M—T
The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, July 24,1980 - Page 5
Opinion
Israel ig( such a
ace
'^e serious aspects
ByJ.B.SALSBERG [First of a series]
Shalom and salutations to all of you, my loyal readers. It is good to join with you again in this accustomed corner where, for many years now, we have gathered week after week to share opinions, views and observations.
But how does one begin after an absence of four weeks and a very meaningful trip to Israel durinjg this fateful summer of 1980? .
The simple aniswer would seem to be that I begin where I left off a month ago. Didn't Ipledge to present an honest and uninhibited report of Israel? And hasn't everyone I met on Bathurst St. since my return greeted me with the same question, "Nu, so how did you find Israel?" They all seem to remember my. promise and they want me to fulfil it.
I will, of course, honor my pledge to tell it all and to conceal nothing. But we have, after all, been separated for a whole month and wouldn't it be appropriate to leave the serious aspects of my report, the tachlis, for a week or two and first re-establish our comfortable relationship with a bit of chit-chat about my trip?
Of course it would. The serious rnatters will wait a while. So, let's all gather in the living room, help yourself to some tea from the samovar and I will pass around some snapshots of my trip. But remember* please, thata snapshot is
not a portrait; it ishot a picture in depth but a likeness of, the real thing. But snapshots are also revealing. So here they are and pass them around, please.
Snapshot-number one: The El Al jumbo aircraft (747), flying froni~New _ York to Tel Aviv, stopped at the Montreal airport to pickup almost a half of its approximate 4(50 passengers. We Canadians felt very much at home in that skyship that is bigger than many ocean liners used to be. We left near midnight and welcomed the vastly improved El Al service and the excellent, friendly and generous attitude of its crew. We were pampered all the way and accepted it, of course,' without protest.
Since all good things come to an end, . so did our flight. As usual in ain El Al plane, tensions and emotions began to. rise at the first sight of the shores of Israel. As the great ship cruised towards the airport, the public address system filled the plane with Israeli music. When Haveynu Sholem Aleichem was heard many of the passengers joined in the singing.
In the chorus of voices, that of Toronto's Reb Chaim Bemiker was heard above all others. He and his wife were on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the bar mitzva of Shmtilik; his brother Abe Berniker's son. Reb Chaim was floating on a sea of intoxicating emotions. He was not always in tune with the rest, but he sung his own soulful solo to the land of his fathers.
The song had ended, another tune took its place, but Reb Chaim Berniker was totally oblivious to that fact. He continued his joyous greeting to the land below, to.everybneaboard the ship, to all in the Jewish state and, who knows, perhaps even to all the angels in heaven? He greeted them all with his unending musical recitation of Sholem Aleichem!
The plane touched down and, as usual, all passengers on an El Al plane applauded lustily. We arrived, they seemed to say. We made it! We're here! The excitement dispelled the tiredness
of the long, overnight flight. It was Friday afternoon, erev Shabbat, as we separated and went separate ways. ; :
Snapshot namber two:  The time difference (jet lag) is quite upsetting the first day or two. One wakes when adl~ Israel sleeps and one is drowsy when all around you are wide awake.
I awoke hear nine on Saturday, thie first morning in Israelbii this trip. I drew the drapes and looked down on the vast, sandy, seashore of Tel Aviv. As far as the eye could see the beaches; were jam-packed with Israelis, young and old, and family groups were streaming towards them from every direction.
My first visitor^ arrived as I wais still watching the fantastic scene below from my 12th-storyhbtel balcony: "Kein ayin hbreh hisht," I said to him. pointing to the beach, "It looks as if all of Tel Aviv was on the beach this Saturday morning and the adjoining streets seem clogged with cars, so who goes to-the Sabbath services in the synagogues?"
" Well ■" he replied with a smile, "this is Tel Aviv, \yhat with tourists and everything. But in Jiersualem you will find nothing like this on Shabbes."
"Perhaps so," I said, "but Jerusalem is high in the hills and has neither river nor seashore;"
"That's true too," he replied sheepishly, "but Jerusalem Is different."
(And so it is. to a considerable degree, as I observed that ancient city on the following Shabbes.) . .
Snapshot number three; Israel iis experiencing considerable economic difficulties. Inflation is running at some 150%. The price of cars arid gasoline is alrhost three times higher than in Canada. But there seem to be more cars than ever on the streets. "How do you explain this phenomenon?" I asked an IsrJaeli. "Oh." he replied with tongue in cheek, "Israelis had to learn to adjust to all kinds of exigencies . . ."
All right, my friends, helpyourself to a glass of tea and we will look at a few riiore snapshots next week.
