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The Southern Israelite The Weekly Newspaper For Southern Jewry , 'Since 1925' V Vol. LXII Atlanta, Georgia, Friday, January 24, 1986 No. 4 Spain recognizes Israe at risk of Arab sanctions, Israeli girl plants tree in the Jerusalem Forest on Tu B’Shvat. Tu B’Shvat New Year of the Trees Jan. 25, 1986: How many of us will associate this date and the regeneration of the earth? Probably not many, as most people usually associate the end of January with wrapping themselves up in a desperate attempt to keep warm. Why not, though, take a break from winter’s icy tentacles by participating in a joyous Tu B’ Shvat, the Jewish New Year of the Trees? TuB’ Shvat is an ancient agrarian holiday, reflecting how our ancestors lived in close harmony with the cycles of nature. According to Jewish law, eating from fruit trees was permitted only after the fifth year of planting, following the fruit’s being consecrated in the fourth. The 15th day of Shvat was settled upon as the legal “birthday” of all Rabbi Alvin M. Sugarman, spiritual leader of The Temple, was appointed by Mayor Andrew Young as the city’s official representative to participate at the formal public ceremony in Jerusalem dedicating a street in “Liberty Bell Park” as “Martin Luther King Jr., Street.” Rabbi Sugarman spoke, along with Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir and Robert Flatten, Charge d’affaires, U.S. Consulate. In recognition of the First celebra tion of the new American holiday honoring Dr. King, Israel’s President Chaim Herzog declared Jan. 20, 1986, to be Martin Luther King Day in Israel. All week the Israeli school children studied about Dr. King. On Dr. Martin Luther King Day, the Knesset held a special afternoon session, which was opened by the Jerusalem Children’s Choir singing “We Shall Overcome.” The session was officially opened by the speaker of the Knesset joined by Henry Kissinger, Abba Eban and Shamir. After the session a reception was trees. Customs associated today with the holiday are recent innova tions associated with 16th and 17th century mystic Kabbalists. They encouraged the eating of the fruits of Israel as an expression of longing for the Jewish homeland, and even created a Tu B’ Shvat Seder. This special ceremony calls for a table set in festive white, litby candles and complemented by the fragrances of myrtle leaves and flowers. Four cups of wine and blessings over a variety of fruits are all part of this seder. Tu B’ Shvat signals the coming of spring in Israel, a time when the rains have let up and the flowers are making their debut on the See Tu B’Shvat, page 24. held in the Knesset’s Chagall Hall, hosted by President Chaim Herzog. The late Dr. King was the first person to be honored in the Israeli Parliament. Dr. Kissinger stated, “Dr. King we have your dream too.” King has long been admired in Israel for his courageous leadership of the civil rights movement in the United States, his frequently demon strated friendship for the Jewish people, Zionism, the State of Israel and his eloquent rejection of anti- Semitism in all its forms. His tragic assassination in 1968 caused deep anguish to all Israelis. In tribute to Dr. King, a special memorial forest bearing his name was planted in 1976 in the Galilee, near Nazareth: It now consists of over 10,000 trees and is growing constantly. Rabbi Sugarman just completed a “Panim el Pamin” mission spon sored by the Atlanta Jewish Federa tion. He was among 180 Atlantans who visited the Jewish state. by Edwin Eytan PARIS (JTA)—The Spanish government, by establishing formal diplomatic ties with Israel last Friday, took what it and apparently most of the Spanish people consider a long overdue and honorable step, at the risk of Arab economic sanctions and possible terrorist attacks against Spanish installations and citizens abroad and at home. Spain sought to forestall diplomatic and economic repercussions in the Arab world by informing Arab leaders of its intention to recognize Israel well in advance. Spanish diplomats stressed that this will not alter Spain’s traditional backing of the Palestinian cause. 4 At their meeting with Israeli diplomats at The Hague to sign the documents of mutual recognition the Spaniards presented the Israelis with a paper calling for interna tional recognition of Palestinian rights. Meanwhile, stringent security pre cautions have been in place since early last week at all Spanish Embassies and diplomatic missions abroad. These were especially evident at Spanish legations in Western Europe and the Middle East. On the eve of recognition, hundreds of members of Spain’s anti-terrorist squad, the crack GEO, were dis patched to European and Middle East capitals. Despite these precautions, three Spanish officials, one a security guard, were kidnapped in Beirut last Friday morning. They are being held by a Shiite Moslem militia, reportedly as hostages for release of several Lebanese gunmen sentenced to prison terms in Spain last year. It was not clear whether the kidnap pings were connected with Spain’s recognition of Israel or merely coincidental. Despite threats of terrorist attack and economic retaliation, Spanish public opinion seems nearly unani mously in favor of Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez’s initiative to recognize Israel. Virtually all of the major dailies have congratulated him for taking the step, expressing regret only that it was not taken much sooner. Democratic government was restored in Spain in 1974 for the first time in 35 years, following the death of Gen. Francisco Franco. The Spanish people have since been searching for their cultural and historic roots. In the course of that search, they have welcomed the very notion of Sephardism, the concept of a Spanish Jewry, removed by the expulsion 500 years ago. Dozens of books on the role played by Sephardic Jews in Spanish history are published every month. A regular monthly television program on the State-owned network is devoted to the Jewish contribution to Spain. Popular singers are per forming songs based on Sephardic themes. The recognition of Israel is viewed by many Spanish historians as closing the breach between Spain and Jews that opened in 1492. A special service celebrating the new relation ship between Spain and Israel was held at Madrid’s modern synagogue. Jewish congregants, most of them relative newcomers from North Africa, greeted each other with cheerful “Mazal Tovs.” Members of Jewish youth organi zations filled Madrid’s community center. They sang the Israeli national anthem, Hatikva. There are believed to be about 15,000 Jews in Spain. The largest communities are in Madrid and Barcelona. At the time of the ex pulsion, an estimated quarter-million Jews lived in Spain, among them writers, jurists, rabbis, doctors and philosophers. Rabbi Sugarman and Mayor Teddy Kollek shake hands as Robert Flatten (second from left) and Foreign Minister Shamir look on. Rabbi represents city at MLK Day in Israel