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The Canadian Jewish News, liiursday, March 20,1980 -Page 7
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By GABRIEL BEN-DOR
In the rapidly shifting fortunes of power politics in the Middle East, the stocks of one key Arab country — Iraq — have risen dramatically in the past two years.
Iraq has always been known as oneof the two erifants terribles of the Arab world (the other being, of course. Syria).and it has been a major protagonist in almost every importaiit move, struggle or process in. modem Arab politics. At the same time; it has been riding a rather frightening roUer coaster, occasionally sinking into the lower depths of virtual isolation in the Arab world (and consequently, in the regional and global politics in general), at other times rising the dizzying heights of respectability, leadership and power on the inter-Arab scene (and as a result, dramatically improving its outside influence in general).
Right now, Iraq is definitely on the upward curve.
Iraq is a medium size Arab country, with a population of about 12 million, about twice the size of the population of Syria or Saudi Arabia. It is an important .oil producer and exporter, third in the Middle East only to Saudi Arabia and pre-revolutionary Iran. It speaks with a loud voice (and does carry a big stick) in the all-important power struggle of OPEC.
Its territory is critically situated on a north-south axis. It stretches from a triangle stuck between Turkey and Iran, only a couple of minutes of air time away from the Soviet Union. In the south, it reaches to the shores of the all-important Persian Gulf (where in the early 1970s it offere;d the Soviets their only navaloutlet to the Gulf). In the east, it shares a long common boundary with Iran (and sharing with it the Kurdish problem, which the two countries have used against each other), and in the west it shares a desert frontier with Jordan and Syria.^ with which Iraq has been conducting a running feud over the water of the jEuphrates River. Ideological lines also separate the rival branches of the Baath party ruling the "two countries.) Iraq'is proximity to Sauidt Arabia is an important element in the political considerations in the latter country. .
Iraq, along with Syria, and to a mdch lesser extent, Egypt, has always been in the forefront of Arab politics, often heralding important changeis and future trends. The most important early leader of modern Arab nationalism, the Hashemite' King Faisal..; was' driven out of Syria by the French and proceeded; under British  auspices, to
Enfant temMe of Arab world has con8idei*able power
ism
establish his dynasty in Iraq. This lasted until the 19$8 revolution.
Iraq became the first Arab country to gain independence from the British and to be acciepted to the League of Natipn^in 1932. It aiso became the first Arab country to undergo a military coup d'etat in 1936, its politics ,soon becoming a theatre for ambitious military men and factiohs. During World War II, fraq experienced a pro-Nazi takepveri which had to be crushed by the British in 1941, bringing iiitopoWer the man who was to determine Iraqi plplitics until his murder in 1958— Nuri Said.
Nuri was a politician of the;. bid Arab school, strongly pro-British, sh^e^yd, adroit, a born manipulator, an opportunist, ~ deeply steeped in corruption and badly out of touch with'the new, radical generation of politicians, intellectuals and officers. He led Iraq into the 1948-9 war against Israel, never even bothering to sign an arinistice treaty with it, as Iraq has no common frontier with Israel.
He never managed to overcome the stigma of being the agent of western (and particularly British) imperialism as far as
the new Arab generation was concerned. This stigma became even more onerous after 1955, when Iraq become the only Arab country to join the newly formed pro-western alHance, named after its own capital, the Baghdad Pact. This tbtally alienated Nuri from the relevant political class in Iraq. His attempt, therefore, to present a viable alternative to Nasser's efforts to capture the leadership of the Arab world Was doomed to failure. ^ /indeed, Nuri and the Hashemite regime were overthrown (1958) in a hrutal military coup. The new regime, top (led by (jcineral Kassem) soon began to quarrel with Egypt and it could not overcome the ubiquitous problem of the Kurds. Nor could it build a viable political structure in a country where a slight majority of the inhabitants are rural Shiites (the only such Arab country), while power essentially rests with urban Sunnis. Kassem; too, was overthrown in 1963 and eventually in 1968, a Baath military regime came to poweri which still, endures and managed a transition (accompanied by bloody purges) to the present strongman Sadam Hussein and a group of officers and
party leaders from a northern region of the country.
