Page 2 - The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, May 20,1982
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By RABBI W. GUNTHER PLAUT
The city of Samia does not have a large Jewish population. Estimates put it: at 40 families. They _haye had a low profile in their community; their major bid for public visibility would come on every Israel Independence* Day when (with the exception of last yeair when the matter was overlooked) an Israeli flag was raised at city hall.
This year, however, it^jy^ matters were very much different. Sar-nia's Mayor . Marceil Saddy is of Lebanese origin and, basing himself on a council resolu-tion of 1972 which gave the mayor the right to decide on flag raisings,
refused to give his per- _
mission for the hoisting 7^^ RiibbrPlaat of an Israeli flag. His parents'homeland, he said, was being exposed to "indiscriminate bombing" by the Israelis* and he further charged that the latter had "an absolute disdain for municipal government." Hence he felt that the raising of their flag would be inapprppriate.
The Jewish community was up in arms but did not at first know how to proceed. They were of two minds. While they wanted to launch a public protest it was clear that any confrontation of this kind would have a negative fallout. After considering the matter and after soliciting outside advice, Sarhia's Jews decided to mount a strong protest.
A special meeting of city council was called during which heated arguments were flung about. The mayor was dubbed "an idiot" by some, and he in turn was reported to have called the Jews "agents of a foreign country." In the end, council voted 6 to 1 to allow the raising of of the flag. Sarnia's newspaper The Observer featured the story on its front page and wrote a strong supportive editorial, and so did the London Free
Press; Altogether it was a clearcut win fpra good ■"cause. ■
However, controversies of this sort do not come without a price tag. It is in the nature of such controversies tliat they polarize opinions in the~ conununlty. People toolc sides for or against Israel, for or against Jews, and did so not necessarily on the basis of rational considerations. Therefore; even thongh the Jewish conununlty scored a victory in Samla's city conncH and in the press, the position of Mayor Saddy was not [one may suspect] without support amongst the citizens. La political matters and public relations there Is never any adyande without some cost. : , I am sure that Samia'^ Jewish.citizens took this into consideration, and I am glad their case wais vindicated in so striking a manner. Even more important than the desired result was the effect which the process had on the small Jewish community itself. Ordinarily a quiet, retiring group, they felt the urge to defend their identity and to proclaim publicly their love for Israel. They did this courageously and without apology. The very fact that they decided to proceed — eyen in the face of possible defeat — helped to give them a sense of inner strength.
To an outside observer like myself the raising of the flag was an important public symbol. The real victory came in the hearts and the souls of Sarnia's Jewish citizens. They put themselves to the test and they emerged greatly strengthened.
Writes a keen observer of the local scene: "It is certainly refreshing and heartening at this point in history when Israel is so devoid of friends, to find such an overwhelming positive response in a city like Sarnia from the council, press and others. This is rare especially in the city where there had-not been the very best inter-faith relationships, where the Jewish community had always felt a high degree of isolation."
I do not iielieve that we have heard the end of the matter. One confrontation usually spawns another. Meanwhile, however, Sarnia's Jews will lie very much l)etter equipped to respond.
.'f
Melvin Zwaig [right], with stadent resident of BGU's Canada House dormitories
Patriation of constitution celebrated at BGU campus
BEERSHEBA —
As Canada was welcoming the Queen and celebrating the patriation of its constitution, Canada Day was tieing observed in Israel.
Joining the jubilation "back at home," a group of Canadians representing the Canadian Associates of Ben-Gurion University was doing the same_at Beersheba.
. April 18 was Canada Day on the campus of Ben-Gurion University, when Canadian delegates to the 12th annual meeting of the University's board of governors, headed by Melvin C. Zwaig of Montreal; national president of the Associates, dedicated the Oelbaum Day Care Centre and the Canada House student dormitory.
The day care centre was contributed byls the ■ Oelbaum family of Toronto, three generations of whom were present: Lilly Oelbaum, her son. Ronald and his son Jordan. This ceremony, in which Canadian ambassador to Israel Joseph Stanford participated, was presided, over by Harry Walsh of Winni-p^,- senior vice-president of the Associates.
The dedication of Canada House, erected with •the contributions of a group of Montreal donors, was chaired' by Zwaig. Stanford, as well as University president Shlomo Gazit i extended greetings.
Michael Herling of Montreal,, national treasurer of the Associates, unveiled the plaque and Cyril Reitman, president/ of the Montreal ^branch, cut the ribbon at the entrance to the dormitory. At the conclusion /of his address; Stanford
presented a Canadian flag to a representative of the students in residence in the dormitory to be flown there annually on Dom-. inion Day.
