Thursday. Novembers. 1987 - THE BULLETIN — 5
cohsul-^generaM^
J WB staff
Bbnjamin Abileah, Israel's consul-general stationed in Toronto, said recently he regretted that "consuls come here all too rarely."
Abileah discbvered this during a short, productive visit to Vancouver's and Victoria's Jewish communities last week. He said in a yW^iff interview he was deeply impressed by his B.G, visit and plans to return.
This was Abileah's first B.G. tour since taking up his post as consul-general in Toronto six months ago. He was joined here by his wife :;Ruth..,'
He noted that Israel considered opening an office in Vancouver several years .ago but the idea was shelved indefinitely because of budgetary restraints.
Twice visiting Victoria's Jewish community on this trip, Abileah returned again to the Island community to participate in a Yad Vashem ceremony honoring a Righteous Among the^ations — a^ gentile man who saved a Jewish family from the Nazis in World War Two.
In 1942, Hans Roelants, then only 17 years of age and living in Holland, hid a Jewish family of six by moving them repeatedly from house to house. One family member was eventually caught and perished, but the others survived and now live in Israel.
Only Roelants, who lives in Victoria, attended the ceremony, which took place at Victoria's Congregation Emanuel synagogue. .
Taking part in such events is one of many responsibilities for a consul-general, Abileah explained, describing his role -in representing Israel to Canada's Western provinces.
Abileah has been a distinguished diplomat for 25 years, serving in Cyprus, the Philli-pines and the U.S. -
From 1974 to 1978 he was deputy spokesman for Israel's ministry of foreign affairs.
The Abileahs, whose home is Jerusalem, have a "son, Amir, 22, an oifficer in Israel's artillery division; and a daughter, Dafna, 24, married.
Abileah said it's not widely understood the consulate office in Toronto is responsible solely for Israel's relations on provincial and local levels, including Jewish communities and organizations put' West.
There is another consulate in Montreal responsible for Quebec and Provinces eastward.
Israel's embassy in Ottawa, on the other hand, handles relations between Israel and
ABILEAH .. West needs more attention _
Canada's Federal government.
Abileah stressed that Israel wants close relations with Jewish communities and organizations, which means taking part in all functions and delivering Israel's, messages to these groups.
"Israel needs to expand economic relations, promote interest in collaboration with Israeli firms — export, joint ventures, tourism and cultural exchanges, he explained further.
The Toronto consulate consists of 20 staff members, among them a trade commissioner and tourism director.
Abileah said his job involves considerable public relations, impartiality and representing Israeli government positions, even if the coalition government is divided on issues.
"That's easy enough," he said. "You just relate both viewpoints."
The office, moreover, provides a myriad of services to both Canadian Jewry and Israeli Jews staying in Canada, ie. renewing passports, issuing visas and even transferring remains of persons for burial in Israel.
Part of the challenge for Abileah, which he thoroughly enjoys, is keeping abreast of current events and their ultimate impact on Canada-Israel relations.
TRIUMF VISIT: Jack Aceman displays scrolls and framed page oiJWB, relating toestab-iistiment of Jack Aceman Oneology. Research Fund. Hanon Bar-bh (above picture), vice-presldetit \6f the Welz-mann Institute. (Photos: Micliael Rawer)
Chapter at TRIUMF
The Vancouver Chapter of the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute recently held a directors general meeting at TRIUMF (Tri-Univer-sity Meson Facility), which is located at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Erich Vogt, director of TRIUMF and a vice-president of the local Weizmann chapter was the host for the evening.
"TRIUMF is a nuclear research facility of the first order and houses a cyclotron which is the most advanced in its energy level in the world,"
re-elected to 3rd term at L.B.
Board of directors of Louis Brier Home and Hospital have announced the reelection last month of Lenard Hyman for a third term as president.
Hyman stressed his primary objective during the coming year will be to ensure the facility has additional space to meet the needs of a very long waiting list as there currently exists a two-year waiting period.
