2—THE BULLETIN—Thursday. December 11, 1975
Say ^manyana' to Mexico
BY HENRY LEONARD
THE BOYS AND GIRLS at Talmud Torah are not only learning, they are teaching. And while the lesson they have just presented may be meant for other children, it should be "must learning" for all parents and grandparents in our community also.
We are referring to a report in the ' news columns of this newspaper (JWB Dec. 4, 1975) of the visit of the entire grade six class to the Mexican consulate.
It seems that during tfie current events session of their Jewish History class, the students were learning about Zionism and the subject came up of last month's anti-Zionist resolution at the United Nations. The class looked over the list of countries that had voted for and against the resolution and were surprised to see iiiat alongside countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Uganda and the Soviet Union, was one Western democracy — Mexico — which had also voted in favor.
ACCORDINGLY, the children decided to do something about it. Firstly, they sat down and composed a letter to the President of Mexico asking for an explanation.
"We demand to know why, at your instruction, Mexico joined in the infamous majority which recently labelled Zionism as a form of racism," they wrote. "Why was it, when all the world's democracies voted against the blatant lie, Mexico bowed to the immoral demands of the Arab countries?"
The students then advised the President that they were preparing to launch a campaign in January calling for "a boycott in Vancouver of Mexican products" and urging "a suspension of all tourism to a country that is labelling its loyal Jewish citizens racists."
The letter concluded with the hope that the President's actions "will make our boycott unnecessary."
BUT HOW DOES ONE SEND a letter during a national mail strike? The class decided to deliver it in person. They had it translated into Spanish and one of the students who speaks that language gave it to the local Consul with the request that it be forwarded to the President.
For us adults, the rest seems self-evident: The- President's name is Luis Echeverria and his Consulate iis located at 1402 — 1055 W. Georgia.
As for the boycott: Those of us planning a winter vacation should reserve in some other sunny climate such as Eilat, Hawaii, Palm Springs or Miami.
And while we are doing so, we must also make it clear to our travel agents why we are scrapping Mexico and all the other sunshine vacation spots that are located in countries which voted in favor of the U.N. resolution equating ' Zionism with racism.
In this way we may teach the governments of these sunny lands whose economies depend on tourism, that morality is worth more tothem than is oil expediency.
Kreisky - Weisenthal feud is going to court
VIENNA — The Kreisky-Wiesenthal feud reached a new pitch with publication in the Hamburg weekly news magazine, Der Spiegel, of an article headlined "Kreisky — Jews an uglypeople."
Simon Wiesenthal, director of the Vienna Jewish Documentation Centre, is suing Dr. Bruno Kreisky, the Austrian Chancellor, for libel. Dr. Kreisky has said that he will relinquish his parliamentary seat to fight the case if the National Assembly does not lift his parliamentary immunity. . °
Der iSpiegel referred to an interview given by Dr. Kreisky, who is a Jew, but is not a member of the official community, to an Israeli journalist, Zeev Barth, quoting Dr. Kreisky as saying: "Jews treat me with terrible impertinence and I don't tolerate this. Would you question the French Premier like this? This is terrible cheek and I would like to throw you out. "Why should I be cross-examined like this? I have had enough. I won't be treated by the Jewish or Israeli public like a defendant."
At the end of the interview, Barth wrote: "As I wanted to leave the Chancellor's office, he drew me back, adding, evidently trying to be - funny: If Jews are a people, they are an ugly people."
When he was later asked to comment on the article, Dr. Kreisky replied that he never confirmed or denied tete-a-tete interviews.
In a telegram to Dr. Kreisky, Rudo|[f Augstein, Der Spiegel's publisher, regretted the "unfair headline."
In another interview with the Vienna daily newspaper Kurier, Dr. Kreisky said that he intended calling former Nazis to give evidence against Wiesenthal in the forthcoming court case.
Wiesenthal sued for libel after the Chancellor accused him of
resorting to "political Mafia" methods in exposing the wartime Nazi past of Friedrich Peter, the Freedom Party leader.
Dr. Kreisky, who heads the Socialist Party, had considered a coalition with the Freedom Party if the Socialists did not obtain an absolute majority in the October elections. However, the Socialists obtained their majority.
Dr. Kreisky had claimed, as well that Wiesenthal obtained Aus -trian citizenship under false pretences and that his activities
(presumably, his search for Nazi war criminals) are inimical to Austria's interests: * The Chancellor said that he would prove in court that Wiesenthal was actually an agent. He did not say for whom.