During lunch Anne
Ginsberg of Montreal presented the first annual Adele and Hyman Gins--berg memorial scholarship she. and her children established recently. Following this, the Ca-
Labor's love lost
JERUSALEM [JCNS] —
A serious division has arisen between the Swedish and the Israeli Labor Parties, following the withdrawal of an invitation to a delegation from the Israel Labor party to attend the May Day celebrations in Sweden.
Two days before theJs-raeli delegation was due to leave for Sweden, Sten Andersson, the: secretary of theSwedish party, sent a cable to Shimon Peres,-the leader of the Israel Labor Tarty, suggesting that the-jrisit should be postponed.
The move was taken in protest at the Israeli ac-tiims in sootbem Lebanon and on the West Bank. '
Political commentators inr^Stockholm have expressed some surprise at the. cancellation of the visit, since - the Israel Labor Party is not a
member of the Likud-led. government.
In his cable. Andersson also expressed his concern for the safety of the Israeli delegation, because representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization would be participating in the May Day. celebrations.
At the same time, a delegation from the His-tadrut (Israel Labour Federation) is in Stockholm as guests of their Swedish counterpart. They participated in the May Day cele^ brations:
Peres has reacted angrily to the cancellation of the Israeli delegation visit.
In a cable to Olof Palme, the leader of the Swedish Labor Party and former prime minister, Peres-called the move an act against international, solidarity and against the-state of Israel.
nadian delegation traveled by bus to Herzlia where they were entertained by Ambassador and
' Mrs. Stanford at their-official residence. Following drinks, Stanford briefed the delegation on Canadian perceptions of the
■current Middle East situation.
Other members of the Canadian delegation included Machle Zwaig, Marta Herling and Mary Hazen,'all of Montreal; Mortimer and Sally Vine-berg, of Sherbrooke, Que.; Irene Walsh of Winnipeg; Samuel and Sella Heller and Ida Boyaner of Vancouver.
mquify o
Labor
By SHELDON KIRSHNER
Assassinated 49 years^ ago as lig=walked with his wife along Tel Aviv's seashore," Chaim Arlosoroff was only 34 when he died.
-Most Israelis have not the slightest inlding of Who he was. But of late, they have begun to find out. ' ■ ■
Arlosoroff, one of the brightest stars iii the pre-state Labor Party, may have become Prime Minister of Israel had he lived. When Labor, or Mafpai, was founded ui 1930, he was appointed as one of its spokesmen. A sta:unch jdly of Chaim Weizmann, who was to be the first President of Israel, Arlosoroff was destined for a great career.
■ Like Weizmann, he was a practical Zionist who believed that gradualism was the key to building a Jewish state in Palestine. He thought it was politi-
cally wise iaihd expedient to co-operate with the British, who administered: Palestinei and he favored som? sort of an under standing with the Arabs.
-In modem terms,. Arlosoroff was a moderate Zionist, a pragmatic realist, and thus he did not-endear himself to Revisionist Zionists, who were more radically inclined.
Three Revisionists — Abba Ahimeir, Zvi Rosenblatt and Abraham Stav-sky — were accused of killing Arlosoroff. Ahimeir and Rosenblatt were acquitted by a district court and Stavsky was acquitted by the Supreme Court-Revisionist leaders welcomed the decisions but charged that the accusations were biased and im-fair. Their Labor Party counterparts, notably David Ben-Gurion, remained convinced that the
Chalm Arlosoroff
Revisionist movement was behind the assassination.
: Two months ago, with the mystery of Arioso-.. rofTs kflling stin unsolved, the Isiraeli govern-. ment decided to establish a inatlonal commission to inquire into die murky afbir. Mehachem Begin, who was a 20-year-old Revisionist youth leader in Poland when Ariosoroff fell. Initiated the biqnliy.
- In 1973, when he was leader of the Opposition, he failed to convince the Labor government. to probe the matter. The then Prime Minister, Golda Meir, urged Begin to drop his request, and he did. Nine years later, he brought up the issue again.