NEW YORK-
Dore Schary, the noted picture producer, director and playwright who died here earlier this month at the age of 74 was associated with the Anti-Defamation Leagiie of B'riai,B!rith for more than four decades. He served as national chairmari from 1963 to 1970 and until his death, was active as honorary national chairman.
Early this year ADL presented him with its Haym Solomon . Award for ."inspired . contributions to artistic expression in our society and for enriching Jewish life."
Nathan Perimuttpr, ADL national director, said of Schary: "He was warm, understanding and conciliatory in all things except principle."
One of Schary'slaist public appearances was at ADL's National Commission meeting at New .York's Hailoran House in May, where he presided over one of the sessions.
"We can get a little frightened knowing that some of us will not be able to finish the tasks that are outHned." he said on that occasion. "But the Talmud tells us.tKat we do not have to finish. We must do as much as we can in the time that We are allowed to work aiid . . . and we will have the satisfaction, if we work hard, of knowing that perhaps we did not accomplish everything we set out to do, but we never slopped trying to finish the job."
The author of 40 screen playis, including BoysTpwn, which won an Academy Award; Sunrise ^t Campobello for which he won two Tpnyawards; Edison the Man and Act One, Schary was the producer or executive in charge of rnpre than 350 Hollywood films.
Born in Newark, N.J., Schary particpated as a youth in his family's catering business — the subject of his book"F6r Special Occasions" — before going to.Holywood in the early 30s.
Jhha h^Av - holiday marking seven terrible calamities
ByDVORAWAYSMAN
- Tisha b'Av, which fell this year on July 22, is the blackest date of the Hebrew calendar; Seven terrible calamities befell the Jewish people on this date. Five are_ recorded in the Mishnah:
(1) The decree that Israel should wander through the wilderness for 40 years.
(2) The destruction of the First Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BCE.
(3) The destruction of the Second Temple. by Titus in 70 CE.
(4) The fall of the fortress of Betar with the subsequent defeat of Bar Kochba and the massacre of his men.
(5) The ploughing up of Jerusalem by Hadrian in 135 CE.
. There were two tragedies for the Jews recorded on this date. In 1290, King Edward I signed an edict expelling Jews from England; and on the same date in 1492, following the terrible Inquisition, 300,000 Jewsled by Abarbanel began to leave Spain afterFerdinand and Isabella had signed the decree for their expulsion. -
Many people believe that, because the State of Israel has been re:_es'tablished there is no longer a necessity for Jews to observe this day of mourning.'However there is an. explicit Talmudic statement which decrees continued observance even today: "He who eats and drinks on 9th Av will not live to see rejoicing about Jerusalem,- for the Scriptures say: 'Rejoice ye with Jerusalem and be glad for joy with her, and ye that mourn her'."
This means that the value of the Fast of Av lies not only in remembering the past and applying its lessons to the present^ but also in recognizing the unity of our people, the continuity of its existence and the destiny stUl awaiting fulfilment.
To the kabbalists, the 9th Av represented the nature of the worid's incompleteness andthe great need for the retum^f the Holy Presence^ to ^ Jerusalem with^the" rebuilding of the Temple. The ,Midrash contains the significant staten^ent that "The Messiah, the Saviour, was bom on the day the Temple was destroyed."\
The F^st of 9th Av is observed in Israel as it is by religious Jews the world over^.The
fast begins at sundown. The Book of Lamentations (Echah) is read in synagogues in the evening by the dim light of candles, with the congregation sitting on . the floor or on low benches; and it is read again the next morniqg. '
Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah, who witnessed the destruction of. the First .Temple, and there are five chapters of vivid impressions lamenting over, destroyed and desolate Jerusalem, which he blames on the sinfulness of the people and their leaders.. Lamentations is read to mournful, dirge-like tunes .— Yemenite.tunes are slightly different. : After Lamentations, kinot are read. They are a collection of dirges by Jewish poets of different ages. One was composed by. Solomon Ibn Gvirol in 11th century Spain. He presents Samaria and Jerusalem as two faithless sisters and tells of the punishment and exile of the Tribes.
One of the best-known kinot, read on the morning of Tisha b'Av, gives account of the 10 Rabbis martyred by the Roman government—the pitiless and inhuman death of such giants as R. Ishmael the High Priest; Rabbi Akiba, Rabbi Judah, etc., and of the tortures and suffering these great scholars received during the last hours of their lives.
' Many kinot connected with^entsin - eastern lands are included in kinah books of the oriental communities. The Yemenites have kinot unknown to the Sepitardim. In Yemen their mourning was very intensive, and they would spend most of the night and day in weeping while they recited dirges. Particularly heartening is the moment when they announce the year of their exile.