In the past year or two, Iraq has shown a good deal of pplhical sophistication. It attempted, unsuccessfully, to end the feud ' with Syria; If^ attempted, successfully, to reach an agreement with pre-revplutionary Iran, thus drastically weakening Kurdish opposition — the eternal thorn in the thigh of any Iraqi regime. However, relations with Khomeini's Iran have deteriorated badlyin recent frjonths. particularly over an Arabic-speaking, oil-rich region, in western Iran.
Iraq, which was one of the two closest Arab allies of the Soviet Union in the 1970s (the other being South Yemen) slowly began to disengage from excessive dependence on the Russians, buying arms (and technology) from France and other western . .sources, including nuclear reactors, arid even developed cautious dialogue with the United States..
A more muted ideological tone, less emphasis on territorial claims on Kuwait, oil money invested in industrializing, and building the third largest Arab army (after
Egypt and Syria) all contributed to breaking down the wall of isolation surrounding Iraq in the early and mid-197ps,~making it again one of^e leading centres of active Arab politics, particularly at the _iirne when Egypt's decline as the leader of the Arab world and the increasing weaknesses of the Saudi regime created more room at the top.
Thus, by the late iy7Us Iraq increasingly became the nucleus of opposition lo the Sadat initiative and the Egyptian-Israeli peace process in the Arab world.
The two Arab conferences organizing and formulating this opposition were held, characteristically enough, in Baghdad. On the other hand, at the second; Baghdad conference, in order to put together a viable anti-Egyptian coalition, the alternative to the Camp David accords was formulated in terms of calling for a comprehensive peace settlement negotiated in Geneva (of course, including the PLa^arid on other terms ^ unacceptable to Israel).
It is difficult to judge to what extent Iraq, which felt compelled to acquiesce in this approach, has undergone genuine change,
if any, in its basic vehemently anti-Israel and anti-peace tradition. (It also, has a - particularly violent and, brutal pojfitical -^heritage in general, and the way the^ existence of Jewish community in Iraq, the largest in the eastern Atab world, was terminated in the jate 1940s is a distinctly unhappy memory.)
This may be a merie tactical gesture, and it may be a harbinger of substantial changes still to come. What is certain is the visible re-emergence of Iraq as a key Arab power, well in line with shifting much of the gravity of Middle East politics from the Suez Canal Zone"fb the Persian Giilf area.
We cannot tell.yet whether there is a really new, different Iraq.riowever, Middle East politics has taught us the necessity to anticipate developments in the region, if at all possible. However limited our anticipatory capacity, Iraq, at the very, least, deserves a close watch. Politics (in the Middle East as in any.other plaice) is aboiit, power, and Iraq now has a respectable dose of that. Such power may be feared, respected, abhorred or countered. Under no circumstances, however, can it be ignored.
strengthens Jewish unity-
Mwneri,
This is one of a series of articles aboiit Canadian Jewish Congress and its 19th plenary assembly, May 1-4, at ihe HariMnar Castle Hotel hi Toronto. For this piece, Toronto writer. Judy Noyek hitervlewed plenary chairman Mlra Koschltzky and other'CJC yolonteers.
ByJUDYNOYEK
"Gonvenirig delegates from all of Canada strengthens our unity as Jews, and makes us all feel part of one community," says Mira Koschltzky, chairman of the 19th plenary assembly of Canadian Jewish Congress to b6 held May 1-4 at the Toronto Harbour Castle Hilton Hotel.
As head of a skilled professional and volunteer corps, recruited last year for numerous sub-committees. Mira is involved in every facet of co-ordinating arrangements for the plenary, held every three years., Aboiit l.OCK) delegates .are ■ i^pected to attend and hear such speakers as Yehuda Blum. Israel's ambassador to the UN, and Ontario Premier William Davis.