Begin, aware that Labor leaders stin blame the Re-visloniBto for Ae crime, reportedly spoke of the need **to dear the ab once and for all crit tibe bkK>d Ubel." Two of his colleagues. Interior Minslter Yosef Borg and Minister without PortfoUo Yitzhak Modal, argued that acom-mlssloh would serve Uttle pnrpb^ and only add salt to dd ii^oonds. But they were overruled, -
The Labor Party has beea more-emphatic in its rejection of an .inquiry. Shimon Peres, its chieftain, described the move as a "ludicrous decision"
Ma'amat secretary-visits Montreal, Toronto
designed to rewrite history. ■
Responding to Peres' remark Milo, a well-known Likud Knesset mesmber, said that "a matter of principle'' was involved.: The Arlosoroff murder, he added, "was used as blatant blood libel, not only against the whole Revisionist movement, but against three individuals. The wrong can only be righted by a full impartial investigation."
Shabtai Tevet, a leading Israeli journalist who has just written a book about the Arlosoroff incident, told reporters he was surprised by Begin's decision to rehash the matter.
Nearly all the personali ties involved in it are no longer alive, he said. ".... it is clear that such an' inquiry... can accomplish nothing." The government , Tevet declared, was trying to enter the field of historical research. ,
tevet*8 book, whldb is not appreciated ■. in Ukud cfavles, is. the product of years of Investigation. He makes no conclusion as to who gunned, down Arlo^ soroff. But Ukud stalwarts
bielonglng to Begin's Herat faction Vtitak it evokes "smears and sos-picions" about the affafar.
~ The reverberations from the charges and. counter-charges have already engulfed Israel's Supreme Court.
Late last month, the court of last resort rejected a petition filed privately by a Jerusalem lawyer who opposed the cabinet's decision. Jio reason was given for the rejection.
M^anwhile^ Arioso-/ roS's/spn. has told Israel Radio that he doubts whether a cmnmisslon nnder the aegis of the present goyenunent can "readi the truth." AsbepntJtt"! do not beUeyei that any significant new e^dence has come, to light regarding the murder that can in anyway shake the existing Judicial rulings of the past."
Shaul Ailowiroff's com-mento have had TO effect. Begin, determined to get. to the bottom of tte con- ; undirum, Is committed to the commission, the three members of whidh wHI be diosen by the Supreme Court.
By JANICE ARNOLD
MONTREAL -
Na'amat, the largest women's organization in Israel, has provided the framework for the natural integration of working women and housewives,' women from the cities, development towns and kibbutzim, Ashkenazim andSephardim, even Arab and Jewish women; says its secretary-general, Masha Lubelsky.
The common cause of the 740,000 members of Na'amat (which in Hebrew is an acronym for working and volunteer' women) is bettering the lot of women in the workplace. Na'amat has 85 branches' throughout the country and 40% of the local- leadership is Se-phardic and about 40,000 members are Arab. . Together with the other large women's organizations, it lobbies the Knesset to pass legislation which will upgrade the status of women in Israel. The passage of,the Equal Opportunity Law^'officially prohibiting discrimination in job hiring was a major victory last year.
Soon Na'amat will join forces with other women's rights advocates to improve and redefine the law, which will soon go into effect.
High on the list of demands is protection against the more subtle form of discrimination of passing women: over for promotion. (Equal pay for equal work is not an issue in Israel where the powerful national labor federation, Histadrut, succeeded years ago in getting this on the lawbooks; nor - are maternity benefits — a woman can receive 12 weeks' pay for pregnancy and childbirth under the state health insurance program and her job will
remain open for another 12 months if she wants to stop working.) Na'amat also wants the retirement age for women raised to .65 from the present 62.
Lubelsky was in Canada this month as part of a North American tour to meet with Pioneer Women-Na'amat members, her first since her election to the top post of the organization last September.
In Montreal, she was honored at a reception given by the Young Women's Division of Pioneer Women; in Edmonton, she was guest speakerat a Mother's Day brunch in support of the Spiritual Adopt-a-Chlld program; and, at her last stop, Toronto, Lubelsl^ was. named Spiritual Mother of the. Year at Toronto
■ Honeer Women's annual Spiritual Adopt-a-Ghild dinner at the Beth Tzedec
Synagogue. She has been helping children since the age of 12. when she taught
. 8-year-olds in a transit camp.
Lubelsky, 45, is Na'amat's fifth secretary-general; succeeding Nava Arad who like the rest of her predecessors was
: elected to the Knesset. The organization's first secretary-general made it all the way to Prime Minister. She was, of: course, Golda Meir.
A teacher by training, Lubelsky headed the teacher' union atone point in her career but left the education field in 1973 to work for the Labor Party.
