ISRAEU AUDIENCES ARE CAPTIVATED BY MUSICAL SKILLS OF TORONTO CHO/f?
By MARQA KRETZMER
JERUSALEM —
Audiences all over Israel were captivated when the boys of Canada's Toronto Pirchel Choir filed onstage in well-disciplined lines — 23 nice kids, aged ,9-15. dressed in loose, green Israeli-style shirts over navy-blue trousers, with yellow silk kipot placed at an identical angle on their heads.
The Toronto Pirchei Choir was formed one-and-a-half years ago, modelled on other famous "Pirchei" choirs. They sing what has become known as Jewish "soul" music: a mixture of sprightly Yeshivah
songs and more pensive Chassidic melodies, combined with modem pop. Most of their songs are the original compositions . of Yerachmiel Begun, a student at Ner Israel Yeshivah.
In a short time, the boys, who are pupils at Toronto's Eitz Chaim and Associated Schools, have produced a record, which, says choir director Heshi Nussbaum, has become the best-selling record of Jewish music of its type. In fact, long before the choir's arrival in Israel, local bands were playing their music at weddings and concerts.
The choir has perforined to capacity '
audiences in Toronto. New York and Miami, and has now notched up a highly successful tour in Israel. Before their return to Canada, they also recorded a performance for Israel television. They have turned down invitations to appear in London, Antwerp and Paris —^ "Well, it can get to the point where their school work could suffer," says Nussbaum. a teacher at Toronto's Eitz Chaim Schools.
In an intcr\iew backstage at Jerusalem's Binvanei Ha-Ooma concert hall. The Canadian Jewish News asked Nussbaum whether the appeal of this type of music is not limited to the strictly religious. "Not at
all.'' replied Nussbaum. "Our music is exciting, lively, singable. It's today's sound. We had one audience in an amphitheatre at Migdal Ha-Emek. which was verj' far removed from traditional Judaism. Sixteen thousand of them, and they just ate it up."
One secret of the choir's success is their highly convincing stage presence. The Toronto Pirchei Choir displays a refreshing charm, and easp on the stage, an appearance of naturalness and spontaneity, which is actually produced through arduous rehearsal to meet the exacting standards of conductor Har\ev Ehrlich and director
CIC selects academics
for posts
By lewis LEVENDEL CJN Associate Editor
TORONTO-TWO academics in their 20s have been ap|H>inted to fill key positions of the Canada-Israel Committee in Ottawa and Montreal.
In a long-awaited announcement, the CIC said Howard Stanislawski. 26, who this year received a masters degree in near Eastern studies at Brandeis c University, will staff the new Ottawa office. He will work under the direction of CIC National Director Mycr Bick of Montreal.
Lawrence Grossman, 25. a native of California, who recently graduated with ah M.A in international relations from the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, has been appointed director of research. He will work in Montreal.
Grossman lived in Israel for two years where he studied at the Hebrew University and taught Jewish history, and Middle East and contempo-rar> history.
the Montreal-born Stanislawski has done extensive freelance work for the CBC in his native city. While in Boston, he served as editor of an acclaimed student publication. Genesis II, from 1971 to 1973.
The CIC had said earlier this year that the Ottawa and Toronto offices of the organization were to open in May, but there was an unexpected delay due to personnel problems. The men expected to take the positions — a diplomat and a journalist — turned them down at the last moment, according to a source.
An announcement is expected shortly of the person to be chosen as head of the Toronto office.
Many Jewish leaders have been urging the opening of Ottawa and Toronto offices to . help counteract the Arab prupayanda barrage. The Arab Information Office has been in Ottawa for many years.
.Meanwhile, a , group of MPs will be visiting Israel in Scpicniber as guests of that country's foreign ministry, Bick informed a national meeting of the CIC here in Toronto last week. Forty-five persons from across the aiuntry were in attendance.
The .MPs announced as goini; to Israel include two former cabinet ministers from Toronto — Robert Stanbury and Stanley Hai-dasz. Others are Conservatives Hugh Anderson, Dan MacKcnzie. Peter Masniuk. Liberals Rosaire Gendron, Louis DuClos and Alexandre Cyr. and NDPer Stuart Legait.
Also under discussion at the CIC meeting was the PLO's planned attendance at the UN Habitat Conference scheduled for Vancouver next year. No firm decision regarding the conference was reached.
TheCaDadian
58 Pages
news
SPECIAL ROSHHASHANAH EDITION
Friday, August 29.1975
Elul22. 5735
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25^
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method of peace
By JANICE ARNOLD
MONTREAL —
Moshe Dayan told members of the press here that he docs not favor the "step-by-step" gradual approach to a Middle East peace settlement.