Sadly, history has proved that Jews cannot afford to stop commemorating the disasters which have befallen our people. Only by keeping alive the memories is there hope of preventing their recurrence. Not only is the 9th Av the blackest date of the Hebrew, calendar, but many people believe that all subsequent calamities which have lefallen the Jews- have" been a direct^ consequence of the destruction of the First and second Temples which took place oh this day.
[World Zionist Press Service]
Doiy Schary
During his prolific film career, Schary presided over the production of such well known movies as Spiral Staircase, Farmer's Daughter, Battleground, Lonelyhearts, Blackboard Jungle, American in Paris, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Red Badge of Courage and tea and Sympathy.
Schary wa^ also actiye in the theatre as a prodiicer, director and playwright' He co-produced and wrote Sunrise at tampo-bello and received aToiiy for each of those ■ tasks; was director and co-producer of the : Unsinkabie Molly Brown and A Majprity of One; and produced, directed and wrote The Devil's Advocate, One by One and corpro-duced and directed The Zulu and the Zayda*
In recent years, reflecting his involvement in Jewish affairs, Schary wrote and produced the documentary film, "Israel: , The Right to Be" arid acted as chainhan JFor the bicentennial conference of cultural arts sponsored by the Jewish Welfare Board, in addition to his adivities, for ADL. He also produced the play, ''Herzl,*' written in collaboratiori with Israel author Amos EIoii, baseid on the latter'.s biography of Herzl.
Earlier this year .Mr. Schary published his autobiography, "Heyday," and at the time of his ideath he- was working on a play based on For Special Occasions. He also was the author of another book; "Case History of a. Movie" and the screenplayj of the film, '' Storm in the West, "written in collaboration with Sinclair Lewis.; : ^   Schary's \yide ranging~activities were" -reflected in'ihe list of his memberships in civic, cultural:, .poiiticaL arid religious ^organizations, including the Eleanor Roose-, velt Meriiorial Foundation, the Dramatists Guild Fund, of which he was president; the Dramatists Guild Council, of which he was treasurer; the National Association fbir the Advaricement of Colpred People, of which ■ he was a life member; the. national Citizens Committee for Broadcsisting; Friends of the JohriF. Kennedy Centre for the Performing • Arts; the Institute for American Democracy, and. the board of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
He^ls6^iad^;past memberships in the Citizens Crusade : Against Pdverty; the Prei^ident's Committee, National Gtizens Association; the National Advisory. Committee on Farm Labor and the National committee for Immigration Reform.
Schary served as New York Qty's commissioner of cultural. affairs for a year under Mayor John Lindsay.
EECsjjpp^jW PLO negotiate defe
Last montli, In the Italian city of Venice, the European Economic Commonlty [EEC] passed a resolution supporting seUF-deter-mination for the Palestinians tuid declared that the PLC should be "associated*' with negotiations leading to a settlement of th^ Arab-Israeli dispute. -
The Israeli cabinet denounced the resolution, comparing it to the appeasement at Munich In 1938.
Prior to the Venice meeting, newspaper columns In North America, not to mention Europe, were full of articles about the EEC diplomatic Initiative. :
hi The New York Thnes, Edward Heath, Brjtahi's Conservative prime minister from June 1970 to March 1974, wrote hi favor of the EEC's stance. He called for PLO bvolyement in the peace-making process.
Wrlthig hi The Jewish Post of Whmipeg, Robert Wistrich editor of Britahi's Wiener Library Bullethi — attacked the EEC for its position, terming it counterproductive.
An article In The Jerusalem Post by Hebrew University and Bar-Dan University history lecturer, Moshe Sliaron, criticized the Europeans for seeking to involve the PLO bi peaceriegotiatioris.
esttoh
By EDWARD HEATH
There are four burning questions fpr Western policy in the Middle East. How can the Arabs and the Israelis be reconciled? How can upheaval by internal disruption be prevented in the oilfields? How can we persuade the oil-producing countries to raise the; price of oil in a more gradual, predictable fashion? How can we protect them from external aggression without precipitating a destabilizing wave of anti-Western feelings among their peoples.?
The cohiplexities of the Middle East defy slrriple answers to these questions- But none of them will be answered unless two conditions are satisfied: first, that the West pursue its military, diplomatic and economic policies in the region with the utmost discretion; and second, that a solution be found to the Palestinian problem. :
Without discreet Western policies, it will be difficult for moderate Arab regimes to pursue poiicies that are compatible with Western interests. In an age of political awakening and growing nationalism, any action by the. West that cart be interpreted' by the local people as. mortgaging control over their affairs to the West, or as an affront to their cultural arid religious values,, is in the-long run a recipe for pur own politicalimpotence...