The recent statement by Dr. Kreisky that "there is no Jewish nation, only a Jewish religious community or a community of faith," has been indirectly affecting relations with Israel, observers reported. JCNS
PHOTOSTAT
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the Canadian mosaic. It is our strength."
In his earlier statement to The Bulletin in May last year, Mr. Bennett stated that "connotations which wereputOnMr.Schroeder's remarks were unfortunate. He said that he had Mr. Schroeder's assurance both publicly and privately, that he, Mr. Schroeder, dones not have the type of prejudicial attitude suggested in newspaper accounts of the debates in the Legislature."
"As far as I am concerned," Mr. Bennett was reported in The Bulletin as declaring, "there is no room in our party for anyone with attitudes of racism. I would not support any person who had such attitudes- and who chose to serve on either the constituency level or in an elected capacity asanMLA."
In a telephone interview from Chilliwack, Mr. Schroeder this week told The Bulletin that he had made a statement the next day (May 9, 1974) in the Legislature and that it was unfortunate
that the photostat being distributed did not include the Hansard page recording his remarks.
Mr. Schroeder said that there was no "ethnic intenf in his earlier remarks, in which he was trying to compare the abilities of Bob Williams with those of the American directors of government-controlled Canadian Cellulose company.
He said he read off the names of the U.S. directors from their literature and gave no thought whatever to the fact that they were Jewish names. What he was thinking about was that they were very capable persons,-far more capable than Mr. Williams.
Mr. Schroeder said that he was "the least prejudiced of any people I am aware of."
Asked about his attitude towards the Jewish people, Mr. Schroeder pointed out thJat his attitude is no different than it is to the German people, ("I myself am of German background"). "I do not differentiate between people and I wouid be opposed to any person who would try to differentiate between peqole as a race. I think every man stands on his own abilities," he stated.
Anger over Brazil anti-Zionist stand
RIO DE JANEIRO-Azeredo da
Silveira, Brazil's Foreign Minister, has labelled as "unpatriotic" the country-wide condemnation of Brazil's vote for the United Nat-tions resolution equating Zionism with racism.
In an interview with the daily newspaper 0 Estado de Sao Paulo, he said that "Brazil cannot accept that some Brazilians feel more tied to their racial origin than to. . .Brazil."
A delegation from the Jewish Confederation of Brazil met with Silva, the chief of President
— DEATHS 1975 —
DAVID ROSENBERG . November 26
FAY LEXIER November 27
SARAH WACHNOW November 27
BERTHA HORNSTEIN December 2
REVA CHECOV December 3
As another Bulletin community service feature, Deatlis will be published weekly as they are registered.—THE PUBLISHER.
Ernesto Geisel's Cabinet, to protest against the statement.
An editorial in the same issue of the newspaper branded the Foreign Minister's words as "gratuitous insults. . .of a racist substance."
Many protests against Brazil's vote were voiced in the House of Representatives in Brasilia. Government and Opposition members urged tht Foreign Minister to change his stand and vote against the resolution in the General Assembly, but he did not do so.
A statement repudiating the anti-Zionist motion, signed by nearly 300 leading Brazilians, including former President Jusce-lino Kubitschek, was published in three of the country's main newspapers, the Jornal do Brasil and O Globo in Rio de Janeiro, and 0 Estado de Sao Paulo.
Social Colendar
B.I. Learning Day......Dec. 11
S.T. Film ......................Dec. 14
S.T. Adult Educ. .......Dec. 15
Endorsotions ore published as o Bulletin community service. Errors or omissions con be' corrected only by Jeirish Community Fund ft Council, Ph. 261-8101__THE PUBLISHER.
Rejnemlier TAe SoMofii
Sabbath begins) Light candles JEWISH CALENDAR
Friday, December 12, 3:54 (LUACR) 5736 - 1976
Sedre Vayigash, Genesis ja,. 17
Sabbath ends, Havdalah ^" ^ S"®^** T^' "
December 13, J:54 Fast of Esther...........Mar. 15
_ _ . „ Purim............................Mar. 16
Friday, December 19, 3;55 i>..^». iwai. 17
Sedra Vayechi, Genesis Shusham Purim .......Mar. 17
Sabbath ends. Havdalah Passover AprU 15
December 20, 1:55 Israel Independence
Day___ Miy 5
Friday, December 26, 3:59 la-. R«nm..r " Mav 18
Sedra Shmot, Exodus ^^m^x ........-.......May i»
• Sabbath ends, Havdalah AII holidays begin the preceding
December 27, 4:59 eve at sundown.
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Thursday, Dec. 11, 1975
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