. Page .4 - The Canadian Jewish News, Thureday; August 13, 1981
Editorial
ITie Canadian Jewish news
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VOL. XXII. NO..17 (2,065) .
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Post haste
Veed good mail system
Our congratulations to Judge Alan Gold, a member of the Montreal Jewish community, for successfully negotiating an agreement betweeh the striking Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the federal treasury board. It is to be fenently hoped that the rank and file strikers will have accepted the agreement by now and that the mails wiU be mo\ ing in a few days.
.■\s reported elsewhere in this issue of The CJN, I he strike has had a devastating effect on Jewish community activities. Hit hardest have been the central fund raising organiza-lioiis, such as the United Jewish Appeal in Toronto, the Combined Jewish Appeal in .Vlontreal and the entire United Israel .Appeal" organization in Canada. These organizations depend on a regular cash flow U) meet their commitments to Israel and to I he various" local- social service, health, recreational and educational programs they fund. An interruption in cash flow — the result of a postal strike — usually means borr,ow.ing at the ba;ik and at today's interest rates, that's hardly the way.for a charuable organization to operate.
Despite the ill-timed statement by the postmaster-general. Andre Oueliet, that business (and'charity organizations, can be placed in this category) should not be so dependent on the mails, it's a fact.of Hfe that the charitie.s MUST depend on this source. \'er\ big business can afford the more cvpensivc courier services and the other means of communication. But how. for example, can the UJA in Toronto or the CJA ill Montreal be expected, to send statements or receive checks from thousands of con-tribulors u-ithout the mails?
li's a tribute to the leadership and staffs of these ortjanizatipns that they have.
actually, been able to keep up collections — although at a greatly reduced level than required.
Assuming that the current strike is settled, what now? Must we live In dread of another strike every year or two?
The union has stated frequently in the past it would rather deal with its employer, the post office, as a crown corporation rather than through the treasury board. The government has agreed to this and next month the post office becomes a crown corporation.
But will this solve the oiigoing problem?
In our opinion. the successful operation of the post office in the future — and the avoidance of futher disruptions in mail service— wjll depend a great deal on the input from its customers —- the long suffering public. The Jewish community and specifically the charitable organizations, must make its voice heard through those national bodies which keep regular contact with government — the Canadian Jewish Congress, B'nai B'rith and the Canadian Zionist Federation.
We suggest that these community spokesmen form a special postal service committee promptly to advise the postal corporation's general manager. Michael Warren, of the problems caused by strikes. And it might be a. good idea to brief Warren — who has already indicated we can expect a hefty increase in postal rates — on our need for a competent, efficient, economical service. Perhaps there should be a special postal rate for the charities.
The communities need the post office as an integral part of their operation and we would hot be out of line in telling the postal authorities how it should be run.
A matter of fact
When Israel agreed on July 24 to halt its activities against the PLO, the PLO leaders promptly claimed a victory and boasted that despite Israel's military power.they could not be broken;
But we are more inclined to accept as an accurate' report of the situation the statement of Brig.-Gen. Amos Baram, the deputy commander of the northern coiri-niand of the Israel Defence jForce that "the terrorists vyere reaching a. breaking point uhen the agreement on the cessation of hostilities vyas. reached." He said the PLO had suffered heavy losses of arms and ammunition and that -their supply routes had been destroyed.. Baram added that from a strictly military poiht of view, the • cease-fire "was a mistake."
Israel has made this type of "mistake" betore ^ and deliberately. Israeli forces
had. the Egyptians on the run in 1973 and could probably have taken Cairo; in the north, during the same war, Israeli troops \yere well on the way to Damascus. It was
.only because Israel wanted to end the bloodshed that it agreed to a,truce. Again., in 198l„ Israel was- more interested in
: saying lives than in scoring victories..
