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PAGE 2 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE May 2, 1986 The Atlanta Area Now Has czf^omancz and (2oo(z(joo(z dBoo&itozz SIX BOOKS FOR THE PRICE OF FIVE WITH THIS COUPON 325-4501 1658 La Vista Rd., (Briar Vista Center) Coupon expires Aug. 20. 1986 Books must be same average price OVERWEIGHT m S£ K BOYS & GIRLS 7-16 ADULT PROGRAM • WARM. FRIENDLY. FAMILY RUN SINCE 1968 • SUPERB WEIGHT LOSSES • EXCITING ACTIVITIES • FEATURED TODAY" & "60 MINUTES" TV SHOWS PERFORMING ARTS Dane*, thaatra, drama, music CRAFTS Caramica, silk acraaning. sawing NUTRITION Oiat Ed. cooking claasas. waigh-in SPORTS Tannis, haatad pool, softball, hockay, Soccar. baskatball. voiiayball HI TECH Computers, vidao gamas, go-carts TRIPS NYC. Washington. Toronto. Boston Woodworking, arts and crafts EXERCISE Aerobics, body building, ellmnastlcs EVENING ACTIVITIES Socials, vidao. disco, antartalnmant MORE FUN Horsaback. riftary. archary. ovarnight tant camping, fishing CAMP SHANE THE ETTtNlEtG FAMILY FERNDALE, NY 12734 RD1, BOX 48W SEND FOR BROCHURE 914-292-4644 “sr , i FAILURE HURTS Your child is struggling through this school year, barely grasping new ideas, and losing self-confidence with every poor grade. If school work was difficult this year, how will your child cope with our state’s new 70-point passing grade requirement? Your child can do better in school by attending the Huntington Learning Center. Individualization is the key: teaching vital basic skills in reading, vocabulary, math and other areas that your child needs now to succeed in all the years to come. While building basic skills, we also strengthen our students’ self-confidence and motivation to learn. Complete educational evaluation Individualized instruction in basic skills All state-certified teachers No contract requirements Convenient after-school and summer hours Recommendations from over 95% of parents of Huntington Learning Center students confirm our approach works! Sandy Springs at Perimeter 851-9700 THE HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER" 1986, Huntington Learning Centers, Inc You are cordially invited to The Temple and Sisterhood Officer and Board Installation Shabbat Friday, May 9 8:15 p.m. The service will be dedicated to the loving memory of Judith Lee Kirschner. In observance of Yom Hatzmaut, Israel Independence Day, the guest speaker will be the Consul General of Israel, Issachar Katzir. Hie Temple 1589 Peachtree Street 873-1731 Lui i ■■■■MMiiirinriwiiiiiniiiiTrfmirrinrir-rr--’ Fear of flying takes its toll on Israeli tourism dollars by Edwin Black —Jerusalem Terrorism is finally winning in its battle against Israel’s tourism, and industry sources pinpoint American Jews as leading the wave of cancellations. Tourism is arguably Israel's leading industry, yielding more than a billion dollars in needed foreign currency and providing jobs to 24,000 Israeli families. Terrorists, of course, know the economic and moral importance of Israeli tourism. Hence, air mas sacres and hijackings carry a spe cial efficacy—a strike against both the Israeli economy and its acces sibility to the world. So threaten ing is this tactic that on his recent trip to America, Prime Minister Shimon Peres made a public appeal on television for Americans to stand firm in their travel plans. But in the face of the Libyan crisis, the traveling public melted. The Easter and Passover tourism decline hit Israel very hard. Sitting at the telex machine of the Jerusa lem Hilton one can just watch the business evaporating. “Montreal group failed to materialize, please cancel.” “Unable to complete plans for Los Angeles group tour, regret cancellation.” One hotel staffer remarked, “We’re almost afraid to turn on the telex machine. All it tells us is cancellations.” While the cancellations are com- BATHROOMS SHOULDN'T BE BORING ~ ~ /fy.