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News Briefs
JWV marks 90th anniversary
WASHINGTON—The Jewish War Veterans of the USA will
celebrate its 90th anniversary as the nation’s oldest active veterans’
organization on March 15. On that day in 1896, a group of Jewish
Civil War veterans first met and pledged to give the lie to malicious,
anti-Semitic slander that painted Jews as unpatriotic parasites who
didn’t serve their country. Those Jewish veterans present at that
first meeting had, between them, not less than 218 medals awarded
for their part in the Civil War—and they represented less than one
third of one percent of the Jews known to have served.
Jews have been involved in America’s military history from this
country’s pre-Revolutionary War beginning and have served this
country, faithfully and valiantly, in every military conflict.
New shekel note is approved
JERUSALEM (JTA)—The Cabinet, yielding to public pres
sure, ordered the printing of a new one-shekel note as companion
to the new one-shekel coin which has been disparaged by Israelis
because of its small size.
The Cabinet acted March 9 because many people find it hard to
take the coin seriously as “real money.” It is referred to as “the
button” because it is so much smaller than coins of less value. The
new shekel, note or coin, equals 1,000 old shekels and has a value of
66 American cents.
The new note, like the coin, will bear a likeness of Maimonides.
The Cabinet also approved the printing of a 100-shekel note which
will carry a portrait of the late Yitzhak Ben Zvi, the second presi
dent of Israel.
Eggs scramble MK’s speech
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Knesset MK Shulamit Aloni of the Citi
zens Rights Movement was pelted with eggs and verbally abused
by dozens of yellow-shirted members of Rabbi Meir Kahane’s
nationalist Kach Party as she attempted to address a public meet
ing in Petah Tikva March 8. Police were summoned to extricate
Aloni from the angry mob. Aloni delivered her speech some 90
minutes later than scheduled.
B’nai B’rith says free Mandela
WASHINGTON (JTA) B'nai B’rith International has called
on South Africa’s president to free that nation’s black leader
Nelson Mandela from prison. In a cable to President P.W. Botha,
Gerald Kraft, B’nai B’rith president, praised the lifting of the state
of emergency and easing police control.
Blacks, Israel seek new bond
NEW YORK (JTA)—Five leading black university officials
from the United States are in Israel in a pilot project aimed at
creating an academic bond between their institutions in the Ameri
can South and Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
The World Zionist Organization is co-sponsoring the project
with the World Jewish Congress, Hebrew University and Israel
Colloquium, an interfaith group.
Among the black educators is Dr. Barbara Carter, vice presi
dent for academic affairs at Atlanta’s Spelman College.
Cuts create kosher ‘Calcutta’
TEL AVIV (JTA) “Oh Calcutta,” the smash hit American
musical banned in Israel because of its nudity and trank sexual
content, will open in Tel Aviv on March 26 with the Broadway cast,
despite protests from the religious community and other sectors of
the public.
The Film and State Censorship Board reversed its earlier ban
after New- York producer Norman Kean agreed to changes and
modifications. There will be six cuts in the version to be staged in
Israel.
Israel expels Black Hebrews
TEL AVIV (J FA) — A group of 26 Black Hebrews who had
sought to enter Israel as tourists March 7 were returned to the
United States on March 9. The Interior Ministry issued the expul
sion order on the grounds that they were not tourists, but intended
to join the Black Hebrew community in Dimona and stay in the
country illegally.
The Black Hebrews claim that they are the real Jews while other
Jews are imposters. 1 he government has restricted permission for
members of the Chicago-based sect from entering the country. But
since the arrival here some years ago of the first group, their
numbers have increased to several hundred through illegal entry.
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Synagogue’s attitude distresses reader
Editor:
My wife and I read with interest
your column in the Feb. 28 issue of
The Southern Israelite. Perhaps
you should not have limited your
concern to the participation by
young people in the Atlanta Jewish
Community. Old people, who
formerly were active in Atlanta
Jewish life, have been deeply hurt
by the reception they received
upon returning to this city fol
lowing retirement. Permit me to
relate our experience.
When we came back to the
Atlanta area following retirement
we sought membership in the
congregation to which we for
merly belonged. Rather than being
welcomed as returning members,
who had contributed to a building
fund before being transferred, we
were flatly told that we would be
considered new members and a
contribution to the building fund
was mandatory. At the time we
saw no alternative and rejoined
this congregation.
After a few years, when we could
no longerdrive at night and attend
services, we asked to be associate
members. At this time we were told
there had been other requests by
seniors to have some affiliation
without being regular members
and all such requests were denied.
This now became a matter of
principle for us.
A letter was sent to the executive
director of the congregation
explaining that our financial
position permitted us to contribute
a member’s share but we were now
concerned about other older and
less fortunate people. In the letter
we also mentioned that we did not
live in Atlanta, were members of
another out of town congregation
(which furnishes us with tickets for
the High Holiday services), and if
some consideration would not be
given older people without their
demand that all persons who could
not pay regular dues must go
through the demeaning experience
of appearing personally before the
finance committee, we wished to
resign.
