •
Weizman, who speaks fluent Arabic, promised his listeners that he^^ would work for "the eliminatioh of any injustices from which the Arabs may be suffering." And while not glossing over the fact that he had fought against the Arabs in all of Israel's wars^ now, he said, "I am devoting myself to the struggle for peace."
The Arabs of Israel, Weizman added, "could play a key role in paving thie way to peace with the Arabs of neighboring lands."
Weizman announced that there would be at least one Arab among the first 10 candidates on
his party's list, though, considering the foct that Yahad may whi no more than three or four seats, that Arab may never reach the Knesset.
More certain of being elected to the Knesset are the three Arabs who will be among the first 45 candidates on the Labor Party Ust.
Not only will Labor have its share of Arab MKs, says party leader Shbnon Peres, but It will also. If victorious, ensure the rapid development of sophisticated as^culture and hidustiy in Arab areas, the provision of more government Jobs for Arab university senates and the inclusion of Arab leaders in all decislon-inaldng bodies.
While the Labor Party was in power between
1948 and 1977, the Arabs were pretty much in its pocket. Labor could offer material benefits to Arabs who cooperiated with it, and traditioiially-minded Arab notables were more than willing to do the party's bidding in return for their share of the spoils.
Things began to change, however, with the emergence of a well-educated, radically-mihided generation of young Arabs some 15 years ago/ A great majority of them turned their backs on Labor and Labor-affiliated lists, chopsiiig instead to support the Communists, who in recent elections have received about 50% of the Arab vote, and even more in urban areas.
and then there weiy^ none
By
DAVID FRIENDLY SHAWINIGAN, Que.—
In November 1946, as Shawmigan Falls, Que. was at tile height of its 'industrial heyday that would carry it through prosperity for the next decade, its small Jt^wish community of about 30 families celebrated the wedding of native-borh Harold Friendly to Lilian Richler of Montreal.
Shawihigan Falls is north of Trois-Rivieres and half way between Quebec City and Montreal. In those days, the 100-mile journey from Montreal took over four hours by train.
In winter, arrival meant bundling into a horse-drawn sleigh for another 15-mile ride through virtual wilderness.
Notthat life in Shawini-gan Falls was deprived of modem conveniences. It was the site of Canada's frrst and largest hydroelectric plant, built for the aluminum company.
Companies that flocked to drink of chekp power flourished and in turn helped build many community services.
The Jewish community dates back to 1900 and has been active hi the general community. Jews made a significant contribution to the social stnicture of the town [Harold Friendly^ for Instance, was very faivolved with the Red Cross while his wife participated hi the local chapter of the bnperial Order of the Dimeters oftheEmpfare.
In addition, the community maintained a strong, Jewish home life.
Kosher food would-arrive regularly from Montreal and religious services were held in living rooms and basements,
Some even made the long trek to synagogues in Montreal every weekend . . . living in two
The but Jewish residents of Shawfailgan Falls, QuOm LU Friendly, standtog right, and Harold Friendly, seated centre, will be leavfaig for Toronto next month. With them, from leftyare daughters Anne, Marilyn and Debra.^S^^
civilizations. During the week they were businessmen in a thriv-' ing town. On weekends they would mielt into the' Montreal community of Shabbes davening and the Sunday shvitz.
Progress left Shawinl-gan [the "Fafls*' was dnJiipied sometime In the 50s] behind fai its wake, but took most of the Jews with it — to Montzeaiy Toronto, Vancouver and NewYorit.
Over the hist 25 years their numbers dwindled: firs t too low to ha ve High Holiday services, then too low for a minyan.
hi the 1960s, Stem-berg's store m Shawini-gan stopped ordering special food for the Friendlys and other Jewish families. In the 1970s,Steinberg's closed.
Next month (June), the process will come to its conclusion.
Harold Friendly, 68, a former safety supervisor for Du Pont of Canada and Lilian (Richler) Friendly, 58,~an>analyst with the federal tax department in Shawinigan are leaving town.
The Friendlys, the last Jews of Shawinigan, will
pull away in their car for the 1*72-hour drive to Montreal (a mere 150 km) and on to their new home in Toronto.
The people of Shawinigan won't notice. The census takers will not appreciate the significance of the event.
The Jewish factor will be gone from another community.
Editor's note — David Friendly, 33, is the son of
Harold and Lilian Friendly and resides in Toronto with his wife Jeannine (Wainrib). He works for Gulf Canada as a safety, health, and environment coordinator.
David has two other sisters who live in Toronto. They are Ann, 2?,
and Debra, 30.
A fourth sister Marilyn, 35, resides in Montreal and is married, as is Debra.
NEW YORK [JTA]—
Yehuda Blum, IsraePs ambassador to the United Nations, represented Israel at the recent ceremony marking the 100 anniversary of bfardi of President Harry Truman. The ceremony, attended by foreign diplomats and U.S. officials was held at Lea-wood, Kansas.
Blum read greetings . from Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir who noted that Israiel celebrated ite 36th anniversary when the 100th
bfartfaday of Truman, the 33rd President of the U.S. was celebrated.
"For us In Israel these two events are Inevitably linked, for Harry Truman was the first worid leader to grant recognition to the newly bom Jewish state on May14,1948," Shamlr*s message said.
-Shamlrdechued: "Today we all know that his [Truman^s] trust hi history and the Jewish people has borne fruits."
Thanks to their strident anti-Zionism and the support they receive from the PLC, the Communists are expected to do well once again'in the July elections. But this time they will be challenged not only by Labor and other predominantly Jewish parties, but also by a new nationalistic Arab party.
Founded recently by 150 activists from 22 Arab localities, it plans to wage an uncompromising fight for Arab rights* and yet, at the same time, to cooperate with Jewish political groups which accept the justice of Arab demands.
One of the leaders of this " new party is Muhamad Massawa, chairman of the Kfar Kana Local Cbuncil, who recently argued that Israeli Arabs should be given the same opportunities in other spheres as they now enjoy in sports.
In previous years. Massawa pointed out, local Arabs tended to cheer foreign teams playing against Israeli teams because. they could not identify with the latter; but when Israel's national soccer eleven beat the Irish side last month by three goals to one — due in large measure to Arab stars Rifat Turk and Zahi Armeli — Israeli Arabs were as enthusiastic as Israeli Jews.
"There would be a similar sense of identification all along the line if the thousands of Arabs who had gradufUed from Israeli universities were to be property represented in the upper echelons of the civil service, the economy and other key spheres of society. Were we part of the system," M^sawa declared, *'then we would defend It."
Many Israeli Jews are unwilling to take Mas-sawa's statement at face value, to accept the possibility that local Arabs — even if given a fair share of power and responsibility —• would stand up for Israel in a confrontation with their brethren across the border.
Be that as it may, the needs and desires of Israeli Arabs must be given careful consideration. Today, after all, they already make up 10% of the electorate; by the end of the. century, because of their extraordinary high birth rate, they may well constitute 20 to 25% of that electorate.
Such statistics can hardly be ignored by politicians, or by anyone else.
■ • ■. *■•' ■ * *
Editor's note: This story relates, of course, only to the 750,000 Arabs who live In Israel proper and are part Of the Israeli electorate. It does not take Into consideration the million Arabs who live in areas that are administered, but have not t»een annexed, by Israel.