The Board is working closely with the Regional Hospital district and Ministry of Health and hope to commence a building expansion project in the futiire, LBHH officials said.
Meanwhile elected officers for 1987 are: Vice-presidents: Bea Goldberg and Bert Smol-lan; Secretary: Lil Neuman; and new board member, Stan Korsch, as Treasurer.
The Board of directors include: Rita Akselrod, Mar-
Sid Bild Photo
LOUIS BRIER executive committee members: (from left) Lil Neuman, secretary; Jack Bass, Government appointee; Rita Akselrod, Sam Shine, Past president; Lenard Hyman, president; Bernard Reed, Valerie Diamond, Bert Smoilan, vice-president; David Herman, Marion Cotsman, Joe WInfield.
ion Cotsman, Valerie Diamond, Dr. Gloria Gutman, • Serge Haber, David Herman, Bernard Reed, Joe Segal, Bud Smith, Dr. Roy Waldmanand Joe Winfield.^
For further information please call 261-9376.
Elected JTSA leader
NEW YORK — Dr. Ismar Schorsch was inaugurated as chancellor the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (Conservative) here. He has served in the post since July 1, 1986. JTA
Dr. Vogt told a rapt audience, as he conducted the group on a tour of the installation prior to the meeting.
Following a visit to the cyclotron, he Wjalked- the group through the Cancer Therapy hospital where 21st century, bloodless operations are being performed on cancer patients, in the — here and how ^ 20th century. Using shortlived particles called melons which have been produced using the high energy levels of the cyclotron, as an operating tooU doctors have been successfully able to reduce cancerous brain tumors.
Dr. Vogt explained, "The mesons are *shot' into the patients tunidr without harming the normal, healthy cells that surround it. The resultant explosion in the cancerous cells help to reduce the tuinor until it either disappears altogether jpr becomes of tolerable levels. This in turn increases the, patient's life expectancy considerably."
The visit to TRIUMF was preceeded by a dinner at the UBC faculty club for the executive directors of the Vancouver chapter, where the guest speaker for the evening, Hanon Bar-on, was introduced.
Bar-on recently joined the Weizmann Institute as vice-president in charge of International Operations and Public Affairs. Prior to this appointment he was deputy-general of Israel's Ministry for Foreign Affairs. An immigrant from Germany in 1938, he served in the Haganah and the Israel Defence Forces.
Making a return visit and accompanying Bar-on was national executive vice-president Adam Kahan of Toronto. Kahan spoke of the national picture, while Bar-on brought the audience up to date on Israel in general and the Weizmann Institute in particular. He concurred with a statement made by a previous visitor Dr. Zeev Fran-kel: For Israel, strength in nuclear science is a necessity. The institute's high sense of values not only contribiites to the defense of the State but also makes the State worth defending."
A highlight of the evening was when Bar-on presented localite Jack Aceman with a scroll of the founders'of the. Jack Aceman Oncology Research Fund, In addition, Aceman received a framed copy of the pa^e of the Jewish Western Bulletirr describing the dinner held in his honor on April 27th, 1987.
In the audience was a long time friend of Bar-on's, consul-general of Chile Joaquin Grub net and Mrs. Grubner.
The evening concluded with a short film showing the new Canadian Institute's solar tower nearing completion on the Rehovot campus of the Weizmann Institute.
For more information on the Weizmann Institute or the Canadian Society please call 522-1432 or write P.O. Box 80886, Burnaby, B.C. V5H 3Y1. This office also handles inquiries about donation cards.
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treating it with less coverage.;
The ignoraiicfe of the media must be countered, he argued. He advised women ad opt letter-writing campaigns and make their concerns known to tjie disseminators of news. \: A slightly dissimilar view was adopted by the evening's second speaker, radio journalist Freda Keet. '
The formier anchorperspn for Kol Israel National Radio, said there is a "world obsession with Israel.":
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