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News Briefs
Robot to aid bomb disposal unit
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel has developed a lightweight, eas
ily portable robot that can lift and examine suspicious-looking
objects and safely detonate bombs at long range. Called Bambi, it
is the first such device made in Israel and has promising export
possibilities.
The Tel-Aviv-based Sivan Century 21 Company which manu
factures the Bambi, hopes to sell it abroad for $20,000 each, half
the price Israel pays for the much heavier, more cumbersome
bomb-disposal robots it now imports from Britain and Ireland.
Hasidic music book published
JERUSALEM (JTA)—An “Anthology of Hasidic Music,”
incorporating 104 melodies, some of which have never before
appeared in print, has been published by the Jewish Music
Research Center of the Hebrew University.
The anthology, which is based on the musical legacy of the late
Ehmjo Vinaver and edited by Dr. Eliahu Schleifer, is meant to be
used by both scholars and performers.
Israeli rabbis issue school edict
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israeli rabbis are exhorting parents not
to send their children to non-Orthodox religious schools that are
co-educational. They also object to schools where Jewish and Arab
pupils might meet.
The two chief rahbis—Avraham Shapiro (Ashkenazic) and
Mordechai Eliahu (Sephardic)—distributed a statement in the
Ramot, French Hill and other Jerusalem neighborhoods exhorting
parents against enrolling their children in the Masorati (tradi
tional) schools officially known as “Tali,” a Hebrew acronym for
“enhanced Jewish studies.”
Uruguay won’t abandon Israel
MONTEVIDEO (JTA)—Foreign Minister Enrique Iglesias
confirmed that President Julio Sanguinetti will visit Israel next
month and will also visit the United Nations peace-keeping force in
the Sinai, of which Uruguay is part. “As a symbol ot this adher
ence, Uruguay stands for peace, Uruguay stands for Israel and this
will always be so,” Iglesias told a B’nai B’rith forum here last week.
The foreign minister, who was keynote speaker in B’nai B’rith
District 25’s first monthly speakers forum of the year, assured his
audience that his nation will not alter its friendship with Israel
despite the fact that Uruguay will open up to the Third World.
Blue Shield cuts circumcisions
WASHINGTON (Polakoff) — Blue Shields of Pennsylva
nia, California and Maine and the Blue Cross of Washington-
Alaska have adopted a national Blue Cross-Blue Shield recom
mendation not to pay for “routine” circumcisions.
“We don’t pay for things that are not medically necessary,” the
Washington Post quoted spokeswoman Charlotte Crenson. Its
report said “professional groups of obstetricians and pediatricians
have said since 1983 that there is no medical necessity for circumci
sion...on a routine basis.” The cost of a circumcision was given at
“about $90.”
Proponents of circumcision, the Post said, argue that it infec
tion later in life makes circumcision necessary, “it is a much more
painful and serious procedure at that time. The practice has roots
in the laws of some religions, including Judaism.”
JNF gets Challenger model
NEW YORK — A replica of the Challenger space shuttle will
stand at the entrance to the Jewish National Fund’s American
Independence Park in Israel.
A seven-foot model of the shuttle was presented to JNF as a gift
to the people of Israel at the JNF's annual conference in New York.
At the same meeting, a forest in memory of Leon Klinghoffer,
slain by Arab terrorists on the Achille l.auro, and his late wife
Marilyn was formally dedicated by JNF.
The Challenger model, which was built by the Brooklyn Union
Gas Company and displayed at John F. Kennedy Airport until the
day the shuttle exploded, will be given a permanent home in the
JNF’s new Challenger Forest, now being established by JNF out
side Jerusalem.
A scroll marking the formal dedication of the Klinghoffer
Forest was presented to the daughters of the late couple, Lisa and
lisa by Rep. Ted Weiss of Manhattan.
L_ '
Holocaust center seeks volunteer
Editor:
We are searching for a special
person: One who is willing and
eager to take on the responsibility
of coordinating the schedule of
volunteers and visitors to our com
munity’s newest resource, the
Zachor Holocaust Center of the
Atlanta Jewish Federation. Loca
ted on the lower level of the
AJCC/Peachtree, the Zachor Ho
locaust Center will open to the
public on May 5.
A volunteer job, the coordinator
would be responsible for insuring
the smooth operation, which would
include scheduling tours, arrang
ing for docents and daily volunteer
staff coverage. He/she would not
need to be physically present dur
ing hours of operations, but it
would be helpful to be able to visit
weekly.
For further information, con
tact Jane Leavey at Federation,
873-1661.
Saba Silverman
Chairman, operations
Zachor Holocaust Center of the
Atlanta Jewish Federation
Grateful father salutes Chuck Palefsky
Editor:
Through my attempts at main
taining/recapturing my long lost
youth, 1 have been playing softball
during the summers in the AJCC
“adult” softball league. It was there
that 1 had the good fortune to meet
Chuck Palefsky, about whom 1 am
writing and believe deserves the
recognition of the community.