We've seen very little about this in or on the media. The general picture we get is of Israelas a ruthless aggressor. Yet as Baram pointed oiit:...'Tsrael wanted to stop them from shelling its civilian settlements in northei-n Galilee and we were close to achieving that goal militarily." But Israel agreed to halt its attacks and save lives — despite the risk of renewed terrorism as-soon as the PLO gets more arms. The media should spell this out to a gullible and ill-informed public
Difliy of fl People
By DAVID BIRKAN
On Aug.. 16, 1913, Menachem Begin waS: bornm the Lithuanian city of Brest-Litvosk.. Prime Minister of Israel since 1977, Begin made a crucial contribution to Jewish independence in pre-statchood days.
Begin graduated in . law at Warsaw-University and delved into the Zionist youth and pioneering movements sweeping eastern Europe. After a a brief stay with Hashbmer Hatzair (the "young guards.'.' a Marxist-oriented group) he switched to Bctar (Its non-socialist counterpart, named after Joseph Trumpeldor), On its executive from 1931 .Begin came to head Poland's Bctar, the organization's largest chapter, by 1938.
Begin was imprisoned by Polish authorities for organizing a mass demonstration outside the British embassy-m Warsawto protest British inaction against Arab rioters m Palestine. .
Begin escaped Warsaw when the Nazis took over in 1939. He was arrested by the Soviets in Vilna as a Jewish activist and spy. He resisted a prolonged interrogation, often countering his captors' accusations with dissertations on. the importance of Zionism to Jew and Gentile^ke.
En route to Siberia, he met many highly placed Soviet, Jews who had been purged despite their complete devotion to the state. They were shocked and unable to comprehend their, fall. : . ^a.^.,, .
As a Polish citizen. he was released in late 1941. after the Germans inva.ded the Soviet Union, arid went to the Holy Land;, In 1943, he took over command of Irgun Zvei Leumi, one of three underground Jewish self-, defence groups, operating against the British.
He led the Jrgun along a. middle path, between that of the much larger Haganah, which did not want to antagonize the British, and that of Avraham Stern's smaller Lohame Herut Israel, which refused to observe a trucewith the British during. World War II.
The Irgun swung into action when the British- refused to allow into Palestine significant numbers of Holocaust survivors. After the British authorities hanged a Jewish freedom fighter, the Irgun hanged a British soldier in retaliation. The British fioggeda Jew, and the Irgun flogged British soldiers. The actions resulted in the local abolition of flogging and the suspension of ■hanging;, ..•
. An Irgun attack on the fortress of Acre, in which Jewish activists' were imprisoned, impressed international-public opinion with Us daring. . ..
The bombing.of Jerusalem's King David Hotel was a more conttoversial.operation. The people killed wereinadvertent casualties, according to Begin, Before the blast, smoke bombs were ignited in the streetto drive away passersby; warnings, were phoned to the office of the Palestine Post and to the nearby French consulate, where windows were opened wide to avoid any damage; and a warning to evacuate was phoned to the hotel itself. The latter was ignored by. a high British official, who apparently replied:"We are not here to take orders from the. Jews, We give them orders.'/^' ; v . ■-- .
By throwing an international spotlight on-the JTOstly andrheavy-handed occupation, also'^ deplored in a' war-weary England, Begin helped accelerate British withdrawal fr<j)m the Holy Land. . .
NEW YORK [JTA] —
Anti-sefnitisni in America has declined significantly in the last two decades; ' Today only 34% of the non-Jews in the United States'areanti-Semites compared to 45% in 1964. .
At the same time there has been a decline in .support among Americans for the State of Israel since 1977. While in 1977 66% of the American public felt that the continuation of Israel is important to the. U.S.. only-51% feel the same today.
These are the major findings of a survey on anti-semitism in the United States'just completed by the opinion research com-' pany of Yankelovlch, Skelly and White. The survey was commissioned by the American Jewish Committee and its findings were disclosed at a news conference at the AJC headquarters here.
