Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

/ 1 v-tv. •■r earn / — 7^ 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 other publications or copies of letters sent elsewhere will not be accepted for publication. PAGE 5 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE April 4, 1986