Lubelsky believes that for . any real change to . come about the transformation must take place from within Israeli women
MashaLnbelsky
themselves. To this end, Na'amat encourages women to continue working after they have children and to take pride in their job and not simply view it as a "second income" for the family.
• Women now account for 39% of tiie Israeli work force; Na'amat wants to see that figure boosted to 50%. Women are also taking the low-paying jobs, with large representation in the textile mills and public service, said Lubelsky.
Fighting for women's -rights is not just a theoretical exercise for Na'amat; it provides the practical assistance its members need if they are to be able to continue at the work, and advance to -higher positions.
This includes: daycare centres, vocational and
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training schools, community centres, legal aid bureaus and adult educa-. tion courses.
Over 20,000 of the 38,000 Israeli children in day care or nurseries to^ day in Israel are enrolled in Na'ainat institutions. Demand has become so great', said Lubelsky, that for the coming school year, priority will have to be given to children of mothers working full-time in industry,-.the army or hospitals, and then to those in the public service. Increasingly, Na'amat must turn to its 12 Pioneer Women organizations abroad to maintain its $50 million budget.
Canadian Pioneer Wor men-Na'amat has under--taken to raise the funds for construction of a day care centre at Petach Tlkyah near Tel Aviv. The lentre, expected to be completed by September, 1983, wlO also serve as a community centre and legal aid bureau; It wHl be located next to the Bellinson Hospital, to serve the workers there as well as those in the town's textile and pharmaceutical plants.
Cantor - Teacher Required
Beth Israel Synagogue, an Orthodox congregation in HALIFAX, N.S. requires a Cantor Teacher. Duties include being Cantor, Baal Korai, teacher in the Hebrew School and directing the Youth program. Community has all facilities for Jewish living. Congregation membership approximately 250. Teaching opportunities for wife. .
Apply to the President, Beth Israel Synagogue, 1480 Oxford St., Halifax, N.S., B3H 3Y8 or phone (902) 422-1301.
The Executive, Members and Women Division of the
the Canadian Tedinion Society wish to express their deepest sympathy to
EUGENE STEARNS AND FAMILY
on the loss of his beloved Wife DR. ANNA STEARNS "f^
Canadian Friends of
_AMAL
Support the David Lewis Memorial Project
in the AMAL Vocational Training School in Ramlah, Israel
Send- your contribution to the Canadian Friends of Amal, 272 Codsell Aye., Downsview, Ont. M3H1H2 or 4770 Kent Ave., Suite 301, Montreal Que. H3W1H2.
Donations are tax-deductible. iJJ
PRINCIPAL
^ Large Hebrew Day School seeks a Principal for Elementary General Studies Division for school year 1982/83.
Please send reply to Box 6206, The Canadian Jewish News 562 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 401, Toronto, Ont. M4P IPl .
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WE BUY YOUR ISRAEL BONDS.
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WOBURN SECURITIES
USI RiiluDslSl .loTDliIoNUiA :H:(4I())7.S7.47S7 In Moiitrc-il (ifotlrion. lA-i-lai' Inc. ( 5 N I S75-6700 ask lor Mr Smilovii-i ^
Hebrew School Teacher
A Hebrew School Teacher is required for an afternoon school in an Orthodox Synagogue in Halifax, .Nova Scotia, Canada. School has 65 pupils in six grades and operates on a 5 1/2 hour per week-schedule per student. Community has all facilities for Jewish living. ^ Apply Chairman, Board of EducatiqnC^eth Israel Synagogue, 1480 Oxf(»rd Street,/Halifax, N.S.B3H3Y8 or phone (902) 422-^1 SOL
Alan J. Davis and Gary n. Lands
,, ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCe\hE FORMATION OF A PARTNERSHIP FOR the' PRACTICE OF LAW AS
DAVIS, LANDS
BARRISTERS A SOUCrPOHS SUITE 1002 347 BAY STREET TORONTO, ONTARIO^ M5H 2R7
TELEPHONE (416) 363-1321 '
Kingston, ^tario^ (An Orthodox/Synagogue)
Invites applications/ for a Talmud Torah Teacher - Baal TeffiUah - Youth Director with cantonal experience - commencing August 1, 1982. Please_.send - references and, an educational,-cantorial and youth program resumfi and any documentatiop that may be helpful to our search committee to:
Mr. M.J. Abramsky ; c/o Mort Enterprises ■■■■ 179 Sydenham Street Kingston, Orit. K7K 3M1
Assistant Executive Director
Immediate Placement for Multifunctional Agency.
