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Page 4 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE November 28, 1986 Editorial Creche question It’s that time of year again when the “creche question” pops up all over the country. Most recent is the case in Chicago where a federal judge ruled that a creche on Chicago’s City Hall grounds is ok. We won’t debate here the decision (though we believe it is wrong) but the justification given by IJ.S. District Court Judge Frank McGarr is shocking. The judge said. “The truth is that America's origins are Christian with the result that some of our fondest traditions are Christian, and that our founding fathers intended and achieved full religious freedom for all within the context of a Christian nation in the First Amendment as it was adopted, rather than as we have rewritten it.” We’re not certain how McGarr's decision will stand up against the appeals certain to come, but in a case in St. Charles, 111., Federal Appellate Judge Richard Posner ruled that a large, lighted Christian cross on the roof of the fire department was “an unmistakable symbol of Christianity” which violated the First Amendment ban against establishment of religion. The Supreme Court let Judge Posner’s decision stand. These issues are highly charged with emotion and one could wish, somehow, that at least they could be raised long before the holiday season and settled once and for all. Think about it Even though Thanksgiving Day itself is past and the turkey has been transformed into Country Captain, pot pies, mealy sandwiches or what have you. the spirit of the holiday remains. Most of us do, indeed, have much for which to be thankful though sometimes we tend to dwell on the negatives in our lives rather than the positives. Perhaps this is a good time to give a little serious thought to those good things. Make a list. Think it through carefully. Now the reverse. The second list, those facets of our lives which are downers, may seem to come more easily at first but we'd bet that for most of us, it will turn out to be a lot shorter. If this seems to be something like an exercise for school children, so be it. Putting things down on paper, making comparisons, serves adults as well. At least it makes us think. I To cat and drink on a festival in the company of your family without providing for the poor and distressed, is not “the jov of the commandment'' hut the joy of your stomach. It is a disgrace. Maimoniik's, Yaii: Yoni Tab. I ISO. 6. IS. The Southern Israelite The Voice of Atlanta s Jewish Community Since 1925' Vida Goldgar Jeff Rubin Editor General Manager Luna Levy Managing Editor Published by Sun Publications, Inc. also publishers of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle Stan Rose Steve Rose Chairman and President and Publisher Co Publisher Second Class Postage fxud at Atlanta. Go (ISSN 00.J88J (UPS 776060) POSTMASTER: Si'iutaddivsh changes to The Southern Israelite. P O Box 250287. Atlanta, Georgia 30225 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 250287, Atlanta. Georgia 30325 Location: 300 Atlanta Technology Center, Suite 365, 1575 Northside Dr.. N.W.. All.. Ga. 30318 Phone (404) 355-6139 Advertising rates available upon request. Subscriptions: $23.00 a year. Member ot Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Religious News Service. American Jewish Press Assn . Georgia Press Assn . National Newspapei Assn The Southern Israelite A Prize-Winning Newspaper AMRKCKM VAMU RUB iSRAEL THE WRONG WAY Vida Goldgar Remembering It was 1983 —February and 1 was in Paris. It was my first visit (other than a long layover at the airport many years earlier) and everything was exciting. On our way to Israel, at group of American Jewish Press I Association editors were spend ing a week in the City of Eights learning about the Jewish com munity of Paris. All the memories came Hood ing back Sunday evening as 1 watched the television film about Beate Klarsfeld. By coincidence,: our stay in Paris coincided with the arrival in France of Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie, after more than 1 I years of often heart breaking pursuit by the Klarsfelds. When the news broke that Barbie was finally in a French prison, our group of editors naturally wanted to talk to the Klarsfelds. Even though they f were besieged by journalists of all media, and were trying to pack for a trip to Israel the following day, Beate and Serge graciously consented to a private news conference with the Jewish journalists. Some where 1 still have the tape recording of that day. It was easier to locate the story 1 wrote. It was on the front page of the Feb. 11, 1983 issue. 1 remember that alter we left the Klarsfeld apart ment. 1 went back to the hotel and wrote a brief story in longhand. 1 was still making changes w hen the hotel operator said my call to Atlanta was ready. It didn't take long to dictate the story. 1 hadn't dared write much because it was Wednesday and I knew' that much of the paper had already been filled. Yet there was a certain satisfaction in know ing that, even though brief, we would have our own story to go along with the wire reports. Someone asked how they felt when they learned that Barbie was being returned. It was Serge who answered: “Naturally, we were quite relieved be cause we spent 11 '/ 2 years on that case.” He des cribed friends of theirs, “mothers of three children w ho were deported by Barbie, and each day it was a torture for them to see that such a man could be openly unpunished in Bolivia...and now these mothers hope generally in life that such people have to pay for what they have done.” Perhaps one of those mothers was “ltta” in Sunday evening's film, played so movingly by Ger aldine Page. If so, she must be wondering why, almost four years later, Klaus Barbie has not yet been brought to trial. 1 know 1 do. Numbing experience by Stanley M. Lefco Several weeks ago Michael Winograd, assistant director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Southeast region, wrote in this paper about a meeting of the Atlanta Committee for Histori cal Review that he attended. At the meeting David Irving, self- styled "professional historian,” attempted to prove, among other things, that the Holocaust is a myth. I also attended this meeting at Cobb County’s Waverly Hotel. When 1 learned about the meet ing, 1 wanted to attend, hut was very hesitant. To be blunt. 1 was frightened. Who would he at this meeting? W'as there a possibility of violence if it was discovered 1 was Jewish? I had little doubt that 1 would not be so recog nized. 1 found someone to go with me. and I think we were both very apprehensive until we left the hotel and had driven out of the parking lot after the ses sion. I cannot recall the last time 1 felt so uneasy about being Jewish. We all know that there are dis turbed minds denying the exist ence of the Holocaust, but to come face to face with them has its intriguing side. Irving is Brit ish and his accent gives him an unmerited credibility. Statements were thrown out like a baseball batter scattering balls to a team in practice. H is delivery was rapid fire and polished. No time to think. No time to analyze. Just enough time to accept his remarks at lace value, which seemed suf ficient for his audience. Irving should be of concern simply tor his style and manner if nothing else. He is good at what he does. He outwardly lacks the characteristics of your typical crackpot. Ostensibly, his subject was not the Holocaust and Jews, but he frequently returned to that theme. He spoke about World War II and claimed that Germany was Britain’s best ally. Then he ac cused Winston Churchill of being an alcoholic and claimed he painted pictures to which he would put the names of well- known, but deceased, artists. Pearl Harbor was next, which led to assertions that President Roosevelt knew of the impend ing Japanese attack. And, by the way, FDR was influenced by the Jews and if they only knew he was anti-Semitic... Next we learned that two Ber lin bankers financed Hitler. He mocked that he would surely be labeled anti-Semitic if he men tioned their religion, and then Continued next pagf-