The Southern Israelite. (Augusta, Ga.) 1925-1986, September 19, 1986, Image 1

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Kate Shtein Emory accepts Kate; U.S.S.R. says ‘nyet’ by Yonatan Ben-Natan Special to The Southern Israelite Though 1,250 students entered Emory College this fall, the largest entering class in Emory’s 150 years, one student has not been allowed to attend, though admitted last April. Kate Shtein, Emory’s student in special standing, was sent a letter of acceptance from the admissions office in April, according to Win ston Carroll, associate director of admissions. Though it is not clear from Kate’s letter whether she re ceived the official letter of accep tance, she has been made aware of her status. In the most recent letter received from Kate, she writes, “As a matter of fact not long ago 1 received good news (of acceptance to Emory)...It’s like in fairy tales. I could only dream about it. I am very thankful to you for your troubles about me but I think now it’s beyond reality, and of course you know why.” Why is it so difficult for Kate to come to Emory? Since 1979 she and her family have been refused permission to leave their home in the U.S.S.R. They are refusniks, having been refused permission to emigrate each time they applied. There is no particular reason given for their refusal other than “it is not in the interest of the Soviet State,” an excuse commonly used by Soviet officials. It is hoped that Kate will be permitted to leave the U.S.S. R. to study at Emory, though as she points out, her chances are not great. Kate wants to become a doctor but is barred from Soviet medical institutes because of her status as a refusnik. With Jewish emigration at an all-time low since the begin ning of the Soviet Jewish emigra tion movement. Kate s chances do indeed seem very small. She is reminded, however, that she ought to continue to be optimfrtmtffrpugl'r regular letters and phone calls from Emory students. Recently she re ceived an Emory sweatshirt so that she can feel a part of the Emory community despite her physical absence. Another positive factor on Kate’s side is the adoption of her case by U.S. Rep. Newt Gingrich (Ga.-6th Dist.). Gingrich will help intercede on Kate’s behalf using diplomatic means as well as per sonal letters of support and en couragement. The Emory Soviet Jewry Com mittee has presented many events and activities on Kate’s behalf and to increase awareness about the plight of Soviet Jewry in general. This year will be no different as the coming semester’s plans include all forms of activism and awareness. The first event will be a slide presentation from two students who have recently been in the Soviet Union, one of whom has spent extensive time visiting Kate and her family. The program, “A liber ating God in a Captive Land: Jews and Christians in the U.S.S.R.” will take place Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 8 p.m. at the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity House, (11 Frater nity Row) and is co-sponsored by Alpha Epsilon Pi and Atlanta Hillel. The program will be followed by a phone call to Kate on Sunday, Sept. 28. For more information about either event, contact the Emory Soviet Jewry Committee at 727-6490. Friendly letters of encouragement can be sent to Kate, and should be non-political. Kate Shtein, Liape- devsky St. 12-65, Moscow, 125581 U.S.S.R. The Southern Israelite The Weekly Newspaper For Southern Jewry 'Since 1925' in c ! >■ Vol. LXII Atlanta, Georgia, Friday, September 19,1986 No. 38 'jj Reagan praises Perer as statesman for peace by David Friedman WASHINGTON (JTA)—Presi dent Reagan said farewell Monday to Shimon Peres as Israel’s prime minister by praising him as a “valued friend and statesman for peace.” “No one has done more than Prime Minister Peres” in the effort to bring about peace, Reagan said in a statement in the White House Rose Garden after the two leaders had met for an hour, including a 30-minute meeting just between themselves. “His vision, his sta tesmanship and his tenacity are greatly appreciated here,” Reagan said of Peres. Left unsaid was that Peres came to Washington just before he has to turn over the Prime Minister- ship to Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir in October in accordance with the terms of the national unity agreement between Labor and Likud. He will then become for eign minister. But a senior administration offi cial, briefing reporters on the White House talks, stressed that Peres had “succeeded” in staying within the guidelines of the government of national unity during his two years as prime minister. He said the U.S. expects “no change in the conduct” of Israel’s foreign policy when Peres and Shamir exchange jobs next month. The official said that the bulk of the discussion at the White House was on the peace process. In his Rose Garden remarks, Reagan stressed that the U.S. and Israel are committed “to search for a negotiated peace between Israel and all of its Arab neighbors.” Shimon Peres Reagan said that he and Peres “have agreed that a steady deter mined effort is needed by all if the remaining obstacles to direct nego tiations are to be surmounted.” Peres said that “peacemaking is a process which requires constant patience and cultivation.” He said the next step should be “direct negotiations between the parties concerned.” He stressed that an international forum, which is de manded by Jordan, should only be an “opening occasion” that would bring about direct negotiations, “not substitute for it.” Earlier Monday, Peres and Sec retary of State George Shultz agreed that the Soviet Union cannot par ticipate in an international forum on the Middle East unless Moscow restores diplomatic relations with Israel and allows Jews to freely emigrate. They also stressed that such a forum cannot be a substi tute for direct negotiations. President Reagan The two leaders expressed this policy to reporters after they met together over a breakfast of blue berry pancakes, prepared by Shultz’s wife, Helena, at the Shultz home followed by a meeting including their aides at the State Department. Peres at his summit conference with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak last week agreed that Israel and Egypt would see if an international forum to deal with the Middle East could be set up for 1987. King Hussein of Jordan has said he needs an international forum as an “umbrella” for talks with Israel. “The essence of the peace pro cess is direct negotiations such as those which have proved so fruitful oetween Israel and Egypt,” Shultz said. He said an international forum could be useful if it was aimed at the “achievement of direct negotia tions.” Church built on death camp site WARSAW (JTA)—A Roman Catholic church has been built on the site of a former Nazi torture chamber at the Sobibor death camp, where 200,000 Jews were killed by gassing, the World Jewish Con gress reported here. According to the WJC, Euro pean Jewish communities are out raged at this development, coming in the wake of the continuing con troversy over the erection of a Carmelite convent in a building which stored gas canisters in the Auschwitz death camps. Virtually all of the victims at Sobibor were Jewish. From April 1942 to Oct. 1943 some 200.000 Jews from Poland, the Netherlands, France, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union were transported to the camp outside of Lublin where they were killed in the gas chambers and cremated. The church was erected on the site of a tiny chapel which the Nazis had converted to a torture chamber. The church contains no reference to being on the site of a camp created to murder Jews, and there is no sign or plaque memor ializing the victims, the WJC re ported. European Jewish leaders stressed that neither the local Capucine Order nor other Catholic officials had consulted or given prior notice of the plans to establish a church at Sobibor. On Oct. 14, 1943, Sobibor was the scene of one of the most cour ageous and daring prisoner rebel lions of the war. Some 300 Jewish inmates killed the SS contingent and their Ukrainian aides. After the rebellion the Nazis razed the camp. Meanwhile, the American CBS television network has announced it is filming a multi million-dollar movie based on the escape, with an international cast. Surviving mem- of the rebellion will be consultants. UIVO L I CP YAP FCF UNIVERSITY OF GF0RCIA LIBRARY COPY