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PAGE 4 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE April II, 1986
The Southern Israelite
The Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jev'rv
Since 1925
Vida Goldgar
Editor and Publisher
Leonard Goldstein
Advertising Director
Luna Levy
Associate Editor
Eschol A. Harrell
Production Manager
Lutz Baum
Business Manager
Published every Friday by The Southern Israelite, Inc
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Vida Goldgar
Tying up loose ends
Hats’ off to Channel 30
What it all boiled down to in the end was that the people at
WPBA Channel 30 considered “Flashpoint.” the experimental
so-called “free-speech TV" program that had been scheduled to
run Wednesday night, to be poor journalism.
Channel 30 decided to cancel the telecast. The decision was a
good one. Danny Royal, acting general manager, issued a state
ment that said. “We find that the program. “Flashpoint Israel
and the Palestinians," is journalistically unsound. The PBS exper
iment referred to as a “ T heme Night” by the network has failed to
present both sides of an argument in an equitable manner. Fur
thermore. portions of the KQED-produced special do not meet
what we consider to be minimum broadcast standards.”
The station was not opposing the concept of the “Theme
Night” programming. Indeed. Channel 30 had run the first of the
three-part experiment— a program on abortion. Despite its con
troversial nature, the station chose to show the program because,
as Royal says. “It was fairly presented and both sides spoke
concerning their concerns."
That was not the case with “Flashpoint.” The films were
outdated, the program was confusing and. in our opinion, cer
tainly unfairly presented.
Channel 8 defended its decision to run the program. Spokes
woman Carolyn Kowalski said. “The format of this ‘free-speech
television’ is to select partisan films. There are films from the
Israel side and the Palestinian side. There is no attempt to tell the
public that this is the latest, up-to-the-minute documentary on
what is happening.”
That may be, but only a viewer whose attention never wavered
during the 2V: hours of film and occasional comment, and w hose
eyesight was supremely sharp to be able to read the frequent
subtitles would know that.
It was bad journalism and we salute Channel 30 for its decision
to spare its viewers.
Sooner or later, almost every columnist ties up the
loose ends, bring readers up to date on what has
happened on a subject that was mitten about earlier.
I've got a couple of items which fall
into that category. I he first one is
especially good news.
Last vear. you readers respond
ed with great generosity to a col
umn about Ellen Gordon W ood-
all. the Houston woman w ho desper
ately needed a liver transplant. 1
promised to let you know what
happened and now word is in.
In the March 27 issue of the (Houston) Jewish
Herald-Voice, which spearheaded the fundraising.
Ellen wrote of her successful transplant. Although the
transplant had taken place several months ago. she
wrote after a positive medical report following her
first check-up in Boston, “...although the healing pro
cess is very slow (due to the anti-rejection medications
1 must take).” she said. “1 feel better and stronger
everv dav. and look forward to liv ing a long, happy
life."
She said. too. “A simple thank-you is not adequate
to express the feeling in my heart for the families,
individuals, congregations, organizations and busi
nesses w ho cared enough to help me.” and ended with:
"With grateful tears in my eyes. I thank you for giving
me a second chance at life."
1 know you all join me in w ishing Ellen a continued
rapid recovery and the long, happy life she deserves.
* * *
Feedback from a more recent column was a little
bit disappointing. I hat was a piece titled “A I ime to
l ake.” in which 1 wrote about a group of young men
who were interested in doing some volunteer work
and felt they had something to offer our community
but didn't quite know where to begin.
On Feb. 28. when I wrote about these men, 1
invited responses from those groups who could use
some extra volunteer help.
1 promised to print the requests received, so here
they are:
"BBYQ has 17 chapters of Jewish teenagers in
Atlanta and another 10 in the Dixie region. Each
chapter has two to three adult advisers. BBYO is
looking for a few good advisers. We also need people
to serve on our adult board. There is also plenty of
opportunity to help with our weekend conventions if
your time is limited. BBYO can be a terrific experience
for all involved. Call 876-0343 for more info."
