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News Briefs Israeli police nab counterfeiters TEL AVIV (JTA) — Police raided a small printing plant here last Friday and confiscated S4.5 million in counterfeit U.S. dollars. A 37-year-old Ashdod resident, alleged leader of the counterfeit ring, was arrested with two confederates at the plant. Police said they were caught red-handed. Two other suspects were arrested at their homes. The arrests capped a five-month investigation and stake-out. Police said they watched the ring members cart hundred-dollar bills from the press to a rented car. They said a search of the premises yielded good quality paper sufficient for printing between 200 and 300 million phoney dollars, apparently for distribution in the United States. Galilee water level at lowest TEL AVIV (JTA)—The Mekorot water company shut down its main pipeline to central Israel and the Negev Sunday because the water level in the Sea of Galilee is at a near record low. It is the first time the pipeline was closed since its completion more than 30 years ago. The Sea of Galilee, Israel's main reservoir, is short about a half billion cubic meters of water due to several years of sub-normal rainfall, the national water company said. The surface level is more than 10 feet lower than average and large stretches of the lake bed are visible. Mekorot said it hoped to resume pumping after the winter rainy season. Meanwhile, it will provide minimum water supplies to farmers and drinking water from local wells. Summit condemns Israeli policies HARARE, Zimbabwe, (JTA)—The final declaration of the eighth summit of the non-aligned countries, which was held here last month, included repeated condemnations of Israeli policies and continued support for the “struggle against Zionism,” the World Jewish Congress reported. Peru, Israel still friendly NEW YORK (JTA)—Peru has reaffirmed its policy of friend ship with Israel, denying there had been any change in that policy which had been attributed to remarks made by President Alan Garcia in Lima. “President Garcia and his government in no way hfive changed the traditional policy of good relations and friend ship with the state of Israel,” Cesar Atala, Peru’s Ambassador in Washington, wrote Israel Singer, Secretary-General of the World Jewish Congress. Atala was responding to a cable from Singer expressing con cern at remarks made by President Garcia at a Lima news confer ence following his return from the non-aligned summit in Zim babwe last week. Spanish, Israeli ties expanding JERUSALEM (J TA)—Israel and Spain are moving closer to trade relations since the two countries established diplomatic ties early this year. The Spanish Minister of Trade, Luis Valesco, will visit Israel early next year and an Israeli trade delegation will go to Spain next month. The visits were arranged between the Spanish M inister and the Israeli Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ariel Sharon, duringa conference of the member states of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in Punta Del Este, Uruguay, Represen tatives from more than 90 countries attended. IPO to mark 50th anniversary TEL AVIV (J I A) I he Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) opened its 50th jubilee season here and in Jerusalem last week under the baton of the American conductor and composer Leo nard Berstein. The IPO was created in 1936 by the late vituoso violinist Bronislav Huberman. Its musicians were refugees and exiles from Nazi Germany and performed under the baton of Arturo Toscanini. The IPO returned to Israel recently from what was described as a highly successful tour of Europe and the United States. Its opening jubilee performance will feature the Jubilee Games Suite composed by Bernstein especially for the occasion. L esters to the editor And on the other hand i-s 'j\ H X m C/2 O c H X Editor: I was appalled to read the letter to the editor from Frederick S. Davis in your Sept. 26 issue. Mr. Davis sarcastically criticized the advertisement in The Southern Isiaelite of a non-kosher restau rant, although he does realize that all Jews do not follow the dietary laws. I agree with pleasure, that The Southern Israelite is “the weekly newspaper for Southern Jewry.” However, I am sure The Southern Israelite's circulation is not restrict ed and is enjoyed by persons of many religions. Does Mr. Davis not also realize that ads accepted and printed, I’m sure, are not the opinion nor recommendation of the paper, but without them we, the Southern Jewry, would not have the benefit of the informative and expert publication The South- z ern Israelite is. eg May I also point out that it is my opinion that the dress ad on page 8, [2 TS1, Sept. 26, is not The Southern Iq Israelite's encouragement for ev- m ervone to wear dresses. n o or Rachelle Berliner "• Savannah <o real view?” Which is Pat Robertson’s Editor: In a major speech on Sept. 17, “A New Vision for America,” un announced presidential candidate Pat Robertson declared: “...we pledge ourselves without reserva tion to maintain religious liberty for all people.” Yet, on the Dec. 30, 1981, tele cast of his “700 Club,” Rev. Robert son stated that: “The Constitution of the United States for instance, is a marvelous document for self- government by Christian people. But the minute you turn