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News Briefs
French, Israel reactor talks stop
PARIS (JTA) Talks between French and Israeli experts on
the sale of two nuclear reactors to Israel have been interrupted,
according to scientific sources in Paris. The talks had been going
on for close to a year and had dealt with the sale of two French-
made reactors estimated at $300 million.
French sources said Paris broke off the talks for a variety of
reasons which went from Israel’s apparent inability to pay even
part of the cost of the two reactors, to Arab threats to break off
trade relations with France should the sale go through. Israeli
sources were not prepared to comment on this report.
Fewer Jews exit Russia in May
NEW YORK (JTA)—The National Conference on Soviet
Jewry reported June 2 that a total of 49 Jews emigrated from the
Soviet Union during May, believed to be among the lowest
monthly totals since the Soviet Union began restricting Jewish
emigration. Seventeen of the 49 Jews went to Israel.
Israeli-Japanese trade growing
JERUSALEM (JTA) —Israel’s trade with Japan is growing—
though not as vigorously as many Israeli officials and businessmen
would like. According to official figures issued recently, a $25
million dollar increase in Israeli exports to Japan was recorded in
the first quarter of 1986—atotal of $59 million compared with $48
million in the same period last year. In 1985, Israeli exports to
Japan totalled $200 million compared with $175 million in the
preceding year.
Nantes university faces scrutiny
PARIS (JTA) Several hundred Jews and non-Jews demon
strated last week at the Memorial to the Unknown Jewish Martyr
here to protest the award of an academic degree by Nantes Univer
sity to the author of a thesis claiming that the Holocaust was “a
figment of Jewish imagination.”
In Nantes, in eastern France, the city council suspended a
regular session to publicly condemn the university’s acceptance of
the doctoral thesis.
The thesis, claiming that the deadly gas found at Nazi death
camps when they were liberated was for “sanitary purposes” was
written by Henri Roques, 65, a retired agricultural engineer and
amateur historian. It received the highest grades from the accep
tance committee.
CJConference opposes Kahane
TORONTO (JTA) The Canandian Jewish Congress took
strong stands on issues of Jewish and general concern at its 21st
plenary session here last week. The 950 delegates Irom all over
Canada voted to oppose moves to restore the death penalty, to
condemn “Kahanism" as a perversion of Judaism and Zionism and
to condemn apartheid in South Africa.
Pope meets Romanian rabbi
PA R1S (JTA) —Pope John Paul II conveyed his “best wishes”
to Europe’s chief rabbis during a 30-minute meeting in Rome May
30 with Romanian Chief Rabbi Moses Rosen. Rosen was due to
attend a meeting this week of European chief rabbis in the Swiss
mountain village of Grindenwald.
Vatican sources said the pontiff, who took the initiative for the
meeting, questioned Rosen on latest Jewish developments in West
and Eastern Europe and expressed his “friendly interest” in all
matters concerning Catholic-Jewish relations.
Organization chooses Abram
NEW YORK (JTA) — Former Georgian Morris Abram, a New
York lawyer w ho is chairman of the National Conference on Soviet
Jewry, has been elected to a one-year term as chairman of the
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organiza
tions. The Conference, founded in 1955, is composed of the presi
dents of 40 national Jewish bodies, secular and religious.
Abram, a former president of Brandeis University and of the
American Jewish Committee, is currently vice chairman of the
U S Commission on Civil Rights.
Sharon’s view on unemployment
JERUSALEM (JTA) —Minister of Commerce and Industry
Ariel Sharon maintained Monday that there is no “hard” unem
ployment in Israel at present, “just pockets here and there.” He also
claimed there is “a problem of people not wanting to work."
Sharon, a Herut hardliner, angrily denied claims that money
invested in West Bank settlements was money denied to develop
ment towns inside Israel. Such claims have been made by Labor
Party and other politicians against the background of rising unem
ployment and economic stagnation in some development towns, j
An open letter from Atlantans in Israel
The following letter from the
Atlanta Hometown Group of the
Association of Americans and
Canadians in Israel was signed by
63former A tlantans, including nine
students, who chose this way to
express their concern about so many
of their friends and family cancel
ing trips to Israel because they are
afraid to fly. Nancy Sigal, Betsy
Sugarman and Lila Perry are co-
chairmen of the group; David
Geffen represents A AC! and Ben
Rabinowitz, who is presently visit
ing in Israel, is the Atlanta com
munity representative. —Editor.
Editor:
We want our friends and fami
lies in Atlanta to know that every
thing here is FINE! The country
side is bursting with colors and
beauty of spring; our children and
grandchildren walk happily and
safely to school; they play in the
parks in safety; we walk the streets
and ride our roads...anytime of
day or night...without fear or worry.
All is normal here. ...
...except where are you? We miss
you and need you. We look for you
and you’re not here!
By allowing the actions of those
who rise against us to affect your
decisions to visit Israel, you are
hurting Israel and helping our
enemies in their nefarious plot to
destroy us all.