After several months, during
which time we did not receive even
the courtesy of a reply, we began to
get bills for dues with statements
that we were in arrears. Concerned
about the slander on our credit
rating two calls were made to the
executive director, who neither
returned our calls nor answered
our letter. During this time all bills
were being returned with a note
saying we had resigned.
Finally, we left a message that if
our resignation was not acknow
ledged we would seek redress
through the congregation’s board.
At long last we received a letter,
not a reply, as no mention was
made to our original request,
accepting our resignation.
It was a traumatic experience to
learn that even our contributions
were apparently not wanted. This
is a congregation to which we had
strong sentimental ties, where our
children had attended sabbath
school, and where a former rabbi
contributed immeasurably to our
lives.
Young people are not alone in
not being accepted. At no time
were we ever welcomed back by
anyone except old friends, not one
single letter or handshake from
someone representing the con
gregation.
You will note no mention has
been made of the particular
congregation, and if you wish to
quote from this letter please do not
identify the congregation by using
my name. My only reason for
writing this is to inform someone
who might be in a position to assist
old people, many of whom do not
have the financial resources to
participate in the Jewish organ
izations of their choice.
Name w ithheld on request
Call to refusnik reveals common bond
Editor:
Last week Young Judaea held its
regional convention in Atlanta for
seventh and eighth graders. The
convention included a very special
event when, on Saturday night, we
placed a call to the Soviet Union
and spoke to Gregory Genusov, a
Jewish refusnik. It is very difficult
for me to describe the feeling I had
speaking to this man, first in Eng
lish, then briefly in Hebrew (which
he has taught himself and speaks
quite fluently). I asked him “What
can we in America do for the Jews
still in Russia?” He answered, in
Hebrew, that we should continue
writing letters and talking to our
leaders about the Jews in the
Soviet Union.
It was then that 1 realized the
true meaning of Zionism-unity;
unity with our common bond of
Israel, the Jewish homeland.
Included in this common bond is
the language of Jewish people,
Hebrew. 1 do not know what Mr.
Genusov’s personality is, or what
are his likes and dislikes, but I was
able to sit on the phone and speak
with him in a language that is not
either of our native tongues, yet it
is the language of our people. I felt
close to Mr. Genusov because his
cause is my cause as we are both
Jews.
The phone call, which we placed
at about 11:30 p.m. EST (about
7:30 a.m. in Leningrad) cost about
$ 10 for the first three minutes, and
was probably the best S10 Young
Judaea has spent all year. Of all the
tzedaka that is given throughout
the year to help Soviet Jewry, this
money was spent in a way that the
direct results of the tzedaka were
immediately felt. Names and
phone numbers are obtainable
through the Young Judaea Re
gional Office, 876-1526.
The children who attended this
convention listened in on other
extensions to the conversation 1
had with Gregory. The mere
thought that that phone call might
have been taped by Russian police
terrified them, but the bravery and
courage with which Gregory spoke
Editor:
During the month of January,
Rabbi Larry Meltzer’s sixth grade
class at the Hebrew Academy
organized and mobilized the entire
school in a tzedaka project that
was so successful, it is still bringing
in supplies!
I hese kids made up an ad cam
paign that included some of the
most terrific posters I’ve ever seen
(m\ favorite was “Let’s Can Pov
erty"), and one student, Rebecca
Sharon, made a book entitled "The
Story of the Sixth Grade Can
Drive" which is on display in the
religious school office on the
second floor (also the shelter
office). The posters were hung on
the walls throughout the hallways
ol the Academy, and the kids were
so enthusiastic about their project
that the entire school was moved to
respond
One day in February, I got a call
1 r o m Rabbi M e 11 / e r who
informed me that his class had a few
boxes lor me to pick up and w hen 1
come, would 1 speak to the class
in Hebrew to American Jews
astounded them. They realized, as
1 did, that this is what makes the
Jewish people special. This is what
Zionism and Judaism are all
about, this is what is really meant
by the Hebrew phrase “Am Echad,
Lev Echad”—“One People, One
Heart.”
about the shelter? When 1 arrived
two days later, 1 was astounded to
see an entire section of the class
room piled high with boxes of
food. After the students had fin
ished loading my car, my large sta
tion wagon was filled to capacity!
I o date, they have collected over
1.600 cans and packages of food
which were distributed half to
Shearith Israel's shelter and half to
ours We had so much that we sent
some to other needy people in the
city through our “Helping Hand”
project here at The Temple.
Headmaster Ephraim Frankel
can be mighty proud of his caring
students just another example
of \ oung people who are truly "liv
ing" their Judaism!
Carol Nemo, director
The Temple Night Shelter
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The Southern Israelite
Asher Zeiger
Atlanta City Director
Young Judaea
Academy pupils applauded
PAGE 5 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE March 14, 1986