Daniel Yankelovieh. chairman of the research company, said that the baseline for comparison with current findings was a similar survey conducted in 1964 by a research team from the University of California at Berkely. and published in 1969 under the title, "the Tenacity of Prejudice," The conclusion tbat anti-semitism was declining, he said, was based on an 1.1-item index that was used in both 1964 and' 1981.
The national survey just released was based on 1,215 personal interviews which included 174 Jews and 127 Blacks.
The survey shows that the decline in anti-semitic beliefs was most pronounced in
terms of traditional negative, stereotypes about the_Jewish character. For example, since 1964 there has been a decline in the proportion of non-Jews who feel that Jews "have a lot-of irritating faults" (48% fa 1964, down to 29% in 1981], or that Jews "are not as honest" [from 34 down to 22%.] Ruth Clark, senior vice-president of the research firm, analyzfag the survey's findings, said that "generally speakfag, positive images of Jews are more pervasive than negative ones. A substantial minority of non-Jews express'the belief that Jews are honest, hardworldng, warm and friendly, have a strong faith in God, and have contributed much to the cultural life of thie country."
An analysis of the findings. Mrs. Clark said, reveals that:
• 45% of non-Jews can be characterized as unprejudiced — relatively free of anti-semitic beliefs;
• 32% of non-Jews are neutrals — without strong positive or negative beliefs about Jews; '
• 23% of non-Jews can be characterized as prejudiced with strong negative beliefs about Jews._ '
••If we exclude the neutrals and examine the views of individuals who are definitely prejudiced or unprejudiced." Clark said, •we find that 34% of non-Jews qualify as anti-scmitic today compared to 45% in 1964."
The survey.showed that anti-semitism is
also more widespread among Blacks than among whites. But, the survey disclosed. Black acceptanceof JeWs is quite similar to the Jeyei of Black acceptiance of Italian Americans and Japaiiese Ariiericans, The result of the study also indicates that the .perceived business power of Jews is resptJnsible for the way Blacks feel about Jews.
In contrast to the overall decline in anti-semitism. the level of anti-semitism among Blacks has remained unchanged since 1964,-the siirvey disclosed.
Accordfag to Yankelovlch, the declfae fa anti-semitism in the United States "is not primarily the result of changes in the view of individuals', but the result of generational change." In 1964, he: explafaed, "older adults tended to be.highly anti-semitic. Their passing on and their replacement by today's young adults has resulted in lower levels of anti-semitism, since young people today tend to be relatively unprejudiced. It |s the changfag of generations then and not the changing of attitudes which is primarily responsible for a decline fa anti-semitism."
The findings show that only 16% of 18-29..year-olds are prejudiced, compared to 31 % of those 55 and over. Clark said that anti-semitism js more widespread among the older and less educated than the young and the more educated.
The survey said that while there is a decline in anti-semitism since 1964 "Jews are increasingly likely to be viewed as more loyal to Israel than the United States and as
or Israel
having too much power." In 1964 only 13% of the non-Jews believed Je^s have too much powerin the U.S.: today that figure is up to 23%. In additidn. in 1964, 39% of non-Jews believed Jews are more loyal to Israel than to America; today the figure is ..■48%.' ..■ ■'■ .
The decline in the support of Americans for Israel was not replaced in increased support for the Arabs. "Uhts manifested itself in the form of increased uncertainty about what American policy in the Mideast should be." Clark said.
The survey showed 31% of non-Jews believe Israel is wrong in refusing to deal with the Palestine Liberation Organization, while 25% support Israel on this issue.
Bertram Gold, the AJCommittee's executive vice-president, respondfag to the survey's findings, said: "It is important to note that this study was limited to the United States^ and it did not measure hew developments in international anti-semitism. Its findings that there has been a significant decline jn anti-Semitic prejudice provides corroborative evidence to our own perception that there has been a substantial decrease in discrimination against Jews fa the United states oyer the years. .
"It should also be noted that while we feel gratified that the overall anti-semitism figure has dropped from 45% to 34%, that is 34% more ainti-semitisni than we care to live with, and we shall continue our efforts to eradicate it wherever it exists."
