By SHELDON KIRSHNER SEP 13
Although Turkey gqneralbpnMtts hAiQ(,iao self aloof from the bi^terne||g^e Ar Israeli dispute, her-^^i^^^jjijfj^jiijjijgj^ can best be descrik9IUMfr;."deutrality^
leaning toward the Arabs." For geographical, religious and historical reasons, the Turks find it exceedingly difficult not to be mildly pro-Arabintheir orientation.
For the-Turks, neutralityencompasses a hands-off policy in Middle East affairs, non-interferenee in the Arab-Israeli conflict and a definite aversion to mediate between both sides. "Mediation," said one government official, "is a delicate and ungrateful job. Even if you can reconcile
' > two angry sides, you risk losing the friendship of both." otrt The Turkish reluctance to become involved in. the Arab-Israeli imbroglio is -boundless: Several years ago, the So-"vfeTambassador m Ankara presented a Russian peace plan to the Turkish premier and requested his support. Ankara refrained from reaction or comment.
"Turkey has no intention of taking any action on this or other proposals," a Turkish spokesman reportedly declared. "The place to try to solvetheMiddle East problem is Moscow, Washington, Tel Aviv and the Arab capitals — but not Ankara." Turkey's oo.'^itinn is considered to be jhe favors a~complete
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Israeli withdrawal from occupied Arab lands, and the 'return of the Palestinian refugees to their former-homes- In the past, too, Turkey has condemned Israeli retaliation raids but not Palestinian commando attacks. ■
Ankara's sympathy for the Arabs is expressed by the national media. On the one hand, the left wmg press scorns Israel as an imperialist invader, while on the other the right wing press excoriates Jerusalem for sentimental and religious reasons.
As a result of her tacit pro-Arab policy, Turkey's bilateral relations with the "progressive" Arab states has improved in the last 10 years. In the 1950s. Ankara's ties
witli the Arabs was strained because of he!' adherence to NATO, the Baghdad Pact and her fairly good relations with Israel.
But although Turkey has strengthened her links with the Arabs, Ankara and Jerusalem still maintain diplomatic relations. Turkey's diplomatic association with Israel is on the charge d'affaires leveL However, apart from stable commercial dealings, political contacts are kept to a nMiumum. It is no coincidence that during the Yom Kippur War, Turkey rejected Atnencan pleas to fly military supplies to Israel from Turkish air bases. .Still and all, Turkey's attitude toward Israel isnot entirely neptive. Indeed, it -is a tribute either to Israelijliplomatic
ingenuity or to Turkish.pragmatismthata nominally Moslem nation still maintains, political; relations with a besieged Jewish state in the face of hostile Arab opposition.
The Turkish attitude toward Israel, however ambivalent it may be, was best summarized by an editorialist writing m the ^influential newspaper Cumhuriyet: "Our relations with the Arab countries cannot be expected to show conformity. Turkey doesn't sympathize with the Arabs to the extent of ignoring the existence of Israel "
No matter how the Turks may feel about Israel, the most common theme in their Middle East policy is uninvolvement in the explosive Arab-Israeli dispute:
This is particularly true now that Turkey is militarily involved in the Cyprus crisis. Turkey's obvious unwillingness to entangle herself in the complexities and emotions of Arab and Israeli politics was put best by Gen Refik Tulga; a former military representative to NATO.
Gen. Tulga wrote: "if the local Israeli-Arab dispute turns into a problem between the two superpowers, Turkey will find it--self between two fires. We should be very careful over Middle East developments."
In light of what has occurred in Cyprus' in the last month, one can easily imagine that the Turks have~~now even less of an interest in the Arab-Israeli conflict than was the case six months ago.:
padian nnews
12 Pages
Friday, September 6,1974 Eiul 19, 5734
The Torah mantle to be awarded Toronto congregations by the State of Israel Bonds is admired by synagogue leaders at a recent meeting. They were planning the High Holy Day Bonds appeal. Standing (from left) are: Harry Halberstadt, Shaarei Tefillah; Alex Eisen, Bonds executive; Jack Rothman,
Beth Torah, and Nathan Hurwich, Bonds executive. Seated (from left) are: Jack Israeli, Bonds campaign ciiairman; Ben Smith, Pride of Israel;.Mrs.. Harvey Hecker, Temple Emanu-El; Irving Newman, Beth Torah and Norman Horenfeld, Beth Am. Forty-seven congregations are taking part in the appeal.