"The step-by-step method used by Kissinger has been more beneficial to the Arabs, and has left Israel weaker politically and maybe militarily but no closer to a peace solution, "the former defence minister said, at a news conference held at the Israeli consulate.
Dayanbelieves it is still too early for a real peace agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbors but that there is a "good chance in a short time for 'passive peace,' that is no wars, an end to belliget-ericy."
He did, however, praise the "initiative and energy" of Henry Kissinger: "He must think he has good grounds or the cabinet would not have agreed on his coming."
Dayan favors negotiations with Syria. Egypt. Jordan and Israel together at the same time. He saiid the only Outcome of peace negotiations so far has been furt||pr withdrawals by Israel from the Sinai.
A positive development, according to Dayan, was the hew economic and political power of the Arab countries
in the international community.
"1 don't like their strength but I think because of it they win be less likely to go into renewed military fighting and risk losing what they've accomplished when they can be better off in the political battlefield."
He obser%'ed that most Arab nations, especially Egypt, are now more interested in using their resources for economic development and are more eager for a peaceful solution than ever before.
The opening of the Suez Canal Was one outcome of this desire for peaceful co-existence, noted Dayan. -
Dayan was in Montreal under heavy security to help promote the opening of the United Jewish Appeal. He returned to Israel the following day.
He expressed the belief that the western world is beginning to realize that "not everything can be bought by oil." and that fuel is not "Worth the price of terrorism."
Dayan said he was not worried by any diminishing support from World Jewry.
"1 am worried by the easy way Israelis are leaving to go abroad, both the young and the not so young," he explained."they are leaving for an easy life Outside of the country, even if it is only temporarj-."
India bars Israel
LONDON (JTA)-
An international conference on textiles that was due to be held in Bombay in November has been cancelled because the Indian government has refused to admit Israeli delegates. The announcement was made here recently by British Conseirva-tive Member of Parliament Tom Norman ton, vice-president of the International Federation of Cotton and Allied Textile Industries (IFCATI).
^formanton told a press conference, "we had no choice but to cancel the conference. We cannot allow this kind of blackmail threat to be put on us." He added that the IFCATI "categorically refused to hold the conference under this exclusion threat."
The host association, the Indian Cotton Mills Federation, tried to persuade its government to change its decision but without success. Norman-ton said that IFCATI was now planning a working . meeting in Zurich Nov. 24—26.
t
By SHELDON KIRSHNER CJN Staff Reporter
CAIRO, Eg>pt —
The once great Egyptian Jewish community is in its death throes, the victim of war and xenophobia.
There was a time, seemingly light years ago, when a proud' and influential community of 110,000 prospered in this ancient land. But the Arab-Israeli struggle and Arab nationalism reduced the size of the community to such a staggering extent that today only some 500 Jews can be found in all of Egypt — 350 in Cairo and 150 in Alexandria.
Egyptian Jews have suffered for their Jcwishncss. and government restrictions have hampered their activities and movements, but still their situation can in no way be compared to the plight of Syrian Jewry.
In Egypt today, the all but abandoned and forlorn synagogues, together with the devastated Jewish cemetery in Cairo, tell more about the sorry state of Egyptian Jewry than hundreds of speeches or stacks of history books.
Only the very sad images of silent synagogues — there are reputedly 18 in Cairo -r and a desecrated cemetery are powerful enough metaphors to put the long-story of Egyptian Jewry into its proper perspective. •
• ■ ,. * ■ ■* ■ , * . *
In the course of my visit to Cairo, one of the two llj^M^ of prayer I visited was the Ben Ezra Syniiiogue.
The Ben Synagogue, which was
originally a Copiic church, is a dilapidated place. The {fitsdytted prayer books gather dust; the iii|nin moulder away and the priceless Tjwah scrolls decay. Nobody seems to care. . '
I ROSH HASHANAH 3736 |
= Painting by Morris Katz depicts rabbi blowing shofar on Rosh Hashanah. symbolizing 1
= the summons to people for self-judgment, self-improvement and atonement. The Can- 1
= adian Jewish News' Rosh Hashanah edition this year is oiir largest paper ever ^ -58 =
1 pages. It's composed of three sections, including a 20^page supplement. (Rel News) 1
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Students protest opening of classes on Tom Kippur
LONDON, Ont.-
Before going to press. The Canadian Jewish News has learned that the University of Western Ontario has scheduled its academic year to begin Sept. 15 — Yom Kippur.
The university's Hillel group reacted by sending a letter of protest to President D.C. Williams and issued a
circular to faculty urging them not to penalize students for absence on the first day of classes.