If you were planning to visit
Israel this year...COME NOW!
Don’t be frightened! We are wait
ing to welcome you with open
arms. AM YISRAEL CHAI!
Atlanta Hometown Group
Are we our own worst enemies?
Editor:
On Saturday, May 24,1 attended
services at an East Cobb Conserva
tive synagogue as part of a bat
mitzva celebration. In lieu of a
sermon, the rabbi recounted his
experiences at a recent convention
held by his union. Among the
items discussed at this convention,
he told us, was the issue of patrili-
neage. While I can appreciate that
such an issue can generate heated
debate, the rabbi’s subsequent
attacks on Reform Judaism, by
name, left me disgusted, angry and
concerned for the future.
These comments were inter
spersed with thinly veiled referen
ces to Atlanta-area Reform syn
agogues in terms of their per
centages of mixed marriages, and
with “cute” disclaimers that he did
not mean any of the congregations
represented in the audience, know
ing full well that because of all the
visitors, chances were that every
established Reform synagogue was
represented.
Needless to say, people came out
of the service shocked, hurt, angry
at being assaulted while guests in
his house ...
I appreciate and respect differ
ent positions which may be taken
on such a controversial issue. I
even recognize a rabbi’s obligation
to take strong stands on certain
issues. However, a rabbi’s job is to
teach, explain, encourage debate,
and provide moral leadership. A
rabbi also has an obligation to the
larger Jewish community about
him. If attacks on each other will
replace reasoned, or even heated
debate among us, what will be left
of us when all is said and done?
Ironically, one of the last
announcements from the pulpit
concerned an invitation to attend
an event sponsored by the Fellow
ship of Christians and Jews. I
submit that it’s time for a Fellow
ship of Jews and Jews.
David M. Herold
Substance vs. form?
Editor:
This letter is in response to Ben
Gallob’s article on Rabbi Meir
Kahane (TSI, May 30). It is interest-
in g t o note that Mr. Adlerstein bas
ically agrees with the substance of
Rabbi Kahane’s positions, but has
a problem with his form. Mr. Ad
lerstein fundamentally feels that if
uninformed Jews make inaccurate
statements then all Jews should
ratify these statements in order to
protect against Hillul Hashem.
It is entertainingto note that the
people who have repudiated any of
Rabbi Kahane’s positions tend to
agree with the substance of his
positions but have problems with
his forms. It is sometimes painful
to take a stand that is in the best
interest of Judaism. It is apparent
that wherever Jews have reached a
level of acceptance in their secular
communities, these Jews have e-
lected to compromise their values
of authentic Judaism on the altar
of expedience.
For 2,000 years Jews have been
worried about what non-Jews
think of Jews and have comprom
ised Torah values and beliefs in the
hopes of winning understanding
and acceptance. When will we
understand that acceptance will
come from following Torah values
and living bv these values rather
than compromising and making
excuses why the non-Jewish world
attacks Jews.
The tragedy of the modern Jew
ish state is that it has felt it is in the
Jews’ interest to compromise Jew
ish principles in order to appease
the non-Jewish world. So far this
has never worked.
We need more Jews to investi
gate the substance of the Authentic
Jewish Experience instead of look
ing at the form which carries little
meaning and no lasting value.
It is true that no one will ever
agree on everything that any one
individual says; however, if you
Editor:
A young Jerusalemite and a
former soldier, Shlomo Galizon, is
suffering from a degenerative dis
ease which now permits him only
to move his head. His sole remain
ing pleasure is to collect picture
postcards from around the world.
Southern Israelite readers, their
families and friends are urged to
send such cards, which need not
even be with messages, to Shlomo
at 19 Rechov Even Sappir, Nacha-
Wildwood Club
says thank you
Editor:
1 want very much to take this
opportunity of thanking you for
the many announcements you have
put into The Southern Israelite for
our Wildwood Pines Garden Club.
We have been so proud of our
exposure and wanted you to know
how grateful we are.
Kate Saks
Publicity chairman
Wildwood Pines Garden Club
can agree on over 60 percent then I
think it is in the best interest of all
to work together and arrive at a
higher understanding.
Kach Atlanta invites all to a dia
logue and discuss differences. Call
321-4156 for further information.
Barney Cortell
President, Kach Atlanta
lat A.chim, Jerusalem 94551, Israel.
This mitzva will be much appre
ciated by this brave young man.
(Airmail postage is 33e for a card
and 44c for a half-ounce envelope.)
Glenn Richter
New York
Host families
sought to house
French students
Editor:
The Relais Universitaires, a
non-profit organization licensed by
the French Ministry of Education,
is bringing two groups of young
French students ages 13-20 to the
Atlanta area this summer. The
students are coming to participate
in the everyday life of an American
family and learn about the United
States.
Host families are needed for
July and August. For more infor
mation, call 455-8172.
Maureen McDermott
Mitzva for brave young man
PAGE 5 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE June 6, 1986