-AA Complete bathroom renovations Plumbing repairs & installation Shower pans replaced MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE (404)971-8162 MARK BRESSLER LYNN BRESSLER MASTER PLUMBER JOURNEYMAN PLUMBEK DESICiNER/BUILDER DESIGN SPECIALIST ing from around the world, Israeli tourism sources observe that Euro pean cancellations are in the mi nority: “They live with terrorism on their continent day in and day out.” Likewise, Christian pilgrims from both America and Europe are holding fast in their travel plans. European budget travelers and Christian pilgrims customarily pa tronize three-star establishments. And indeed, three-stars report that while their waiting lists are gone, they are still operating near capacity. It’s the four-and-five-stars such as the Hilton and Sheraton which employ the most people, that have suffered. That’s because they de pend upon an American Jewish cli entele, mostly groups. And the American Jewish community is lead ing all other market segments in aban doning travel to Israel. The man ager of one major hotel declared. “In February 1985, this hotel had 1,899 Americans. This February we had 447. That’s a 76 percent drop.” So severe is the cancellation cri sis that the King David Hotel re corded only half its customary oc cupancy rate in February. In March, other five-stars expected a 70 and 80 percent occupancy, but were compelled to limp along with 40 and 50 percent rates. “We’re just watching the headlines,” said Sam Witkin, sales manager of the Je rusalem Hilton. “Groups are can celing and rebooking and then canceling again. We don’t know from day to day.” The night before Pesach, man agement sources at the Tel Aviv Sheraton reported, “Normally at this time our hotel is more than 100 percent occupied—that is, we have a waiting list. Now, it’s down to 69 percent.” The Tel Aviv Hilton and Jerusalem Plaza suffered similar losses. The assistant manager of one Jerusalem five-star confessed: “For the Passover dinner itself— usually totally sold with Ameri cans—we have only 45 percent. But most of that group is Israelis. It you count the foreigners, it might be down to 10 or 20 percent. These losses do more than hit big hotel corporations and na tional currency reserves. They af fect individual Israelis in a deeply personal way. Most Israeli hotel employees are paid a mere token wage and derive the bulk of their salary from a share of the 15 per cent service charge assessed every guest. When hotel rooms are va cant paychecks go down. A Tel Aviv front office manager admit ted that she would bring home a paycheck only half as good as last Pesach. Thus far, most hotels have res isted any thoughts of layoffs, ac cording to Gideon Efrati, front office manager at Sheraton’s Jer usalem Plaza. Abraham Kotzer of Israel’s Ministry of Tourism declares that American Jews are “playing into the hands of terrorists by not com ing to Israel. Instead of Americans beseiging Fibya, Fibya has be- seiged the Americans.” Ironical ly, adds Sam Witkin of the Jerusa lem Hilton, “while the newspapers give the impression that Israel is like Beirut, the reality is that the country is tranquil and perfectly safe.” And of course anyone who has been in Israel during the Fibyan crisis knows that the coun try is perfectly at ease. Indeed, you can still walk through Jerusalem’s Independence Park at midnight. You can still laze on a Tel Aviv beach sipping a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Israel is more beautiful than ever, more equipped for tourism than ever. And no one is there to see it. But abandoning Israel during this crisis is more thanjust a missed sunset. It’s a direct reflection on American Jewish commitment to Israel. If American Jewry accepts the notion that Israel is still strug gling to survive, and if American Jewry wants to be part of that struggle, it shouldn’t fight by hid ing in its house and tearing up flight coupons. Israel was created by transporta tion. People hugged the rusted bel lies of leaky cargo ships after the Holocaust just to get in. Until just a few years ago, tourists were rid ing buses in Tel Aviv still equipped with racks for bullet-proof steel window guards. American Jewry must ask itself if Muammar Qaddafi is determin ing its travel plans, or is it their continuity to the Jewish State. It can’t be both ways. This is the one time the injunction “Next year in Jerusalem” is a cop out. 1986 The Feature Group Inc Give Your Heart To Mama! Or a coffee mug. Or a stuffed fuzzy bear. Or whatever your mother would like. But, be a good child and have Balloons Over Atlanta attach a beautiful, colorful balloon arrangement to your gift. UPS shipments available. All major credit cards accepted. Call Balloons Over Atlanta today - 231-3090 - for the details. And don’t be late. Mother’s Day is May 11. ATLANTA 3101 Peachtree Road 231-3090 % mmm : iJtvci’ <*■» mu.