Called a man "who always needs a challenge
99
IS new
By MIRIAM CHINSKY
TORONTO —
In his Toronto home. Jack Chodoroff talks proudly about his brother Menachem'. Savidor, recently elected speaker of Israel's Knesset. His wife Ruth is equally enthusiastic'
Savidor, bom Menachem Chodoroff 62 years ago in Bachmut, Russia, has come to his sensitive office via an eclectic series of experiences and careers.
He grew, up in Poland, studied languages at university in Vilnau. and enrolled in economics at the Paris Sorbonne. (In later years he was urged by such people a^GoIda Meir and Menachem Begin to adopt an Israeli name.) -.
At the outbreak of World War II, determined to reach Palestinehe foliowed .the only route.open to him, traveling east through Shanghai and Bombay; It took three years, but he finally arrived in 1942. .Volunteering, with the. British Royal Engineers, he fought in Italy, and becaihe an instructor. dismantling landmines..
Fluent in English, French, Russian, German. Italian and Polish, he was selected in 1943 as interpreter for New; Zealand's General Weir.-.
At the end.of hostilities, Weir, naming several world capita:ls, offered .to appoint him attache in. the ..city of his choice, but Savidor insisted, "My place is in Israel;"
Joining the Israeli army, he served as lieutenant-colonel and headed the School of Management and Administration from 1948-54.
Then it was on to a new endeavor. ■ "My brother," says Chodoroff, "always needs a challenge."
. Resigning from the army, Savidor spent 10 years, .from 1954 to- 1964. as general managerof Israel's railways. J France supplied much of Israel's roUfag stock, and he was awarded the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, by President Charies de Gaulle.
He left the railway to direct a stone quarry operation, and also joined a citrus juice exporting company.
■ He began to travel for United Israel Appeal, and here he • honed his special
Bergman to play Meir
LOS ANGELES |JCNS] —
h .took-six months to convince Ingrid .Bergman to play Golda.Meir_in the film "A Woman Named Gol'da" and then only-after the veteran Swedish actress, at/her" own insistence, passed a. lengthy screen, test.
According to Harve Bennett-rproducer of the. upcoming 4-hour television - program, the 65-year old Miss Bergman turned down
■the.-role repeatedly, even after a visit to Israel in February. One of the reservations was whether she,
. a Swedish gentile, could truthfully portray the former Israeli Prime Minister, to which Bennett responded: "Were you French or Catholic when you played Joan of Arc?" .
Finally Miss Bergman demanded' a screen test, something unheard of for an actress of her stature, covering three periodsin Golda Meir's life —,he-r-late 40s. her 60s and her mid-70s. "The next 'day we watched the dailies,*' Bennett recalled. "Ingrid'looked at them, smiled and said;'''I think I can play her. Doyou'stillwantme?':'
■ ■ " ■ . . "i ' '
Production is scheduled to start at the beginning of September/in Israel with the U.S. telecast in two instalments set for next spring. ^ . ' '
capabilities as a speaker as a prelude to entering politics.
But this was not enough.
As head of the Antwerp-Haifa Society, which promoted commerce- and social c.xchange between Belgium and Israel, he was honored with the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, de la Couronne Beige, by King Beaudoin.
He has also been his country's delegate to the Council of Europe,, president of the Isi-ael-France Chamber of Commerce, president of the Maccabiah Games in Israel, and of Rotary;
A friend of Prime Minister Begin for more : than 30 years, he entered politics seriously in 1977, and was elected to the Knesset as a member of the Likud that year, and served on the-defence committee. ■'.
He ran successfully a second.time this year, and oh Jiily 20, in a vote of 61-56, was elected speaker of the Knesset, ...
Savidor and his wife, Raia, have a son Dov, and a. daughter; , Anath .— both universily.students.
Mehacheiii Savidor [left] with Jack andHuth Chodoroff.
we write SO
while Israelis^ themselves^ don k
♦
By J. B. SALSBERG
The dissatisfaction with this column was brewing for some weeks in the hot confines of the shvitz.
