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The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, May 19, 1983 - Page 11
Could he^^^^ FaJtdshas
WESLEY GOLDSTEIN
MONTREAL — ^ Diplomatic signals' emanating from Ethiopia could prove-to be positive portents for the future of Jews in that
country, according to the spiritual leader of Ethiopian Jews in Israel.^
In an interview7 Rabbi Yossef Hadani asserted that the increased —r, although only slightly — contact between Fala-shas and Jews outside is
CJC PLENARY
MONTREAL —
Although many issues and crises confront world Jewry today, high priority must be given to the cpntinuation and strengthening of the "Jewish spirit," says the president of the World Jewish Congress, Edgar Bronfman.
There are broad and hardening separations along with both ethnic and religious lines in various segments of the Jewish world, he said — a factor constituting a "serious and danger^ ous" threat to Jewish
"The Jewish world is pluralistic by definition. If we allow antagonisms to go unchecked, we are in danger of doing to ourselves what our enemies have sought so long and so unsuccessfully to do," he said.
Speaking at the CJC Plenary Assembly Saturday night, Bronfman said there are a number of concerns facing world Jewry, and he focused on Syria, Ethiopia and the Soviet Union as areas of immediate danger.
He urged Jewish communities to speak put forcefully on these issues, and announced he would be prepared to travel to Syria, if such a visit would help the ' Mesperate plight" of that Jewish community.
Bronfman also referred to controversy surrounding, the recent WJC-sponsored trip to Ethiopia by an Israeli delegatipn, and its'^ub-seq u ent re port (CJN Feb. 3), but said the real significance is that the Ethiopian government finally opened its doors for Jewish inspection.
The oppQrtunity must not be lost," he declared. "We must seize the moment.
; "I urge"all our organizations, in co-operation with the State of Israel, to mount a concerted, decisive effort now, .to take maximum advantage of this, oppdr-tunity."
The Montreal-born Bronfman, who regularly advocates the right of Diaspoira Jews to speak out, reiterated his long
held contention that open and frank debate is in the best interests of Jews.
"For free expression of all points of view within the Jewish community will strengthen us," he said. "It will keep our interest alive and give us yet another valuable reason to protect our heritage, traditions and unity."
The international Jewish leader made his remarks at the "Israel and the Diaspora" session, where he appeared along with Yosef Burg, Israel's minister of the interior.
Burg, leader of the small but influential National Religious Party bloc of the Likud coalition, brought an update on developments in the Lebanese negotiations, saying an agreement is in the final stages, and would be reached if "the Russians don't try to exert too much pressure on Syria."
He emphasized the importance of the "de-facto peace" accord with Lebanon^ because it would mean termination of the state of war, recognition of international boundaries and mutual recognition by Israel and a second Arab state.
While the agreement will not be to Israel's total satisfaction, he noted, "we prefer something that is similar to than similar to
war."
The session was attended by an overflow crowd of more thian 1,000,1 the largest gathering of the Plenary, and was highlighted by the presentation of the Samuel Bronfman Award, shared this year by J u dg e ; M ax w e 11 Cohen of Montreal and Judge Jacob Michael Goldenberg of Saskatoon, --i^.
With Saidye Bronfman looking oh, Cohen received his award from Sol Kanee, while Sam Filer made the presentation to Goldenberg.
Consiil-General'- Yitz-^ chak Mayer, whro returns tolsrael shortly, was also presented witl^ an award — the Montreal Jewish community/ "Citation of Honor,"
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an indication the Ethiopian government may be looking for a way to deal with this problem. _ He said there has been more contact between- Diaspora Uews and even Israelis with Ethiopian Jews in the last few months than in the past two years.
"This is a signal the Ethiopian government wants to talk with world Jewish communities or Israel... anybody who is involved with Ethiopian Jews," he stated after addressing the opening session of the Canadian Jewish Congress 20th Plenary Assembly. "We must seize the moment and take advantage of the opportunity,'' he urged.
Because of its dismal economic condition, Ethiopia is trying to revitalize its important tourist industry, Hadani explained, but to do so it must improve its iniage abroad. One limited method has been to increase access to Falasha villages, and to "dress them up" temporarily, to score propaganda points.
But regardless of the motives, Hadani said it was imperative tjiat Diaspora communities use every initiative now, including pressuring their governments to take action on behalf of the Falashas. (Israel does not maintain diplomatic relations with Ethiopia.)
He also urged Diaspora Jewish communities to maintain as much contact as possible with the Falasha communities.. ."■„'■
**There is an urgent need to increase tourism there, either in groups or as individuals," he declared, "it is important to the Ethiopian Jews because it gives them hope and a link to Jewish life."
Hadani, 34, who was born in Gondar province and emigrated to Israel in 1972, said the Israeli government has done much to aid in the ab-sorption of Ethiopian Jews now in Israel, but more help is needed. ■; He called on Jewish communities to increase their financial support for the 3,000 Falashas in Israel, .saying among their most critical needs are schools and community centres.
*' Ethiopian Jewish teachers are crucial to our survival as committed Jews and Israelis," he stated.
