M-T
The Canadian Jiewish News, Thursday, February 6. 1986-Page 5
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After fesumption^^o
JTA & AP
JERUSALEM -
Edgar Bronfman, presi:
dent of the World Jewish ~ Congresi,_has urged inclusion of the Soviet;Unipn:in the Middle East peace process, but only after
Moscow resumes diplomatic relations with Israel .
■ 'I do not think that the : peace process.can achiei^e aay permanent results 30.
long as. the Soviets camp outside the tent," Brbnf-man told sohie 800 persons a11cnding the - opening ceremony of the WJC's
5(Xh anniversary "plenary assembly at the Jerusalem Theatre, i—-
* 'The road to : peace runs not-- only througlv
MONTREAL -
A national Jewish educa-ti6n conference will be held March 15-17 at the Bonavcnture Hilton International . on the theme Jewish Education in a Multicultural Society.
The sponsors ate the Toronto Board of Jewish Education, Canadian Jewish Congress, Canadian Zionist Federation, Jewish Education.Cduncil of Montreal, the Federation of Teachers of Jewish Schools of Montreal and the Winnipeg Board: of Jewish Education.
Two similar conferences have been held in the past.
in 1979'and 1982. '
This conference is open to both professionals and lay persons: involved with Jewish education across Canada. A special effort is being made to encourage representation from small Jewish communities.; "This' national Jewish , education conference is a precious. opportunity for those involved with education to share ideas, discuss common concerns and gain inspiration lo iriiproye the quality and relevance of Jewish eduCatiori within bur multicultural sciciety," said Shimshon Hamerman
Shimshbn Hamerman
of Montreal, conference co-chairman with Sandra Brown of Toronto. Evelyn Katz of Winnipeg is ^ice-
chairman.
The program has been drawn up fronv the responses received from questionnaires sent out to potential participants across the couhtr>'. Sessions will be of both a practical and theoretical nature, and be given in JEnglish, French and Hebrew.
Topics will include teaching the Hebrew language, Israel and the Diaspora, the meaning of a full Jewish life in Canada, niultiiingual schools, curriculum development and an evaluation df Jewish education in Canada.
Sandra Brown
There will be a display of books and other educational riiatcrials during the conference.
BGU • s Livergant cites bf aeli report
TORONTO -, Urgent and increased financial assistance is needed by Israel's institutions : of higher learning, says Harold Livergant, national president of the Canadian Associates of Beh-Gurion University. : v
Citing the latest report of the Israeli universities Planning and Grants Committee, Livergant warned of ''potentiaUy irreparable damage to the standards of excdleUc^ of Israel's ; universities and possible loss of whole
generations of student^ because of growing limitations in the schools' absorptive capacity."
According to the rcpon, Livergant said, :in One fell swoop the government cut its allocations to the universities.by 20% for the. . 1983-84 academic . year.-This reduced previous government participation to about 45 % from over 65 % . of the universities' budgets, he said.
Siiccessive cutbacks in the previous three years . reduced government al lo-
cations from nearly 80% to 65% of the budgets qf the universities, the BGU Associates presiderit said. Total government alloca-'lions to universities have for the. first time fallen below 1% of the government budget.
' 'The obvious dire consequences,' ' Livergant said, "are the threat of a serious brain drain and a lack df qualified personnel in various fields vital to the security and economy of the cqiuntry."
Other possible conse-,
quences he cited \vere a reduction in standards, inadequacy and obsole.secnce; of. the plants, equipnieni and facilities of the universities, a serious distortion of the student/teacher ratio, and more and more a limitation on the ability of theseinstitutions to absorb qualified applicants in-^" eluding many now com-pleting their national service. .
Since• the continuing' econornic crisis will not permit Israel to increase aliocatipns to her univer-
sities, their overseas supporters must come to the rescue. Livergant said. ■'The work of Israel'.s universities is so important to her safet>;, ecdnomicand social health, that we dare not slacken our suppxirt now." '
W as h i n g 10 n, hu t a1s o through Mo'scp%v," he stressed. But he warried that "clearly,^ere can be no seat at any Middle East
^able for the USSR if it does not have full
.diplomatic relations:with. Israel." He said that .sorne Arabs slates have; urged Moscow to lake this, step!
Bronfman said there was gotxl reason to hope that ihe improved relations between the United States and the Soviet Union will broaden to incliide talks abtiui Mideasr peace. He said they .should also cover human rights.
Bronfman took issue with a statement by Morris Abram, chairman of the National Conference oh Soviet Jewry (NCSJ), who, in a recent interview with The New York Tirnes, said that if■ conditions are not improved for Soviet Jews. American Jews will denionsirate against the arms neaotiations.
''We reject any linkage between arms control and the Soviet Jewry issue," Bronfman said. ''We have not, and we will not, make one dependent oh the other." He said an arms agreement will benefit all mankind, including Soviet Jewry."
Brohfmain reiterated that the WJC positwn has always been that thie Soviets should allow those Jews who want to emigrate to do sd, free the prisoners of Zibn and
allow them to go to Israel, and let Jews who wanHo remain in the USSR be free to practice their religion and pursue their culture without discrimr ination.
But Leon Dulzin, chairman of the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency Executives, said "repatriation is the only solution for the 2.5 million jews of the Soviet Union. There is no future for them in the Soviet Union — not as a community, not as a national minority, not as a culture or a religion."
Dulzin also stressed that "we must not permit neshira (dropouts) to endanger the exodus. What i.s at stake is.not the freedom of choice of a few, but the future, of an entire community."
Bronfman said he has '•half-convinced" the Soviets "that it is in everyone's best interest to inaugurate direct flights carrying Jewish emigres from Moscow to Tel Aviv."
He said the Soviet Union i.s . considering flying Jewish emigrants directly to Lsrael instead of sending them to A.ustria.
The kremlin is ready to bargain over the Soviet Jews because Soviet leaders think Jewish influence on the U.S., government could lead to increased.high-technology trade and even "extend to arras, control," the Montreal-born Bronfman told AP. : .
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YOU ARE INVITED TO THE
12th ANNUAL POLICY AND PARLIAMENTARY DINNER
APRIL 15-16, 1986 SKYLINE HOTEL, OTTAWA
V Join the leadership of Canada's Jewish cbmmunity for 2 days of informative briefings and discussions on Canada-Israel relations and Arab-Israeli issues. The programme features:
* Three Middle East policy statements by senior spokesmen for government and oppositibn.
* High-level briefings by senior Canadian and Israeli foreign policy experts and officials.
* Seminars with top Canadian and Israeli journalists.
* Participants in the conference will have the opportunity to meet directly with their Members of Parliament on the Hill.
* The conference culminates with a gala parliamentary dinner, attended by Members of Parliament, senators, senior civil servants and journalists, as well as members of the Jewish community from across Canada, at which the keynote address will be delivered by a senior representative of the Israeli government.
* Register early to ensure your place in the program. For information on the conference, contact the CIC offices:
Ottawa (613) 234-8271 Torento (416) 963-9463 "Montreal (514) 934-0771