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$$$ needed Prospects are encouraging that when the “Operation Pony Expresi” plane comes to Atlanta on behalf of the United Jewish Appeal’s airborne cash mobilization program, the Atlanta Jewish community will havf reached its $1 million goal. Meyer Balser, cash collection chairman for the AJ WF, said, “So far this month, close to SXX),000 in payments has been received. With the flurry of activity expected during the last half of December, we should reach or exceed our goal.” “Operation Pony Express,” in which national UJA campaign leaders use their own planes to meet community leaders at local airports to pick up checks, was originally developed in the Southwest earlier this year and was used successfully for .cash collection in the New England states in November. David Go|dwasser, AJWF president, in a letter to contributors, points out that “while prospects for peace in the Middle East are encouraging, nothing has changed to relieve us of our obligations. We must continue to keep Israel strong. “We have made a commitment'—now we must translate that commitment into action through cash.” VOL. LIII Israelite The Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jewry Our 54th Year Atlanta, Ga., Friday, December 23, 1977 NO. 51 1 Cairo— The real thing’ by Maurice Samueison CAIRO, (JTA)—Officially they are calling it merely a preliminary to the real Middle East peace conference which will take place in Geneva. But there is no mistake about it: what is happening here is the real thing and Geneva, if it Late News NEW YORK, (JTA)— Prawfar Messacfcem Begin, who ■peat tWa laat day of Ms visit to the United States in New York, confirmed Monday that he and Ms wife, AHxa, will go to Egypt on Sunday to meet with President Anwar Sadat. The meeting is expected to take place in IsmaiUa. takes place at all, will be little more than an epilogue. This has not yet J>een appreciated by many of the 800 or so reporters from all over the world who have been besieging the Mena House since the arrival season... of the Israeli, Egyptian, American and United Nations officials. Apparently petty difficulties over procedural details have been seen as proof that this is a side show while the real talks and decisions are happening elsewhere. Some even suggested, half seriously, that they had been diverted to this desert spot on the southwest outskirts of Cairo to ensure greater secrecy for contacts in other countries, was the Israeli Premier Begin’* visit to Wathhtgtdli And yet, of course, this is the real center of the process which President Anwar Sadat launched on Nov. 9 when he told the Egyptian Peoples Assembly of his readiness to talk peace in the Israeli Parliament. The so-called procedural difficulties over who shall preside: whether there should be flags on the round negotiating table; and above all an agreed agenda of what should be discussed and in what The Cairo Conference is underway. But empty seats still remain for the five Arab nations who have thus far refused fo participate. order are sure signs that the parties are entering the serious business of resolving the conflict caused by the creation of a Jewish sovereign state East. The fact is that qpccnt weeks has entirely changed! • -v - Against the Background of the past 30 years the Mena House talks are without parallel. There are only two tenuous precedents—the mixed armistice^alks at Rhodes in 1949 followed a year later by the protracted Lausanne conference. But the differences far outweigh any similarities. The Rhodes armistice agreements, while containing pledges aiming at peace, were primarily military documents signed by soldiers. True, the talks took place in the intimacy of the Hotel des Roses like that already established in this idyllic retreat. But they attracted ituin ihwhpuwjcw friendliness established between Israelis and Egyptians on a personal level at Rhodes, the Cairo government like those of Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, officially denied that direct talks were taking place at all since that would have signified their recognition of Israeli statehood. So at first they tried tq speak only to Ralph Bunche, the United Nations mediator and chairman. Here, however, although Americans and UN staff are also present, Egypt is proud that it is dealing directly with Israel. There IVIvhmIQ mi even greater. There Israel and the Arabs were joined not only by the UN but by representatives of a sizeable number of its members ranging from France to Turkey. They were supposed to bring Israel and the Arabs together so that the uneasy armistice could be translated into peace. But the presence of so many outside parties, all with their own interests See Cairo, Page 22 (HljrtstmaB tn tfye schools? by Betty G. Cantor “Tis the season to be jolly” and decorate Christmas trees, and make Christmas wreaths, and sing Christmas carols, and perform in Christmas pageaats und engage in a myriad of other holiday activities in the public schools. ADL’s telephone lines ring even more constantly, consistent with the season. A series of complaints pour forth, always we suspect representing a fraction of the abuses “out there.” Most callers begin with the assumption Christmas trees and the emphasis on Christmas activities are “illegal.” But are they? Our response would indeed be easier if we could agree, “Yes, these practices are clearly considered ’illegal’ by the courts." We tell callers first that the First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the separation of dhurch and state. That, of course, includes the public schools of the state. We describe the more recent Supreme Court decisions regarding religious practices in the public schools. Hr Engel v. Vitale (1962) the Court held that recitation cf a non-sectarian prayer composed by the New York Board of Regents was unconstitutional. A year later, in Abington School District v. Schempp, the Court outlawed recitation of the Lord's Prayer and the reading of the Bible as a devotional exercise in the public schools. Not a word was said about Christmas trees, Christmas carols, Christmas decorations, or the like. True it is that the language of the Court in these decisions, declaring unconstitutional any practice that places “the power prestige and financial support of government... behind a particular religious belief," would seem to preclude many of the Christmas observances described by parents and students. But, these practices have not been specifically tested in the Court. A Jewish mother acknowledged her son enjoyed singing Christmas carols, but was firm in his determination to only move his lips without sound at “Christ the Lord." (I remember doing this myself growing up in the Atlanta Public Schools.) How do we handle the complaints? There are long-range efforts and more immediate ones. ADL with most Jewish institutions believes that secterian observances of religious holidays have no place in the public schools. We encourage parents to speak with the teacher, discussing what is to be said, how insistently to be pursued, when to go to the principal, and even the superintendent. We offer to be the spokesperson when it seems appropriate, when courage may be lacking, or the offending practice particualrly outrageous. Parents have proven to be wiling to do battle tactfully, resourcefully, and even sucessfull* In one classroom where the Lord’s Prayer was recited daily, the pArent argued her position, the teacher steadfastly defended her right and moral responsibility to have the class pray; but, a few days after the encounter, without admitting being in error, she simply stopped. Some parents were aware of being co-opted. Jewish children were singled out by the teacher. “You’re Jewish. Tomorrow is Hanuka. Bring a menorah to school and tell the class about *your holiday.’-” One even said, “about your Christmas." This on a variety of levels becomes a joint Christmas-Hanuka event and presents the “if you can’t beat them join them” dilemma. See Christmas Page 22 Hebrew Union Col Library Clifton Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45220