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PAGE 4 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE January 14, 1983
The Southern Israelite
Tha VitUy Nawspapar For Southern Jewry
Tinea 1975
Vida Goldgar
Editor and Publisher
ILofibi
/Teatui
Haftibi Jo Eaton
Feature Editor
Luna Levy
Assistant Editor
Louis O. Hertz
Business Manager
Leonard Goldstein Eschol A. Harrell
Advertising Director Production Manager
Published every Friday by The Southern Israelite, Inc.
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Amen
The people of Georgia have a new governor. We wish him well.
In his inaugural address, Joe Frank Harris asked for the
advice, criticism and prayers of all Georgians.
Before we can offer him our prayers, we have a bit of advice
and criticism. Since Mr. Harris is the governor of all the people of
Georgia, we would like to -advise him that we resent being
excluded from the prayers at his inauguration.
In concluding his invocation, the clergyman asked that “the
heavens' richest presence of Christ our Lord be upon us” and
asked it “in Jesus’ greatest name.” The benediction was similar.
Where does that leave the Jews, the Moslems, the Buddhists
and other non-Christians who live in Georgia, vote, pay taxes and
even serve in government?
Is it asking too much that at public functions. clergy be urged
to show more sensitivity to those who have different beliefs?
Let us pray that the governor accepts this criticism and takes
our advice.
Amen.
Vida Goldgar
1,000 families
It’s a long way from Wichita, Kansas, to Kiryat
Arba, the religious settlement near Hebron, but
Wichita is where Mordechai Schwat started out and
Kiryat Arba is where he ended up.
Last week, Mordechai was back
in this country promoting
program he believes in very
strongly. In his Atlanta stopover,
Mordechai came by our office to
talk about Project Elef, a new idea
the Jewish Agency has come upj
with to help Jews in North]
America and Western Europe]
know Israel better.
Using the catchy slogan, “This summer why not
take the family home for a month?”, Project Elef has
the goal of having 1,000 families spend a month in
Israel this summer. It is a real “people-to-people"
program, with each visiting family being adopted by
an Israeli host family.
Now, 1,000 families is a lot of people and M ordechai
admits that it is an ambitious goal. Still, his intense
enthusiasm won’t let him consider that it won’t be
reached.
And the more I listened to him, the more 1
thought, “Why not?” I know if I still had family at
home, it would be one heck of a summer vacation
Each time 1 go to Israel two thoughts keep running
through my mind: “How I wish the kids were with me"
and “A week or so just isn’t enough time.” Project
Elef answers both.
Now let’s see. Which of the seven lifestyle options 1
would I choose? We could stay in an absorption center
apartment in a development town and work outdoors
in a JNp forest in the Galilee or the Negev or get
involved with one of the moshavim and do orchard
work. Sounds good and healthy but I’ve never been
much of an outdoor person.
On the other hand, there’s the kibbutz option.
That’s always fascinated me. Perhaps we’d choose
that. For those with real pioneering spirit, Option 4 in
the booklet offers life in a settlement in Judea or
Samaria. Last summer 1 visited several of those
settlements and though they are certainly isolated, life
seemed pretty good, and a surprising variety of people,
including an astonishing number of Americans, have
taken the challenge.
Another choice is "Yarchei Kallah," a family
Torah study opportunity for those who want to
deepen their understanding and knowledge of
Judaism.
A behind-the-scenes look at the military is
available in the warehouses of Tzahal, where the
visitors will assist the army in civilian work. That
could be fascinating, too.
Less adventuresome is a stay in a recreation village
on an English-speaking moshav, but there is more
opportunity to tour Israel on this program.
Choices, choices! 1 envy those who can make this
trip. *
Mordechai sees Project Elef as a community
project, involving schools, organizations and
synagogues. “Hopefully, we’ll bring the whole
community one step closer to Israel," he said wistfully.
It's certainly a worthy goal.
