Thursday. September 6,1990 — THE BULLETIN - 3
inSIFHigh Holy D at helping Soviet Jew
J»Fir staff
The massive flow of Soviet Jewish immigrants to Israel has prompted calls for aid from every source — including congregants in Vancouver synagogues, where the forthcoming Jewish National Fund High Holy Days Appeal will be heard during breaks in Rosh Hashanaand Yom Kip-pur services.
/'Really, it's the infrastructure (for the immigrants) that the JNF needs now. We're making the community aware of the plight of the trees, but the priority right now is Russian immigration,"' appeal chairman Marie Doduck told The Bulletin in an interview.
A letter being sent to local Jews this month by Doduck, JNF Pacific Riegion president Gary Averbach and Col. Kami Robinson, the organization's Jerusalem emissary to "B.C. and Alberta, spells out the needs. The fund "is devoting its energies ... to preparing the residential infrastructure development for major housing projects (and) enabling isolated towns and rural communities to create neW: employment opportunities for new residents and o/iw," the message notes.
Doduck, who hopes that the High Holy Days appeal can raise more than last year's $ 100,000 figure, sees the building of roads to Jewish settlements, preparing infrastruc-' tures and afforestation, as ways to relieve the burden of Israel's semi-official Jewish Agency. Robinson has found specific areas wehre the JNF will be needed most this year.
"By planting new forests and replanting the forests that burned down, we're creating jobs for o/Zw," he said, adding that many Russians have forestry expertiser"In the Gali-
lee, we're building new moshavim and settlements, and we're preparing all the area."
In Eilat alone, the JNF has already created land infrastructure for the building pf 1,000 housing units, is currently preparing land for
DODUCK
ROBINSON
1,000 more, and plans to clear land foi: another 4,000 in the near future.
Many Soviet Jews may also be hired at tourist facilities being established by the JNF, according to Doduck. The organization has targeted $100 million to raise world-
wide this year to aid Soviet Jewish immigrants to Israel.
But many causes for which the Jewish National Fund has raised money in the past have reemerged. Galil Canada j j^ZOOO, a Galilee settlement program established by JNF of Canada, continues this year. Said Doduck: "We are still in the business of planting trees!"
And incidents of arson associated with the intifada haven't stopped. Robinson noted the spread of large fires in recent weeks in Canada Park and the Galilee. The JNF, he said, is finding itself having to replace trees for yet another year.
To make more housing available, the organization is also purchasing land in the Galilee from private owners, according to Robinson.
Doduck said the dual nature of this fall's campaign will be seen in the familiar pledge cards distributed in B.C. everywhere this Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. One part will allow for pledges toward planting trees,_while the other will be earmarked for aiding Russian Jewish immigrants.
"My job is to involve the rabbis and the synagogues in making the community aware that we are holding our High Holy Days Appeal," Doduck told J ^5. "That's how 1 see my job — dealing with the community."
But the JNF, she said, is not continuing its appeal in local shuls so much because it can reach the Jewish community, but so that "the commumty has an opportunity to reach us. With this, we're giving the community an opportunity to be a part of Israel."
Although she was last in JNF - Page 4
OPERATION EXODUS
From Page 1
by air, via Eastern Europe, by sea via Finland, Odessa or Greece; by land through Warsaw. These additional transit points also add to the numbers that may be processed at one time.
"There is another factor," Drysdale explained. "Uncertainty over the stability and longevity of the Gorbachev government compels us to rescue our fellow Jews while the flood gates are still open. If a conservative government comes into power before we have had the opportunity to rescue everyone, we may have IdSt our only chance to libei;-. ate them, as their immigration status might'be affected by such a regime."
The general rise of Russian nationalism in many parts of the country that have been traditionally anti-Semitic —in the Ukraine, the South, and the Islamic and Baltic republics — fosters a "no win" situation for Jews in these areas, making them desperate to get out.
To acconimodate Soviet immigration to Israel, this year's campaign will have two lines: Operation Exodus and the annual general campaign.
Last year the Federation general campaign attained
$4.2 million. Drysdale pointed out that this figure reflects a $1 million increase in pledges since Federation's formation just three years ago. "We're much more visible as a Federation than we were as Coinbined Jewish Appeal. The community knows a lot more about us than it did just a few years ago and this often makes us vulnerable to criticism. Nonetheless, we must have the confidence of the community to achieve these goals."
The target for this year's general campaign alone is $4.5 million, which represents an inflationary increase of 6 percent over last year, and includes new services such as outreach facilities for. Richmond. '
Consideration was given to the notion of cutting back to accommodate Operation Exodus, Drysdale noted. This is possible in communities with a full complement of resources and facilities, or ones that' are receding, he explained. "But in a growth community like Vancouver, which still does not have sufficient programs — including Jewish daycare and facilities for physically and mentally handicapped — this just isn't pos-
sible. If we don't, as a minimum, iceep up with inflation, we'll be behind."
An important community jally and mobilization will take place 7:30 p.m. on Monday,. Sept. 17 when Harry Hur^ifi, special advisor to Israel's Prime Minister, will address the community at Hotel Vancouver Pacific ballroom. Part of the projgram will be a special presentation of scenes from Fiddler on the Roof directed; by Hilary Nicholls, presented in conjunction with Jewish Family Service Agency's New Connections and featuring newcomers from the USSR.
Due to the situation in the Mideast,rthe timing and content of this event may change on short notice, J)rysdale said.
Two other campaign nfiain events are comprehensive canvasser training, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. II, 7:30 pm. at Richmond Country Club; and Super Sunday, the day on which up to one-half of the community is canvassed, which takes place Sunday, Oct. 28 at JCC in two shifts: from 10 a.m. to I p.m. and 6 p.ni. to 9 p.m.
For information call Fed-. eration, 266-8371.
Congregation Beth Israel is pleased to invite you to a unique and historical publiG affairs and information evening on the question of Perestroika and Soviet Jewry.
Distinguished Guest Speaker
Ambassador M. Evgueny Kochetkov
Consul General of U, S, SR. to Montreal
12,1990
8:00 p.m
in the
4350 Oak Street, Vancouver
The entire community is invited to attend