Hillel president. Elaine Abeles. in a statement released to The CJN, encouraged Western's Jewish students "to protest by honoring this day and sending letters to their respective deans and officers at the university.
"We are ven.- unhappy about this matter." said Miss .Abeles. "and feel that the university has wronged the Jewish students and staff by opening classes on this, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar."
President Williams, away
on vacation, was unavailable for comment.
A cmmunity in its death throes
Nussbaum. There is strict attention to detail — ever>- movement was choreographed by Toronto teacher and dance instructor Teme Koemerman.
The singing was interspersed with anecdotes told by the boys in very passable Hebrew. Nussbaum preferring to address the audience in Yiddish: "If I speak English, you won't understand what I'm talking about. And if I speak Hebrew, I won't understand what I'm talking about."
Unfair perhaps, to single out names in sucha weli'drilled team, but David Buzaglo made a stunning impression with his hauntinglv poetic and deeply moving solos.
Another wa$ Ian Zagdansky. who sang, . conducted the choir in a few pieces and also played in Sbma Ylsrael a small band Composed of 13-16-year-oIds. which made a lot of vibrant and exciting noise, and which shared the bill with the Toronto Pirchei.
Jointly, they brought the "Toronto sound" to Isrjael in six performances in the largest concert halls of Jerusalem. Tel Aviv and Haifa, as well as performances in the northern settlements and before regular soldiers and reservists in army camps and bases in the Sinai.
JERUSALEM (JCNS) -
Israel and Egypt are in agreement on all major aspects of a three-year peace accord and a formal announcement to this effect is expected within a few days.
Religious zealots and supporters of the Betar staged violent demonstrations in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv against the proposed agreement, claiming that Israel was surrendering to U.S. pressure. U.S. Secretar>' of State Hehrv' Kissinger was singled out for attack. Police armed with tear gas and water cannon broke up crowds of demonstratbrs.
Under the terms of the agreement now virtually ready for signing by both governments, the Egyptians will advance about two miles into Israeli-held territory along the Gulf of Suez and they will take possession of the United Nations peacekeeping zone established in 1974.
Israel will relinquish the strategic Gidi and Mitla mountain passes where surveillance stations will be set up. The Abu Rodeis oilfields which Israel capture.d in 1967, will be returned to Egypt.
Despite the demonstrations against any yielding of territory, it is expected the Knesset will back the Rabin Cabinet and vote to accept the agreement, though it is not expected there will be a resounding victory for the government. One of the dissenters is expected to be former Defence Minister .Moshe Dayan.
Dr. Kissinger, whose first shuttle diplomacy ended in failure, voiced cautious optimism that the agreement will enable Israel to "dedicate herself to peace without fear." He said the new agreement would ease .Arab pressure for Israel's suspension from the United Nations. He was supported in the viewpoint by an American Jewish delegation led by Rabbi Israel .Miller which called upon him. .
Critics of the Israel Government claim that Israel is doing all the giving and Egypt is agreeing to do no more than refrain from making war and agreeing to soften its boycott and propaganda against the Jewish state. Even in the matter of hostilities, they point out, Egypt is reserving to itself the right to join any other Arab country in making war on Israel, if it decides that Israel was the aggressor.
But there are some substantial benefits accruing to Israel in the second stage. Sinai agreement. Some details were made public by Itzhak Navon. chairman of the Knesset Foreign .Affairs and Security Committee, in the hope that the information would calm the bulk of the population's fears as to the future. ^
Navon said the agreement would conisist of three parts: open conimitments between Israel and Egypt; commitments between Israel and the United States; and indirect commitments between Israel and Egypt through Washington.
As part of the agreement, Israel would receive "about S2.000 million and maybe more" in American financial aid. as well as guaranteed oil supplies. In addition, the U.S. would sell Israel "sophisticated and important arms." Navon said.
Navon. a veteran member of the Israel Labor Party, said that 20 clauses of the projected agreement must still be kept secret. He added: "1 favor this agreement because it is good for the Jews."
Arafat
mamve terrmm
PARIS —
Yasser Arafat, the head of the PLO. has scr\ed notice that if the proposed interim agreement between Israel and Eg\pf docs not conform with the resolutions adopted by the conference of .Arab states at Rabat last October, the Middle East "would be> shaken by violent shocks at all levels." The Rabat conference called for complete withdrawal by Israel from all occupied territory and recognition of the rights of the Palestinians.
The threat of a major terrorist offensi\c was made by Arafat in an intcr\ icw with a representative of Le Monde. Apparently smarting under what he felt was a snub by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. the terrorist leader said he had not been told anything about the proposed , agreement although a rule was made at the .Arab summit conference that he was to be kept informed of all developments.