It isn't that my good uncle Eliezerand his Thursday night buddies have ceased to be loyal devotees and' unyielding defendants of who appears in_this corner week after week". Their loyalty remains undiminished. What, they feel unhappy about is-not with what was contained in recent columns but, rather, by what was leftout, ^
What seems to raise their temperature after they leave the steam room and settle down for the regular repast is the suspicion that I stepped over recent Israeli Issues as if I were walkfag on eggs. In other words, they think that I am overly cautious and restrafaed.
Their uneasiness was conveyed to me very gently at first ... but much more emphatically as the weeks wore on. I decided to face the problem in a face-to-face manner and arranged to meet my: uncle and his, closest pal, •Mendle, at my place for a glass of tea and lemon. (By the way, there is nothing as cooling in mid-summeras a few hot, very hot, glasses of tea, with lemon.) . ' : So what is their grievance?
It is that this paper, all other Jew]
publications, and even this column, were unnecessarily cautious in the treatment of events in Israel in recent weeks; That. they think, applies particularly to the . election of the new Knesset and to the undignified and disturbing political haggling and horse-trading that went on in the long, dragged-out process of forming, the new government that consists of. actually, five parties allof whom constitute aniajority of one in the Knesset. ; . . , ; - ^
\ admitted, of course, that there was some ground for their criticism but, 1 insisted, they do not take sufficiently into account the necessity for self-imposed restraint that is placed upon all of us who do not live in Israel but who are profoundly committed to the safety and general wellbeing of the Jewish state*
As for this column ^ I defended it by acknowledgfag that in Its cautious examination of the Israeli scene it has earned suspicious glances from diehard, partisan supporters of every political formation In the Jewish state. "That,'' chlmeHin Mendle, "will always happen when you try to straddle the fence." I protested, of course, that I nejyer straddle fenpjes although I am cautious when the greater good is at stake.
At this stage, uncle Eliezci- opened a thick manila envelope and covered my table-with clippings from the Israeli as .well as Canadian newspapers to show that our Jewish press isn't half as outspoken as their Israeli counterparts. 1 acknowledge that was so but, I argued, what the Israeli press, radio and TV can do we, living here, may not necessarily have the moral of political right to-imitate, Israeli Jewry is, after all, on the frontline while we are only supportive participants.
But tin^Jine of argument didn't satisfy my visitors. "You know, my dear nephew; "isaid my uncle Eliezer with a meaningful smile on his lips^ "it may not
apply especially to your column,.but I'm afraid that the North American Jewish press in general looks a bit ludicrous in the light of what the general daily press and.radio and TV report every day from their own correspondents in Israel." - At this point, Mendle pulled clippings from the table to show that what this paper .—that reaches about 75,000 readers — omits to print is spread over the front and inside pages of every daily and together with'therother media, they reach millions of readers, listeners and viewers, including practically every Jew in the. country, almost every day and every evening of every_week." Wouldn't it be better and wiser," asked Mendle, to provide readers of theJewish press ..with all the news, from a Jewish angle, rather than be over-selectiye?"
My final defence was that it's hard to be a Jew these days; harder than ever before. Of cbursc; as the slogan says, "w.eare one," but there are substantial qualifications in our daily, . worldwide _ living as-^one." .
While the general media are expected to. report events as they happen^and they are often also very biased) we; on the other hand, are not impartial. We, or n-rost of us, are partisan in our dedication to the overriding objective of guaranteeing the safety and continuity of the Jewish state. This dedication creates undeniable reflex actions in all of us.
When my uncle asked whether that same reflex action should not also exist in Israel, and especially within every leading personality, with regards to the Jewish communities outside Israel, I nodded, smiled and said, "of course, it should, most assuredly it should." To which uncle Eliezer replied With his usual, "nu?" /
, So what could 1 sajfin response but, '•'niiT^nu. We must have faith; faith, patience and perserveijance."