Synagogues to get Torah mantles
TORONTO -
Each of Toronto's 47 synagogues will-be the recipient of a significant religious article made in Israel, as a memorial to the Israelis who .fell in the Yom.Kippur War, and m grateful recognition of: the unprecedented participation of these synagogues in the Israel Bond Campaign ■ during and following the war last vear.
The. award IS a handsome. Torah mantle m white satm
with silver embroidery which bears the seal of the state of Israel and the m-scriDtion in Hebrew: "Le-zekher Chalalei Yisrael Milchemet Yom . Hakipp-urim" ("In Memory of Those Who Fell in the Yom Kippur War")
Meetings have been and are being held with synagogue presidents; Bond chairmen and rabbis to determine the. most appropriate time and occasion for
the actual .presentation .of the Torah mantles to each individual synagogue. A •meeting of: the Toronto Board of Rabbis was held this week and a second meeting of synagogue presidents and.Bond chairmen will take place on Sept. 11. Leaders have been unanimous intheir appreciation of the award as a "perpetual reminder to the Jewisb people of the sac^ rifices made by those who fellin the Yom Kippur War."
Division of United Way headed by Charles Kent
TORONTO -
If you want to get a job done, give it to a busy man. That's one of the reasons why Charles Kent was asked to take over as 1974 chairman jof. the Commercial Division for the United Way • ^campaign. He IS responsible for the recruitment and follow-up of 2,300 key personnel ~- canvassers, team and group captains and section heads — in canvassing 18,500 companies in Metro Toronto, covering 200,000 employees.
"It's my first involvement in this capacity," Kent said, as he listed off the mind-boggling figures. "As a Jew and a member of the community, 1 want to co-operate to'the fullest to help United Way Nachieve its projected goal, (Which is.20% above, what was raised last year."
Kent is a retired pharma^ ceutical entrepreneur in^his early 50s, but boyish good--
Charles Kent
looks and a trim physique give him the appearance of a much younger man. After selling his chain of 40 stores to Oshawa Wholesale in 1968, he stayed on as manager for four years and in 1972 went back to university as a full-time student In the social sciences and humanit-. ies. His early retirement al-
lowed him to indulge his in-clination for continued: learning, "dabble in sculp-. ture," and become even more involved in community work.
In the Kent household, community involvement his been a way of life.__Mrs. Kent_ (lda)7~has just completed her term as chairman of the UJA Women's Division. Under her leadership, in what^became the most crucial campaign in UJA history, the Women's Division took on a new dimension in the effort and contribution made to the: phenomenal success in fund-. raising results..
As early asi 1950, Kent was covering cards for UJA for the pharmacy group, later becoming chairman of •the division. He has also taken an active role in the UJA leadership; serving a:?'^ vice-chairman of the cam/-paign planning committee. I
Cont'd on Paga 9\
Presentations will be made at some time during the High Holy Day observances..
When Israel was attacked on Yom Kippur a year ago. the Jews of Canada and the United States reacted with instantaneous effort and generosity, setting new records of support m the High Holy: Day Appeals for Israel Bonds underway m synagogues in every community. In Toronto, the synagogues became a rallying point for Jews throughout the citv to mobilize their resources for Israel's safety and welfare, and this community led the entire continent for per capita purchases of Israel Bonds.
During the coming High. Holy Day Appeals, extraordinary efforts are once again being undertaken in Toronto, by all 47 congregations to meet the crucial: economic situation which Israel now faces in the after-
math of the Yom Kippur War, Serving as co-chairmen of the Synagogue Divi-, sion of the Toronto Jsrael Bond Campaign are three veteran leaders Alex Eisen, Nathan 0. Hurwich and.Dr. Norman W. Shaul. .
In a joint statement, thev; declared that "Through the maximum success of the High Holy Day Appeals on thisanniversarv of the Yom Kippur War. the synagogues of our community will be helping to provide Israel with the financial means to carry on urgent econortiic reconstruction. .The efforts of each and every member of the community to buy the maximum amount of Israel Bonds possible at the synagogue appealsis of the highest importance, because Israel's hopes for peace are linked in a large measure to the capacity: of its people to maintain and expand its economic strength;".
PIGSKIN IS BEST
JERUSALEM (JTA)-
Israeli, rabbis have, approved the use of.dried pig skin-in grafts for persons who have suffered severe burns. The relatively new method, developed in the -United States, have been used successfully on Israeli, soldiers^dly burned dur-
ingi^he Yom^Kippur War. ■f The rabbis who were con-1 suited said the ifnethod was acceptable because it in-'volved "pikuah nefesh" — the principle tWt\ religious law may be vio'lated to save a human life. J^arge quantities of pig skin, dried by a
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.special process that-^-permits storage, have been sent to Israel from the U.S; since the war last October. A report on its use Will be presented at the fifth international congressof the Transplant Society to.be held here soon..