The Syrians arc also reponcd to be unhappy about
the proposed agreement, despite Egyptian assurances that the interim accord to be signed with Israel will not endanger the Syrian position.
Israel is well aware that her agreement with Egypt is likely to spark a renewed series of terrorist attacks by the PLO. and Arafat's warning is seen as strong evidence that this is likely to happen. It is known that all defense forces have been alerted to the situation and security at sensitive border points has been tightened. In recent days. Israeli war-planes carried out bombing attacks against terrorist bases in Lebanon on, the Syrian border.
Meanwbilc in Jerusalem. Foreign Minister Yigal Allon appealed to his country's "responsible public" to be rcstiained in their behavior even if they oppose the interim pact with Egypt. The appeal fell on deaf ears as far as supporters of right-wing and religious political groups were c<iriccrned.
HOLIDAY NOTICE
Itzhak Navon
Cont'd on Page 18
The Canadian Jewish News
offices will be closed on Labor Day. Monday Sept. 1. Therefore, the display advertising and editorial deadline for the Sept. 5 edition is Thursday Aug. 28 at 2 p.m. Classified ad deadline is Friday. Aug. 29 at 1 p.m. On Erev Rosh Hashanah.
Friday Sept. 5; The CJN offices will close at 4 p.m.
.And the offices will be dosed on Yom Kippur, Monday Sept. 15. Therefore, for the Sept. 19 edition, display ad and editorial deadline is Thursday, Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. The classified ad deadline is Friday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m.
ues
a
cemetery
A 67-year old Jew is the caretaker. But Natan Abraham Moses, whom other Jews in Cairo charged was lazy, is obviously not up to the task of caring for the synagogue, which is located off Mar Guerguis Street.
it is near a teeming, filthy slum, just past a high stone wall under >yhose shadow Moslems vendors compete to sell their kitschy wares to tourists. Incredible, soul-draining poverty surrounds the synagogue, with children no more than four years old thrusting out( their emaciated brown arms for pennies.
Moses, who wears a white shirt and baggy gray pants, speaks Arabic and French. His knowledge of English is confined to the phrase "come here". In a high, hoarse voice he beckons, and he leads me around the synagogue. He claims 30-60 worshippers attend prayers every Saturday.
Midway through the tour, he suddenly shouts in French: "Baby Moses, baby
Moses." I am baffled and Moses' eyes look at mine imploringly. Taking my hand, he takes me down a dank stairwell at the side of the synagogue.
There, at the gloomy bottom, is a p>ool of stagnant water — water from the mighty Nile, he assures me. But what is he trying to tell me? Finally, it dawns on me. He is drawing a primitive parallel between this insignificant pool of water and the Biblical stor>' of the infant Moses floating in a straw crib upon the waters of the Nile.
As I leave, I buy^ a three-by-three inch blue pamphlet on Ben Ezra Synagogue. The forward reads:
"The author of this modest work (who remains anonymous) who has the privilege of exercising his mission in this beautiful Nile Vally (sic), so Well-known for its liberalism and spirit of religious tolerance, is happy to present to the leaders of the Revolution, with this book, his respectful
homage of loyalty, patriotism and profound grathude."
* * * * * •
Emil Joseph Pinto, the hazzan of Shaar Shomayim Synagogue, has no illusions about the future of Egyptian Jewry. "We areold. What are they going to do with us?" he sa\*s in English.
Unlike the Ben Ezra Synagogue, Shaar Shomayim is in fairly good shape. But the last time its 500 seats were filled to capacity Was in 1956, the year of the second Arab-Israeli war.
So Shaar Shomayim, located in the heart of Cairo's commercial district, is a quiet monument rather than a vibrant place of worship.
The well-preserved mahogony pews in the centre of the synagogue have inscriptions in brass on them, biit they are fading. If you get down on your hands and knees, it is-possible to read the names of the
illustrious Jews who founded Shaar Shomayim 65 years ago — the Jews who prospered as merchants and bankers and government officials, the Jews who played such a vital and unremembered role in Egyptian society years and years ago.
Pinto, a native of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, points a finger at one inscription: Moise Cattaui Bey. I recall the name. Cattaui. who was bom in 1850 and died in 1924. was the president of the Cairo Jewish community, and during the last year of his life w as elected to the Egyptian parliament. Cattaui's nephew, Joseph Asian (1861-1942) was a cabinet minister and a senator. The last of the Cattauiclan left Egypt 18 years ago.
I see other names: Simeon Rollo. Raphael Shares. Maurice Israel, Vita J. Mosseri' Bey. Felix Suares, Michmiche Affif,
Cont'd on Pagi 18
. (See interview with Brig. E'Ikateb On Page 4i