For Mira Koschltzky. commitment to the Jewish community began as a youngster, soon after immigrating to, Toronto, from Czechoslovakia in 1947; : "I felt very strongly about being committed.to the Jewish community, and stilldo, because of the Holocaust." she said in an interview."lthad a very profound effect on rrie in that it made me more
.Jewish;-^;
After marriage to Saul Koschltzky. Mira moved to Calgary and focused her volunteer efforts on Hadassah, synagogue work and the United Jewish Appeal. Because of her husband's involvement with the Western Region of CJG during their 10 years in Calgary, they attended plenary assemblies with regularity.
"Living in the; West, wc found the plenaries our one contact with the rest of Canadian Jewry," she states. Those years gave her first-hand experience and insight into the smaller Canadian Jewish communities, alhd made her appreciative of the services Congress provides.
Ten years ago, the family returned, to Toronto. Mira has been president of the Parents,' Association of Associated Hebrew Schools, and a member-of the Holocaust Remembrance Committee of Toronto Jew-, ish Congress. She is active in various organizations including the Ulpanat Orot and Or Chaim Schools.
Her family encourages her volunteer \, efforts, and shares a strong bond with the Je\yish community. Saul Koschitzky holds a variety of communal positions, including vice-presidency of TJC. Soils David and Joel. both.students at the University of Toronto, are involved respectively in campus UJA and Bn.ei Akiya of Toronto. Daughter Taniar works regularly with a handicapped Jewish youngster through her school, Ulpanat Grot. TTiis is the first plenary her sons will attend. ^
Mira is convinced"the future of the
Mlra KpscUtzky, chaimian of plenary assembly of Canadian Jewish Congress [right], studies program: brochure With Bev Holtzman, co-chairman of; the hiDspitallty committee;
Canadian Jewish community has to do witH youth-''She is enthusiastic about the CJG Constitutional change which states that a minimum of 10% of plenary delegatesare to ■ be under 30 years of age. She hopes this
in relaxed Vancouver. 'Canada's
:     By SHEILA DROPKIN [who Uved in Vancouver]
Vancouver is by far the most beautiful city in Canada arid the pace of life there is slower and more peaceful than anywhere else in' the country,: saye perhaps the northerp bush.     v;      ; r ■
But for:Jews who want to retain their Jewishriess, their Yiddishkeit, it's not s6 easy. Remaining a Jew in Vancpuvfer ishard work and easterners are more aware of it than are those people who haye lived with the situation all their Uves.
Toronto and Montreal Jews flaunt their
religion, advertise it in their way of life, their stores, their ghettos (self-created, no doubt.'butstiirghettos); Whether this is a protection ag;ainst historic anti-semitism or a feeling of new-foiind security and pride in being Jewish-is for the sociologists to decide, not journalists.
Out West, however, people are more laid back about race and religion. People are accepted or rejected for themselves, not for their color or the way in which they worship. (The only glaring exception is the prejudiced fiselings against the East Indians.) Most neighborhoods could shame the United Nations with their ethnic mix; -
Lddte Raphael,'1^ UJA [left], was honored recently
fbv Ua contribntlon to Yancoiiver SynvhoiQr Or^^ project. More than
$128,000 waa raised. YSS president Gerald McGavfai gives Raphael appropriate phiqae^
. Vancouver's Oakridge area, once considered its "borsht belt," was not a Jewish neighborhood as we easterners know them — Jews accounted for a small percentage of, the population. But most of the Jewish residents of the city Jived there and most of the Jewish organizations and services had Oakridge addresses. Now, many of its original Jewish residents have moved elsewhere. The total Jewish population of the Greater Vancouver Area has almost doubled in the last decade and Jews have.
: established residence all over the city and its suburbs — but everywhere, they are a definite minority. -
There are nearly 15,0(X) Jews in Greater Vancouver who are served by one Jewish Community Centre, four established synagogues (three in Vancouver proper; one in the suburb of Richmond) plus two fledgling congregations in the spburbs, one day school, two kosher butchers, one kosher bakery and three Jewish-style delicates-
■ sens.: '. ■:  ■ ■■■ .
Richmond is one of the fastest-growing suburbs in Canada. WTiat was farmland a few short years ago is now covered with middle and upper income single family homes and town houses. Since real estate .