Prof. Nahum. Ben Hur, of Shaare Zedek Hospital, one: of the experts Who introduced the system to Israel, told a press conference that pig skin proved to be the best skin graft. About 10% of Is rael's wa r wounded suffered from burns necessitating skin graftsTT
Sylva's supporters celebrate her release from Soviet camp
ByRUTHKAHANE CJN Staff Reporter
TORONTO -
Supporters of 30-year-old : Svlva Zalmanson . were by turns overjoyed and totally speechless when they discovered she had been suddenly released, after, four, years of a lO-year sentence to the Potma labor campm Russia.
. The sudden release.of the only Jewish woman, held by. the Russians came as a . shock;. 'This was a fantastic thing: it never happened before." Genva, Intrator^ chairman of Women for Soviet Jewry, said when contacted by The Canadian Jewish News. "No other prisoner has ever been released even one day before they had completed the sentence."
Just two days before he received notice of her release. Sylva's father. Joseph Zalmanson, in Moscow, had petitioned the Supreme Soviet for her release, and had been refused.
Since her release, Sylva has been staving at the summer cottage outside Moscow, of Andrei.D.-Sakharov, the, physicist and leading
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I For some Struggling synagogues I horne of their oum h just a dream
Soviet dissident. According to the Zalmanson relatives, some of whom.are in Israel, and others here in Canada, she was suffering from tuberculosis and a peptic ulcer. It is not now known. how far her general physical and mental health have . deteriorated because of conditions in the camps, includ-• ing heavy work and punish-, . ments by starvation.
Herman Ladovskv, a second cousin by marriage Who lives m Toronto, said he IS in touch with the uncle in Israel., and immediately wrote there to find out about her health. . Svlva. her husband, and two brothers were all tried during the First Leningrad Trial of December, 1970, for plotting to hijack a Soviet airliner. "They had no proof that thev .were trying to hijack the plane." Mrs. Intrator told The CJN.
Edouard Kuznetsov, Sylva s husband, is stilla prisoner. His original death sentence as supposed leader of the group of 12 wouldr be hijackers — 10 of them Jewish who had hoped to escape to Scandinavia and go to Israel, was commut-.
ed to 15 years m a labor camp . following worldwide . protest. Since, their arrest, Svlva and-Edouard have not been allowed to see each other.
The two Zalmanson brothers, Vulfandlzrail,areser- . ving terms of 10 and eight years for- their.parts in the-affair. Vulf was tried separately from the other defendants because he was an army lieutenant on active duty, subject to military rather than civilian ' law. They have not been released.
The world struggle to ob^ tain the release of the prisoners of conscience— Russians whose only crime was their desire to emigrate to .Israel — focused on Sylva. Though she has been released, the protests and silent. demonstrations will continue.
"We will try to work for every prisoner of conscience until they all get out," Mrs. Intrator said. On a regular * basis, Mrs. Intrator tele- : phones her contacts in the USSR but she said it is now almost impossible to get through to Moscow. .
"The moment we ask for information they disconnect
the telephones. AH telephones of all the activists have been disconnected," she
■ said.
Sydney M. Harris, president of the Canadian Jewish . Congress, said in a public
■ statement that the Canadian - Jewish community hopes that
the release of Sylva Zalmanson "heralds a change of attitude on the part of Soviet authorities, and that an end will soon be put to the anomalous situation of the Jews in the Soviet Union and: their treatment which IS contrary not only to the very basis of justice and civilization, but to.the Rus^ sian constitution."^
Pressure from high places in Canadian and American governments has played a major role in the protest against Soviet oppression of •people desiring to leave the country to go to Israel. Mit-. chell Sharp, Canada's former external affairs minister, asked for the release of Sylva Zalmanson when he made his trip to Russia this year. He was told not to interfere m the internal matters of Russia.
By PATRICIA RUCKER
TORONTO -
It took the dove from Noah's ark two weeks and three tries to find "rest fop the sole of her foot." . For three new congrer gations in Metro's Jt)ur-geoning .northeast, 'that. • kind of, search, for a home looks easv; , ,
The area served by Temple Har Zion, a.Reform congregation, the Conservative ShaarSha- Patricia Rucker : lom Synagogue, and Shaarei Zion, an Orthodox congregation. IS now the fastest-growing Jewish area in Metro.