Responsible for programming f budget and administradon, work with board and committees.
Community now has community ■-centre family service department, and now being built, senior citizen community apartment adjacent.
Salary range §20,000-25,000, commensurate with experience and training. PuU fringe benfits.
y
Submit resume to: ^ Mr. Ted J. Hochberg, Q.C. • (' Chairman, personnel Committee Windsor Jewish Community Council 1641 Ouellette Avenue Windsor, Ontario N8X 1K9 " (519) 254-7558
M-T
By RABBI MOSES J. BUR
Questions Ebve yon ever heard of a a birthday party?
The tubavitcher Rebbe shlita re bratedhisSOth birthday, and his folio the world gathertd to rejoice in thai festival. .
Don't think for a ■ moment that * because he is a rebbe,; and ber cause his followers are chassidim, we can expect the unusual from them. He is a great ray who follows the Law of the Tjalmud, and sees to it that his chassidim folldw that law. Long before the rise of chas- vm sidism,: there were ""^ birthday celebrations for rabbis reached a certain special year.
The Talmud, in Tractate Mo'ed K tells us that "Rav Yosef on attaining t made a festival day for rabbis, saying passed beyond karres.' " It was not for wearing silly paper hats, blowing shaking noisemakers. It was a tir reflection on the mercy of the Almigl lived to be 60 meant that one had read plateau. He had not been punished wi had not been cutoff from the living at He had been granted the privileg children and grandchildren. • To make sure that Rav Yosef woul ex6ited and flushed with happiness w Abaye. Even after the age of 60 there: of karres. It is when a man is called av world without any advance notice, 1 no time for a last word, or a Ijast kiss, to Rav Yosef: 'Granted,.Sir, that you through karres as to years, but have y> as to days?' " Rav Yosef replied content with the mercy granted him you sfee, that there were intimations o that Talmudic birthday party.
In ancient Rome, when a general war in which he was' victorious, he triumphal procession into the city. L with him there would be a man wh continuously in his ear: "Remember mortal." That is what Abaye was si Yosef at his great festival.
Recently, I attended a rabbi's bt that was condacted veiy mach in this head table, to the right of the rabbI, empty cfaair in mate tribute to the ra bi-law, a dear, sweet man who had c months before this celebration, rebbltzen was In monmln^ for her fa not attend the festive meal even thou homnislc. Her seat was empty iutflaf then she came down with her yonnj listen to the laddatory remarks.
The rabbi celebrating his birthday to the Almighty for the many ihercic him in btinging'him this day- ^esa^w of the years beckoning to him to cetii he might retire to Israel, to kiss it; embrace its holy soil, and to prepare 1 world to which all are hastening.
He hoped that such retirement mij about as the result of declining health He implored his Maker in the words ( recited by the pious before the sayin. "O remove me not from this earthly s have reached 70 years of life." At tli rabbi'sthroat had a lump in it, and h suffused with tears. .
The rabbi reminded the several hui assembled to honor him that it. principle, and a dream of ail rabbis: have a child who is suited for rabbinic father's rabbinic chair will be filled I children. He hoped that in his sons-whom were ordained by the great ye. might be found one who woiil congregation. This was axd.elicate cc the synagogue; it meant that the ral life with them so.pleasant; that! he :•, children to continue to serve them. '{ audience had tears in their eyes. .
How do I know about what was hapj iv tjidbbrs throat and eyes? It was i '■^ celebration.
Zwaig is electi new vice-chain ofBGUgoven
BEERSHEBA —
At its recent 12;th annual. meeting, Melvin C. Zwaig of Montreal, presi-" dent of the Canadian Ast sociates of. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, was elected vice-chairman of the university's international board of governors. ■ Zwaig,' president of Thornci Riddell Inc., the Canadian-based international accountancy firm,' joins Lord George^Weid-enfield of London, England, and Shimon Peres, leader of the Israeli opposition party, who were also elected as vice-chairmen of the board. All vice: chairmen will serve under Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild, who is the chairman of the board.
In accepting the post ■ Zwaig declared that his election represents the clearest recognition yet of the importance of the Canadian Associates to the University. It demonstrates, he said, that "the Canadian Associates 'have succeeded in the last half" dozen years to establish for Ben-Gurion University 'an imposing presence on
Meh
the Catiac marshail f< academic financial s
Elected were Mart of Montre Spivak of members <
In his Ci chairman Zwaig b
matically a executive the institu tween anri the board, for the c affairs of.1