Moreover, by failing to act discreetly, we could find ourselves unsettling the very societies whose co-operatiori we need. This IS one of the main reasons why I support President Carter's reluctarice to use military force in an attempt to free the hostages in Teheran. Such actioris might well force the riioderate Arab reglriies: into: closer alignment with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and with their radical neighbors. '
^Similarly, the iabsenceof a solution to the P'alestinian problem is alienating the whole Islamic world from the West. It is thet-efore forcirig previously moderate leaders to aidopt riibre radical positions on oil, security co-opefatipn and other issues of vital - importance to us. Until the Palestinian problem has been substantially resolved, close' co-operation with the West might seriously undermine the legitiriiacy of Isliamic regimes in the eyes of their own ' pieople; this in turn would provoke instability within their countries and would isolate them in the islamic world.      : i .   The West cannot therefore afford to doidge the key issues of Jerusalem aind of . Palestinian self-governinent on the West Bank and inGaza; A durable solutiori must erivision a status for East Jerusalem accep- . table to the religious raiths, involved. In additidri. it must confer on the W^est Barik and Gaza substantiallegislative and judicial powers. However, there will need to be verifiable restrictions on the military status of these territories.— -
These changes will not be brought about unless the countries :„of-. the European; Community play a united and active role, in the search for a solution. CollectivelyTtfiey have a considerable influence with the , parties who must participate in a settle-: ment, and they often have" rather greater _ flexibility in using their influence than does" the United States.
But Europe's role must be complementary to that of the United States. So far. Europe has triaintained almost complete ■ ^ silence on the Camp David peace process. It has harbored doubts about whether this "process pari deliver Palestinian autonomy; but it has done next to nothing to ensure that it will do so. Yet the major virtue of the Camp David agreement is that it has eliminated the Egyptian military threat to Israel. This has reriioved a major -r- and understandable—reason for Israel to avoid ' making the necessary concessions over the . occupied/territories and to claim the sympathy of the West for this position. I hope that the Europeans will'Come^to accept the logicvpf this step-byrstep process and the improvement in the Mtuation that it"has already brought about.; I
I hope that the United States, for its part^: will eventually seek to involve the Palestine Liberation Organization in the peacemaking process, either directly or indirectly. Unless this is done, an elected authority on the West Bank and Gaza will remain forever politically enfeebled, leav^ ing the Palestinians there without an effective voice with which to negotiate their own future. This would play intothe hands of the hardliners in the PLO and damage the prospects for a durable settlement.
This, then, is the basis on which Europe and America need to co-operate in finding a solution to the Palestinian problem. Eventually, it will be necessary to bring the Soviet Union intothe peace process, so as to tie it to a.settlement and to the security guarantees that any settlement will need to embody.
Without these developments, the security and prosperity of the West will remain endangered.
European
By ROBERT WISTRICH
Given the priorities of the cash nexus and the dependence of Europe's prosperity and security on what happens in the Persian Gulf, it is not altogether surprising that European statesmen have now taken up the rumting in Middle Eastern diplomacy, nor that Israel is expected to pay the bill...
The underlying motivation for.all these statements has of course been a fairly transparent economic self-interest and desire to accelerate the Euro-Arab dialogue. The Europeans are naturally anxious to secure future oil supplies and to avoid at any cost a repetition of the Arab oil embargo of 1973, however unlikely it may be that the Saudis would allow commitment to the Palestinians to dictate their oil pdHcy. The French, British and West Germans all require clients fpr their industrial exports and see in the oil-producing countries a lucrative market for their armaments and technical know-how.
Beyond this there are also political factors. The French haye a compulsive desire to mark theniselves off from Washingtpn arid to undermine any Pax. Americana in the regipn. while continuing: to cultivate her "special relationship" with Moscow.      ' .
The Germans, under Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, have become the geopolitical powerhouse of Europe and their growing ties with the Spvietbloc, the Muslim nations and the Third World, are impelling them! towards a more activist role in world affairs. Like the British and French, they have been alarmed at the lack of American leadership . and Washington's uncertain handling of the crises in Iran and Afghanistan. No longer . unconditionally aligned towards America, they feel strong enough to pursue a foi^eign policy based on their own national self-interest. Nor are they prepared for the sake of Israel and fading memories of the Holocaust to be drawn into a confrontation posture with the Arab states or the PLO. ; This background helps to explain Europe's lukewarm response to the American-sponisored peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. There has been little recognition in Western Europe of the positive sides to thisi- • historic event — arguable, the most constructive political achievement in the Middle East in recent years. The Europeans. have consistently played down the fact that the treaty greatly reduced the dangers of a large-scale Arab-Isriaeli war such as occured" in 1967 and 1973. or the risk of ■ a super-power confrontation over this issuei They have ignored the: importance to the West of the new AmericanrEgyptian strategic relationship which emerged as a direct result of ending the state of belligerency
between Egypt and Israel; the extent of the Israeli concessions in Sinai, and the historic importance of President Sadat's recognition of tSelegitimacy of the Jewish state.