Changes in the wind?
by Carl Alpert
The change in leadership in
Moscow has led observers in
Washington and elsewhere to
watch carefully every new move
and to study every utterance as
clues to any possible shifts in
policy. To what extent will Yuri
Andropov introduce changes in
the foreign policy of his country?
The possibilities have not been
lost upon Jerusalem, either, and
various aspects of the Israel-Soviet
Union relationship are being
carefully studied with an eye to
changes. The most obvious of
these, of course, is the very lack of
a relationship It was more than 10
years ago that Russia broke
diplomatic relations. From time to
time in that decade there were
discreet explorations from the
Israeli side, seeking to resume
contacts, but all such gestures were
rebuffed or ignored. Today, once
again voices are being raised
calling for restoration of normal
diplomatic relations. The groom is
ready and willing, but the Soviet
bride shows little sign of any
change—unless the advent of
Andropov opens up new
possibilities.
The case in favor would keem to
hold advantages for both sides.
From the Israeli point of ^iew, this
would end our isolation from most
of the Soviet bloc, which would
follow Moscow’s example; it
would put us in a far better
position to be of possible help to
Soviet Jewry; it would open up
trade and other economic
opportunities for Israel in Eastern
Europe; and to some, this would be
an assertive expression that Israel
holds all options open, and should
not be considered as being in
Uncle Sam’s pocket.
Objectively, a case could also be
made showing advantages to the
Soviet Union. Establishment of its
embassy in Tel Aviv (we certainly
could not expect Jerusalem) would
provide the Russians with another
diplomats foothold in the Middle
East, opening a door and a window
no less valuable than those which
it has in some Arab states. This is
all the more important to them
now, in view of thp growing
American influence in this area.
Brezhnev had backed himself
into a corner by declaring that
Russia would resume diplomatic
relations with Israel only when the
latter had agreed to negotiate with
the PLO. Perhaps Andropov,
aware of advantages to his
country, may not feel bound by the
commitment of his predecessor.
Kremlinologists have long since
made it dear that Moscow’s
actions must not always be judged
by what the West would call
consistency, logic or reason. Thus,
for example, most of the Arab
states in the Middle East, including
Jordan, ban the Communist Party
entirely, but nevertheless enjoy full
support from Moscow. On the
other hand Israel, where the
Communist Party functions legally
and openly, and even has five
members in the Knesset, is not
considered worthy of Soviet
recognition.
Most political parties, and by and
large public opinion in Israel,
would favor resumption of
diplomatic relations between the
two, though to be sure there is
some small degree of opposition.
Not long ago, one of the groups
that object placed ads in the local
press, claiming that reopening of
the Soviet Embassy would
introduce a Trojan Horse into
Isrjlc-j mad provide m haven for
KGB agents.
In all the soul-searching in
Jerusalem, two questions are
uppermost. The first is: How far
can Israel go in signalling its
desires? There is reason to believe
that the new Communist
leadership would be interested, but
if Israel acts too eager, it will be
called upon to pay some political
price. Moscow does not hand out
its favors without demanding
something in return. On the other
hand, if we act coy, and hard to
get—and the Russians for their
part take no initiative—we may get
nothing.
The second question is: Should
Israel take into consideration
American sviews on the subject?
How far can we carry our
independent stance, considering
the degree of economic reliance on
Washington. Yet, how far can we
go in polishing the apple for Mr.
Reagan? There are those with long
memories who remind us that close
to 30 years ago we had been
afforded opportunity to establish
relations with China, this at a time
when the Far Eastern giant was
isolated in the world, and anxious
to extend its own circle of contacts.
At that time the Israeli government
was mindful of American hostility
to the idea, and rejected the feelers
from Peking. The irate Chinese
have not forgiven Israel to this
day—though America has itself in
the meantime taken China’s hand
in friendship.
It is not easy for a small nation,
with few bargaining points, to
conduct mtemational policy.