. prices in Richmond are lower than in Vancouver, it is to this area that many of the.
-:" refugees "from Montreal and Toronto are ■ moving.
' The Jewish Community Centre is, in fact, misnamed. In financial difficulty, it appealed for provincial aid several years ago. The money was granted with the proviso that membel-ship be opened to the public. Its Jewish members are now ■ in the minority. The Centre building, however, houses the offices of several of the major Jewish social service agencies.
Supermarkets are only lately catching on to the variety and scope of Jewish foods. The. selection of Passover foods is limited and those shoppers used to the abundance In Toronto and Montreal stores become fhistrate^'1uid>impatient. Thanks to the recent e)cpansioh of Max's Bakery in Oakridge and ihe arrival'ofxHenry Wurm and his Montreal Bagel Bakery three years ago, one/can now buy Jewish rye bread, rolls and bagels several days a week. Formerly, the bagels were imports from Seattle and the only decent chidlah in the city (except. for the kosher bakery) was
. baked by an Austrian at a Supervalue supermarket — one had to ask for "Jewish bread."
Few, of the public school principals and staff are aware; of the Jewish holidays and they tend to look askance at those students who don't attend cla$s on Rosh Hashonah. and Tom Kippur, let alone the "minor holidays." More schools than not have less than a dozen Jewish students.
The Richmond Golf and Country Club is the one facility which might be deemed Jewish. But here, too, a noticeable portion of the newer members are not Jewish. The club's major overt allegiance to religious customsis exhibited by the fact thatjio pork products are served in its dining room and the club closes on Yom Kippur.
One of the major concerns, however, is the high rate of intermarriage, even among those young people who have had very traditional upbringings. Jewish leaders guesstimate that the level has reached 50% of all marriages and there are no signs of its diminishing. (Actually, this is not strictly a "Jewish problem.") Intermar-riage is high in British Columbia among all races, and religions. No group seems immune except the East Indians— a fact which will probably change in one or two generations.) '
Fully half the congregants of the city's Reform temple are converts, including the former wife of the outgoing rabbi. But the numbers lost through intermarriage to non-Jews are not neariy made up by the conversion to Judaism by other non-Jews.
Other statistics show, however, that the support of Israel and Israeli-based institutions by the Jews of Vancouver is extremely high. The ratio of donations and of aliyah is believed to be higher in Vancouver than, almost anywhere in North America.
Vancouver Jews do not, by any means, deny their religion — they just seem to take it for granted. To the visitor, they seem caughton a treadmill — because they are so readily accepted^they don't have to work at protecting, their Judaism; because they don't have to protect and nurture it, they are in danger of osing it. - -
Victoria, the capitial city of British Columbia, has approximately SCO. Jewish^ residents. The synagogue there is old, small ahd very beautiful. .
emphasis on youth will encourage them to , . attend the.entire assembly and participate fu|ly as delegates...
. Another constitutional charge increases the maximum number of delegates able to attend the plenary to 3.000. Mira feels this change will give much wider representation from each, region of Congress than ever before.
' . As. plenary chairman, she has tried to assure an active role for women during the. ^proceedings. She believes women can and should be more involved chairing sessions and participating in workshops. .   Mira especially enjoys the opportunity of . meeting and working with so many talented, people, both volunteers and professionals.
"Since the plenary encompasses all of Canadian Jewry, it serves as my window on our national Jewish community, and in that way it's different from any-thing I've done :
. before."'she says.
Among the groups responsible to Mira, is the Exhibits Committee, with Bea Wolfe and Sol Edell as co-chairmen. EdeJI explains "the purpose of displays from Congress constituents is to visually inform the Jewish community of existing Congress services."  .r ,;'.'. .
Some of the participants in the exhibits area will be the National Holocaust . Committee, the Jewish Historical Society of Western Canada, the Kashruth Committee,' the National Committee on Yiddish, the Archives Committee, Network and the Committee for Soviet Jewry and National Committee for Jews in Arab Lands, according to Edell. Audip-yisual presentations will also be featured.