the docu ment into the hands of non-Chris tian people and atheistic people they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society. And that’s what’s been happening.” And on July 30 of this year in Lansing, Mich., the TV evangelist remarked that “Christians feel more strongly about love of country, love of God and support for the traditional family than do non-Chris tians.” The question is: Just which vision is it that this presidential aspirant has for America? Has Rev. Robert son really changed his mind about non-Christians or—finding that blatantly bigoted statements do him more harm than good—merely his strategy? Maury C. Abraham Associate director America for Religious Liberty Tour Auckland’s Jewish heritage Editor: It has come to my attention that with the increase in tourism, there have also been more requests by Jewish visitors to meet Jewish New Zealanders—if there are any. (There are approximately 4,000 Jews liv ing in New Zealand.) My wife Helen and I have been hosts to a number of visitors. I am an Aucklander of long standing with family roots going back to Asher Asher, one of the first presi dents of the Auckland (Orthodox) Hebrew Congregation. My wife and I are members of the Liberal Temple Shalom and I publicly greet anyone who wishes to contact us. It will also interest your readers to know what my wife and I have been offering a service, which we call “Shalom Home Tours.” We pick up visitors from their hotels in the city, show them places of inter est and tell them of the Jewish Her itage of Auckland. We take them to our own home for lunch and return them by a scenic route, to their hotel. Group size is no more than four people at any one time. For this five-hour special Jewish interest day, including lunch, we charge, at the present, N.Z.S50. (U.S. $28.) per person. This past year, we have hosted Jewish people from all over the world, and hope to hear from more. This is a new and unique service in Auckland, my native city. I can be contacted by writing to 36, Allenby Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland, New Zealand. David Levin Protest additions to death camps Editor: A Carmelite nun’s convent was recently established in one of the buildings at Auschwitz. This fact alters the very essence of the camp as well as its nature. Auschwitz, more than any other place in the world, symbolizes the Holocaust of the Jewish people. We see in the establishment of this monastery an attempt to distort the nature of Auschwitz. The establishment of this mon astery at Auschwitz is not the end. There exists a real danger that it will expand and grow, and turn into a dominant feature at Ausch witz, which will distort its very essence. This may aid and abet those who claim that “Auschwitz was not at all a death camp, and everything that exists there was built after the war.” Furthermore, we have recently received information, that over and above the establishment of the convent at Auschwitz, there now also exists a Capella-Mausoleum of the Capuchine Order, in Sobi- bor. As opposed to Auschwitz, where together with the vast major ity of Jewish victims, people of other nations were also murdered, in Sobibor, all the victims were Jew ish. Again, the mausoleum at Sob ibor will be the central building at ■he site arc will distort the tiue nature of that place. There exists the very real danger that after Auschwitz and Sobibor, similar buildings will be erected in other places, such as Treblinka, Chelmno, Belzec, Majdanek and others. As soon as we were learned about these events we registered our protest to the government of Poland. Furthermore, when Car dinal Macharsky, the archbishop of Cracow, in whose jurisdiction Auschwitz falls, visited Yad Vashem on July 17, 1986, we raised these two issues with him, but received no binding promise. ...we are convinced, that no one should alter those camps in any way or form, and that no construc tion of buildings should be added to those which existed in the past. These sites should remain as they were for all generations to come, as everlasting testimony to the crimes committed against the Jewish people. Continued front page 4. ness as a religious and political leader Ergo, the child was not Jesu$. Was Wertheimer so susceptible because of his personal tragedy? D c ho\t other ptobicnis” \\&> We have received numerous calls from survivors of these death camps who complained and asked,” Where were these churches when we truly needed them in those tragic days? Today they make their appearance at the death camps!” These are opinions of which account must definitely be taken. We turn to your readers to raise your voice on this issue by protest ing personally, collectively and organizationally to the government of Poland and its representatives, the pope and the heads of the Catholic Church in your country; and to exercise your influence with anyone who might help this effort. Only strong pressure from world-wide public opinion may en sure that these wrongs be set right, and can prevent similar occurren ces at other death camps. his faith wavering from the begin ning? We may never know what was going on in his mind and with his life, but it may not be important as long as others can capitalize on this somewhat tragic figure for 4h«a-4>wn e»w*. Rabbi Menachem Fogel Spokesman Yad Vashem Jerusalem Sleuth