According to census figures, in 1971 there were only 2.000 Jewish,souls east of Yonge and north of - Highway 401. Three years later, according to the , best-educated guesses. Mhere are, 10" times that many. This period of growth has coincided.with: , skyrocketing land prices and a rapid disappearanee of-open land. in the area, so that struggling new ■ congregations find.themselves facing adifficultand expensive search. But the need is there, and so they persevere Temple Har Zion, the oldest of the three and : the only one with. its own building, has in the : words Qi Its founding president. Philip Epstein, : been "extremely blessed." After an abortive atr: tempt to buy land already being used as church property, they were approached with an offer of land on Bavview Avenue north of Steeles "at a very reasonable price." With substantial help from all the established Reform synagogues in-Metro and a tremendous amount of volunteer labor -- members "nailed boards, painted the house, laid carpets" — thev were able to dedicate their ■ building early in 1974. :
For Shaar Shalom and Shaarei Zion, buildings of their own are still a dream :~ and-^n expensive one. According to Mary Tator, a member of Shaar Shalom's board of governors, "we anticipate paying full market prices. We're even considering the possibility of a leasing program." For an Orthodox family, who cannot drire to =Shabbat or holiday services, moving into an area without an established synagogue is a real gamble. Thus, getting a permanent location is a number one priority for Shaarei Zion. .: r
According to its-president; Bernie Zaionz, "If we could get land, our congregation would grow by leaps and bounds. There's a tremendous amount of interest among Orthodox people in Toronto. I personally, think that if an Orthodox shul were put into any development in this, area it would be .Ta1)ig selling point." At present, the congregation
: prays iirthe'home of Zaionz' brother, Chuck. ^ ' No/dne wantsMo build a huge complex. As Zaioffz puts It, "Out goal is not to have a big fancy shul; with a hall ^n it\ Our goal is to have a shul where people can icome^and daven -- a shul where : ourlchildren can qome and learn."
But how does a young congregation, with a membership top-heavy m young couples raising familr ves, acquire land? Some Christian churches have a central body that goes into a new area and buys; land long before'houses start going up.. Should Jews follow their,example? .
Opinion IS divided. "There is no central government of synagogues equivalent to, for example, a Catholic diocese. Congregations are autonomous, and want to stay that way;.
But congregations can cooperate. Har Zion, for example, began with a nucleus of eight families from Holy Blossom Temple who: had moved to the northeast and who found the distance between home" and synagogue simply too great. When they decided to go out on their own, Holy Blossom made itpos--. sible for them to support a full-time rabbi for a ■■year..
. Michael Stroh, who was assistant rabbi at Holy . •Blossom at the time; decided to throw m his lot;
' with the eight couples and, according to Epstein, ^ that made all the difference. "We; had a young and totally committed rabbi. 1 don't believe we could have gotten off the ground without a spiritual leader '•
Another way for congregations to cooperate is suggested by Mary Tator: "A willingness of older congregations to move as the children of members move/" This would have to be on a "branch" basis in the beginning, and might prove impractical, m an area like the northeast, which is attracting families from all the older sections, not ■ just one particular area served by one or two congregations. , •
Zaionz feels.that the municipalities could help out. "Any land zoned institutional or residential, owned by an educational or religious organiza-'^ tion,. should be permitted to be sold , only to ; another religious or; educational institution, not
io private interests," he suggested. : .But land banking for synagogue purposes has its own practical problems. First of all, as Epstein points out, "It's too late for northeastern Metro." While all three spokesmen agreed that, in Mary Tator's words, a land bank "would cushion the financial impact," they also agreed it would be "difficult to find the right agency to do it. -
In the meantime, the congregations keep growing. . Permanent or. not they, are obviously filling a ; need. Har Zion, which from the beginning offered a complete program, including a religious school and weekly services, has grown from the original eight to 180 families.
Shaar Shalom, after only six months, has a school, in cooperation with Congregation Beth Am;,:. a membership of "40 families and growing daily," ; and High Holiday services in Fairview Mall auditorium. Regular Shabbat services "are a high pri^ity-,^ according to Mrs. Tator. ''We just-ha^n'trdecided how frequent or when."
And Shaarti Zion, with 30 families, has the three regular m^nyanim every Shabbat and holiday (and is now working towards a children's Shabbat program. (Afterni)on Hebrew school Is not a major priority, since tlie . majority of school-age children attend Jewish day sc^pols.) jj^i^-d o« •
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