As background information, it
is necessary to know that I am the
father of Aaron Hartman, a won
derful 15-year-old boy with var
ious learning disabilities and coor
dination problems. Aaron has al
ways enjoyed coming to my soft-
ball games, not because of a dedi
cation to his father’s athletic
prowess but rather because of his
intense fascination with trains
and—as you know—the Peachtree
AJCC softball fields are next to the
railroad tracks. Aaron loves to
watch the trains and most of the
softball players know Aaron and
keep an eye on him even when I
may be playing on the “far” field.
Chuck Palefsky is one of those
players but he has gone far beyond
“keeping an eye on” Aaron.
Sometime during the summer of
1985 Chuck approached me and
asked if Aaron would like to be the
manager of the AJCC high school
basketball all-star team. He in
formed me that he was their coach
and would love to offer Aaron that
experience. Being someone who
strongly believes in children learn
ing responsibility to the best of
each’s capability, thoroughly en
joying team sports myself (as do
my other two sons), knowing the
marked limitations on Aaron’s
opportunities for social inter
course with his chronologic peers
and feeiing that all of this in the
Jewish environment of the AJCC
with yet the taste of strong compe
tition and its attendant team spirit,
1 excitedly discussed it with Aaron
and my wife—and we grabbed the
opportunity.
It was a wise decision. Chuck
Palefsky not only gives his time to
coach the team through its multi
ple practices, regular games a-
gainst churches and other groups
and takes them through tourna
ments with other JCCs (trips to
Savannah and San Antonio this
year), but he also caringly, yet
sternly, expected that Aaron do his
job and be just as punctual and
responsible as any other player on
the team. He never expressed any
discomfort with the situation nor
became frustrated when things
didn’t go quite perfectly. When we
gave him the opportunity to back
out of the experiment (the all-star
team has never had a manager
before, to my knowledge), he never
even considered it. Aaron was at
all times treated as every other
member of the team from “pep-
talks” to scolding to equal billing
and opportunities on trips out of
town. It is no small responsibility
to travel with 10 or so “typical”
teenage boys, let alone with one
that has special needs and prob
lems.
Chuck was not the only hero ot
the basketball season. Every player
was warm, friendly and understand
ing. In this era of multiple com
plaints about teenagers and their
habits, it was encouraging to see
the spirit and acceptance with
which Aaron was met as a “full-
fledged” member of the team.
While 1 know that everyone can
benefit from a situation like this
and certainly the experience was
good for the team, no one told
them it was “good for them” and
their actions and behavior seemed
to “come from the heart.”
The season is now over. Aaron
gained tremendously from one of
the few opportunities he will ever
have to “participate” in team
sports; he gained friendships and a
sense of team spirit; he learned new
levels of responsibility as he at
tended every practice and every
game—both in and out of town—
unless he contacted Chuck with an
acceptable excuse; he performed
his job well (though not quite per
fectly all the time); and he even
brought home a second-place tro
phy from the San Antonio tour
nament, just like everyone else on
the team.
I salute the Jewish community
for providing the AJCC and 1
salute the AJCC for providing this
program. I salute the team and
assistant coach, Rick Feinberg.
But most of all, I salute Chuck
Palefsky—a credit to his team, the
AJCC, his community and the
entire human race.
Sanford S. Hartman, M. D.
Reader rebuts Kahane ‘kidnap’ charge
Editor:
A recent letter to TS1 about
Rabbi Kahane’s program of “kid
napping” Jewish women who mar
ried Arabs contains false state
ments. Before refuting them, 1
would like to convey the origin of
this program. A Jewish woman,
upon learning that her Arab hus
band was intent on movingto Iraq,
sought a divorce and custody of
her children. However, since Israel
recognizes Moslem law for these
matters in Judea and Samaria, the
children would be given to the
father. Fearful of being killed by
her husband or other Arab villa
gers if she were caught escaping
with her children, the woman con
tacted Rabbi Kahane for assis
tance.
This escape, as well as all others
engineered by members of Rabbi
Kahane’s Kach party, have been
initiated at the request of the Jew
ish women, many of whom had
been subjected to beatings and
other forms of mistreatment by
their Arab husbands. Thus, the
statements in the above mentioned
letter that “some women did not
strenuously object. Most, however,
did. They were seized under duress”
are totally false. Moreover, it
should be noted that the women
are free to leave the Kach shelters
whenever they wish -they are not
held against their will.
In all fairness, the program is
not without problems. Some women
in these Kach shelters have mixed
feelings and some are unhappy.
Their children are no longer able to
see their fathers. The living condi
tions in theshelters are often worse
than those to which they had been
accustomed. However, these are
problems that can be alleviated by
professional counseling and by up
grading the living conditions. You
can assist by lending moral and
financial support to Kach. Send
Contributions to Kach Atlanta,
P.O. Box 29151. Atlanta Ga.
30329.
Arnie Schneider
Only letters with names and addresses will be considered for
this page. Letters cannot be acknow ledged or returned. We reserve
the right to edit, delete or make whatever changes are necessary in
order to preserve meaning and save space. Letters submitted to
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accepted for publication.
PAGE 5 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE April 4, 1986