The most popular place for a between-the-sessions break at the plenary will be the Hospitality Suite. Staffed by 30 volunteers, it will provide a relaxed atmosphere for delegates and guests. ' ;■ ■ . ".We see it as a meeting place where delegates will be able to unwind, get "to know others, and share plenary experiences or. a social level," explain Bev Holtzman and Jan Stein. Hospitality Committee members. One of several services this committee will provide is a message centre, enabling delegates to leave and receive messages. ;'    • V
Being able to anticipate and prepare for the religious needs of delegates is the concern of another volunteer comniittee. Working closely with the professional staff, volunteers are organizing details of mea^^ planning and religious observances.
Betty Kruger; confirms that strict adherence to kashruth will be Enforced. One hotel kitchen will be ritually prepared and used exclusively for plenary meals. ^
Another volunteer,;Didi Urbach, comments that the Shabbat atmosphere will permeate traditional Shabbat meals ahd services. As well. a conference room will be temporarily modified to serve as a suitable chapel for daily morning services^ .
For the plenary delegates, the proceed- . ings win happen effortlessly, but for Mira Koschitzky, and the volunteers who have been workingfor many months, that will, no doubt, be their most meaningful, compli-. nient. ■ ,;■
Begin studies the Bible every Saturday night
By DR. E.Y.LIPSITZ
. The headlines in the early edition of the Jerusalem Post a few, Sundays ago read:-• General Strike to Protest Economic Policy; . Airports, Key Enterprises Closed Today; Schools Shut Tomorrow as Teachers Protest Government Delay; Egyptian Flag Raised Over Refidim; and Movements of Syrian Troops in SouthernJ-ebanon.
: What was the Prime Minister of Israel doing on the Saturday night just preceding the publication of these stories?
Hehad gathered in his home with some 75 people to study the Bible. .The group meets at the Prime Minister's residence-.  everj'Saturday night. .u. .
On a recent visit to Israel I was privileged to attend such a session on the invitation of Dr. Chaim Gevaryahu, chairman of the World Jewish Bible Society. Gevaryahu was . at one time a visiting lecturer to our own Bible Study Group in Toronto, which functions under auspices of Toronto Jewish Congress.
the theme of this particular session at Prime Minister Begin's home was the weekly portion of "Bo'* from the Book'of Exodus. Distinguished IsraeH professors were invited to interpret specific passages and concepts from the ToraJi reading. Prof. Menashe Harel attempted to pinpoint the exact location of the Land of Goshen, and to explain why Jacob and his sons settled there. Prof. Samuel Safrai explained the /Significance of the Passover sacrifices in' Egypt. Prof. Lev elucidated on the distmc-
tion between'the biblical phrases '!Adat Israel" (the Congregation of Israel) and "K'hal Adat Israel" (the assembly of the ; Congregation of Israel).
Prof. Elitzur discussed whether the. children of Israel dwelt in Egypt for 430 years or for four generations.
In response to a question raised by the Prime Minister at a previous meeting. Prof. Sarah Groll and Dr. Strikovsky and two scholars from the audience compared and-contrasted the "signs and wonders" performed by Moses and Aaron and-those performed by the magicians of the Pharaoh of Egypt. In spite of their efforts, it was generally agre.ed that more investigation was required to solve some remaining discj^epancies. ,— . Tne whole evening was conducted in a most cordial yet informal manner. Dr. Gevaryahu at one point injected a bit of humor ioto the proceedings.by stating that :.it had been difficult: to decide on exactly what aspect of the Bible reading would be most suitable for study that evening, but, -tumingto the Prime Minister, he said: "It is not fan- to tell you about problems and difficulties of decision making when we all know that you, Mr. Prime Minister, had \many more problems t^is past weekthah we can imagine.'' Mr. Begin had a slight smile ,6n his face.and answered, ''I am not going to deny that."
Leaving this memorable evening, one could not fail to ponder on the words of the prophet Zechariah: "Not by might; nor by power, but by my spirit as the Lo;^ of hosts." '   , J '