I he second response was from the Atlanta Jewish
Community Center, and also mentioned BBYO. I hey
also need volunteers in the following areas:
Basketball and softball coaches: Sunday after
noons and some evenings depending upon practice
days.
Senior Adult Day Services Center: Monday-
Eriday, 10 a.m.. to 5 p.m.
Senior Adult Program at Peachtree: Mondav-
Friday. 10 a.m. to I p.m. Call 875-7881.
1 know there are more areas of volunteer service
and perhaps with this reminder, we’ll hear from them.
In the meantime, it’s a start. Now the response is due
from the other side.
Volunteers, are you listening'.’
What’s in a name?
by Stanley \1. Lefco
Robin Frenkel, a 17-year-old
junior at Crestwood High School
in Roswell, decided that she’d had
enough. Realizing the potential for
backlash, but undaunted, she bold
ly used her school’s paper. The
Speculator, to voice her opinion
and objections to the growing in
fluence of the Fellowship of Chris
tian Athletes (FCA).
Not long after its formation, the
FCA’s presence seemed to perv ade
all areas of school life. By the fall of
1985 it had become a large and
generally popular group. In and
out of class it seemed to trigger
discussions about religious be
liefs. Robin related an incident in
English class when four students
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FCA members, turned the topic of
conversation to religion when it
apparently had no bearing on the
subject under discussion.
She became frustrated that w hat
she considered a personal and non
school matter would become the
subject of class discussions. Some
students not surprisingly made com
ments and jokes, w hich made Robin
feel that they were looking down
on her because she was Jewish.
hen a student, who had given
a speech in class on the FCA.
commented to her that Jews sacri
fice animals and worshipSatan, she
resolved that it was time to take a
stronger stand. She sought support
and guidance from the school libra
rian, who was Jewish, as well as
other teachers, her rabbi and par
ents. They all encouraged and ad
vised her.
I he first of this year her article.
Leave EC A In Church, appeared
in the school paper. “Religion is a
beautiful part of life,” she wrote,
but when injected into the class
room. she argued, it created div-
tstveness. t hough the FCA did not
meet at the school, she noted that
announcements about its meetings
were made in school and that pos
ters were placed on the walls, a
practice which has now stopped.
s he questioned whether this
“non-school" club violated the prin-
eiples of separation of church and
Stal e- Unlessit changed itsorienta-
tion, Robin concluded that “it should
remain strictly an outside school
* unction."
•Students. uhu liked hur article
t-'ttniplimented her. I hnseuln,didn't
tpl telattveK e,ulet One It A
">™he, reminded her ,ha, under
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'" Cl " " K llK ' majority »h„ rules
1 he following month two letters
appeared in the paper in response
to her editorial. In one letter the
writer urged that arguing theology
should stop. The important issues
in society need to be dealt with:
abortions, auto deaths, teenage
pregnancies, sex in movies and tel
evision as well as other “negative
things." The FCA, he noted, "of
fers a lifestyle that illustrates to our
students that life can be fun and
exciting without all the negative
aspects of our culture." He con
cluded by citing certain verses of
FNalms. He seemed to miss the
point of Robin’s editorial.
T he second argued that the issue
w as “letting people be people, or in
other words, the freedom of cho
ice.’’ It was not an issue of separa
tion of church and state. He de
fended the FC A by claiming that it
“does not cause disunity or make
minorities feel different,” for that
is the product of “immature per
ceptions and narrow-minded atti
tudes of indiv iduals.”
A student argued that anyone
can go to FCA meetings. Robin
contended that the name, if nothing
else, was intimidating and chal
lenged him to attend if the clubs
name was the Fellowship of C auc-
asian Athletes. In that event this
student, who happened to be black,
admitted that he wouldn’t.
Robin was also upset that the
students failed to realize that there
were other religions represented at
the school. Where others would
have likely kept silent, Robin took
a courageous step. She raised sen
sitive issues and exposed the ignor
ance and lack of understanding
prevalent at her school and, likely
and unfortunately, existing al
many others.