Hadani said concerned groups in the Diaspora should co-ordinate their a:ctions with Israel, but refused to be drawn into the political question of who should control these activities. He did say however, that the PubHc , Commission on Ethiopian Jewry, formed by the. Knesset in December ^ has yet to begin ; elffectiye Workj as it is ' stili'iii the organizational stage;
'It s moving too slow
,;jhesaid. C::'-:/^-
Rabbi Yossef Hadani [right] spiritual leader of Ethiopian community in Israel, addresses Plenary session hosted by CJC Eastern Region Ethiopian Jewry committee, headed by Stan Cytrynbaum [left]. [Howard Kay photo] • ' ■
Finances to be opened up
to scrutiny of community
MONTREAL —
New Canadian Jewish Congress President Milton Harris pledged that during his administration CJC's finances will be opened up to community scrutiny. He did just that in his last function as CJC associate chairman of the national executive..
Harris released an itemized statement of the $130,459.80 deficit incurred by CJC m 1982 to the Plenary session on resolutions.
i Non-budgeted items under the headings of Israeli Action and war criminals accounted for about $44,000 of the deficit. Over-expenditures added up to close to $41,000 includihg the extra costs of President Irwin Cotleir, National Executive Vice-Presi-dent Alan Rose and National Executive Director Stajiley Urman in the amount of $17,512.80.
There ; were also under-projectiohs in such areas as "meeting and conferences'' ($15,858) and payroll levies ($22,085), as well as /' unforeseen'' costs like an overdraft charge" of $13,027, necessitated 7by a slow cash'flow from the communities.
Harris said the deficit would have risen to $180,000, with no programs added, in 1983, if immediate action had not been taken including staff cuts. "There was no painless way > bf solving the prdblern," he said.
He placed the blame for the disficit bri CJC and not on underfundiijg from the National Budgeting Conference^
The CJC officers, he said, have approved the general principle that "the total budgeting of CJC should be open so everyone can see and understand in a short, summarized fashion how we are dealing with public funds.
"I feel firmly that we, should level with our constituency and show them what the problems are. When the problems are not explained people get anxious and that's what has happened,'' said Harris. He promised wider participation in the budgeting process.
Harris said CJC's 1984 budget will be brought down to the figuires al-lotted by tiie NBC for 1983. In the meantime, the communities across '.. the country havie agreed to advance CJC $130,000 in . cash to cover the deficit.
The 700 delegates to the Plenary Assembly put. forward over 10 resblutiohs for voting. However time permitted fewer than a third of them to be dealt With.
. • The first ■ on the agenda concerned the expenditure of CJC funds and was submitted by Donald Carr of Toronto. It was resolved that -resolutions adopted at the 1983 Plenary Assembly which require the expenditure of funds "shall be subject to the decisions of the national officers and/or the national executive cpinmit-tee with respect to priorities, unless otherwise irecited by the Plenary;" It was passed without discussion.
• The re so 1 ution which stirred the most debate was on disarmament, though an earlier session on arms control where it was presented was poorly attended. By a vote of 106 to 101, the resolution was carried with isome minor amendments to the National Religious Department's official version (see other st
Basically it supports a "bilateral, mutual and verifiable cessation of the production and deployment of nuclear weapons'' by the United States and Soviet Union.
• The delegates, however, narrowly defeated a resolution opposing the testing of cruise missiles in Canada.
• It was resolved that a national task force be setup by the Joiiiit Community Relations Committee to look into means of countering anti-Semitism on Canadian campuses. Such incidents have "escalated to include h a rass ment, threats of violence and physical abuse against Jewish student leaders," it was stated.
> But the Assembly vvent on record as opposing the formation of an additional national Jewish student organization as has been proposed by an NBC sub-committee. ■„■■■■■';■':'
• The delegates did vote in favor, by a close margin, of lowering the minimum delegate age for the next Plenary Assembly from 18 to 16.
• Resolutions on Ethiopian arid Syrian Jewries reflected grbwirig concern for the fate of these
communities. A nationwide program of sponsorship for the immigration of Ethiopiian Jews to Canada in conjimction with the federal and some provincial governments was proposed.
CJC called upon the Canadian government to use its good offices to request that Syria allow the entire Jewish community in that country to emigrate freely.
The creation of a par-liariientary committee for Syrian Jewry, similar to the existing one for Soviet Jewry, was also suggested. The resolution also urged World Jewish Congress to embark upon a program publicizing the plight of Syrian Jewry/
• Compensation was urged for the more than 850,000 Jewish refugees from Arab lands. The Israeli government was asked to include the com-pensation issue when negotiating the autonomy clause in the Camp David Accords for Egyptian Jews whose assets were confiscated when they were forced to leave the country.
One major resolution not dealt with asked that the Canadian government strengthen legisia-1 tion on hate propaganda and racism.
Leaver resolutions, it was decided, will be for-warded to the n^tionaI> executive fo^^oting and the results will be mailed out 60 d^s later.
One^^ other lesoJution passed was that at the next Plenary Assembly a full day be devoted discussion of resol tionsv