Instead, the Europeans have chosen to dramatize the divisive effects of the Camp David agreements in the Arab world, to write off the prospects of the Israeli-Egyptian nejgotiations on Palestinian auto^ nomy before they have even been completed, and to accelerate efforts to legitimize the PLO,..
In this geopoliticar context, Europe's embrace of the PLO which has thus far brought only terror, bloodshed, chaos, and a hardening of attitudes to the Middle East, can only be seen as an extraordinarily self-destructive action. However much of Europe may wish to establish itself as a distinct entity in world affairs, the fact is that it has no military force, no political sanctions, no coherent will of its own, enabling it to offer credible guarantees to the conflicting parties in the Middle East.
Incapable of resisting the Soviet Union effectively, let ialone the financial extortion of the OPEC nations, its initiatives have been too blatantly one-sided and opportunist to encourage ainy further concessions from Israel.
By cold-shouldering Egypt and undermining the possibility of a Jordanian solution to the Palestinian problem, it, has merely encouraged the extremism of the Arab rejectionist Front and unjustifiably raised the expectations of the PLO.
By its appeasement of the oil producing states it has exposed its own weakness and flashed a green light to the Soviets to strike at its soft underbelly in the Persian Gulf.
By failing to support American mediation efforts, it has weakened the Western alliance and its credibility as a barrier to further Russian expansionism. Most dangerous of all. it has tied its own political end economic survival tp the caprice of regimes that are built on sand.
Europe joins
By MOSHE SHARON
Europe has finially announced what has been suspected for some time; that it has joined the club of the ' 'rejectionists." Led by France, the majprity of the Common Market countries' have taken a clear decision to oppose the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt and endorsed in principle the extreme demands of the PLO.
While the Israel government plays the game of an autonomy for the Arabs, the official views in the European capitals have advanced to a point which is not far from contemplating an autonomy for the Jews in a Palestinian state as propounded by the PLO Covenant.
Since the Palestinian question was shifted to the top of the agenda of the foreign policy makers in Europe and the U.S., it has become customary to speak about "moderate, trends" in the PLO leadership...
' This type pf talk comes from every side in oil-thirsty Europe and the U.S. but it has never'been uttered bv the official spokesmen of the PLO...
It should be added in this context that the PLO has refused to heed the good advice of its European and U.S.-friends, even on tactical grounds. Although many pious pro-Palestinian Europeans have implored the terror organizations to utter some mild words, at least for the sake of political maneuvering, the PLO leaders have refused to do so. Even if the suggestion seemed to appeal to certain .PLO ideologists, who advocated grasping at anything that might create a better basis for continuing the struggle, it was the extreme voice, the uncompromising attitude, that triumphed...
Lvttcr to llw Editor
, J am responding to your article m the June 19 issue ("Liberal candidate's book on Palestine").
It is true that certain njembers of the Kitchener-Waterloo community have been ver>' critical of me, especially during the election campaign. Public criticism and debate are an essential part of our democracy, and I welcome them. : I am, however, very, sad about the great amount of distortion and misrepresentation ' that has gone forward. /
One example: According to the article, one local, resident has me believing that until Jews "accept Christ as Messiah" they will have "to suffer in some forin or another." There is nowhere in my writings or speeches a statement to that effect, because I don't believe it. Onlhe contrary, I believe they have suffered far too much and have said so in my books.
Space does not permit a response on all the charges that have been made by the: critics, buti will be glad to send my full reply
to any reader requesting it in writing or by phone (519-885-0220/0433).
I am anxious to remove any misunderr standings concerning my views on Jews. Israel, and the Middle East, and to further discuss any points of difference that may remain after such-clarification. Frank Epp, Waterloo, Ont.
Ilie Canadian jewlsfai News wekomea letters (6 the editor. However, we leaarve the right to edit or reject them.
We snggest that yonr ktter not exceed 400 words and, preferably, be typed, donbfe-^sced.
We cannot accept anadymoiiB lettefs^ And we leqnest that ietta wrftoDS sigB Ml: flidly Aelrnamebiitlnciodeafao die addiwa and home or office phone Hmnber.
.■■v.-
V
■7-,