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THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE December 19, 1986 Page 5
Letters
No solution best for Israel
A proud parent
Editor:
Growing up in the Northeast, 1
never felt the need to explain my
Jewishness to anyone. But that
has not been the case for my 7-
vear-old son Aaron.
I have always been very proud
of Aaron but in this particular
instance. I’m especially proud. It
seems there has been a conflict
between Aaron and his music
teacher at his Marietta elemen
tary school. They have been sing
ing nothing but Christmas songs
for the past couple of weeks.
Aaron told his music teacher he
didn't want to sing the songs
because he was Jew ish. He didn't
object to singing winter time songs
like “Frosty the Snowman.” Just
the ones that made a reference to
Christmas and Santa Claus. After
all, why should he sing about a
man that brings toys to all the
children in his class except him?
I'm not sure if his music teacher
believed Aaron because she
checked with his regular teacher
to see it indeed he really was Jew
ish. Alter all. he doesn't have a
Jewish “sounding” name, (his
father converted) and he certainly
doesn’t “look” Jewish (blond
hair blue eyes).
If I'm starting to sound a bit
cynical, it's only because 1 feel
our educators should be better
intormed. and better equipped to
deal with all minority children.
I have now sent a letter to his
music teacher, as Aaron said she
told him 1 needed to do this.
I must applaud his regular
teacher, as she has made a real
effort to incorporate Manuka into
her classroom activities.
This may seem trivial to a
great many of you, but to a 7-
year-old w ho thinks that the only
other Jewish children in the world
are all in his Sunday School
class, it is a very big deal!
Gari Greenw aid
Reader likens Dylan to Spinoza
Editor:
1 have just finished reading
“From Frankenstein to Foster"
by Joseph Cohen (Nov. 28 issue),
and I would like to offer a differ
ent point of view of Robert Shel
ton's biography of Bob Dylan.
Although Mr. Shelton does
tend to glamorize Bob Dylan. 1
don’t think that he intended to
portray Dylan as a messiah.
However, I think Mr. Shelton's
intention was to portray Dylan
as a poet artist who has dedi
cated his life to questioning his
dual heritage, Jewish and Amer
ican. Bob Dylan’s synthesized
style of writing is directly related
to the American experience, a
melting pot of styles and cultures.
Bob Dylan's style of writing is
steeped in the tradition of Spin
oza, who was ostracized by the
Jews of his day for his radical
ideas. Maybe if we all took the
time to “dig” ourselves and the
time to try to understand G-d
and the world around us, the way
Bob Dylan has, the world might
be a better place to live.
Jack Silverman
East Brunswick, N.J.
Let there he front now ott no distinction
between duties for men and women unless flowing from
the natural laws governing the sexes; no assumption of the
spiritual minority of woman.
A. Geiger. WZJ1, 18.17. q PRM. 47.1.
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by Carl Alpert
HAIFA
Behind the arms-for-hostages
deal between the U.S. and Iran,
w ith Israel serving as the delivery
boy, there still remains the un
ending war between Iran and
Iraq, now in its seventh bloody
year.
From the point of view of
Israel’s interests, which side
would we prefer to win? It is not
an easy question to answer.
Significantly, Iran’s only sup
porters in the Arab world are
Syria, and more remotely, Fibya.
The others all fear that if Iran
emerges with a decisive victory,
Islamic fundamentalism in the
shape of Khomeinism would be a
threat to all of them. Even Israel
would be pushed into second
place on the agenda of the Arab
world.
Some of the alliances which
have been created sound most
implausible. Khomeini is bitterly
anti-Communist, w hich could be
another reason why the U.S. seeks
to mend its relations with those
in Iran who will continue the
Ayatollah's policies after his de
parture from the scene. But Syria,
Iran’s best friend, serves as the
U.S.S.R.’s chief foothold in the
Middle East. Politics in this part
of the world have never been dis
tinguished for their logic.
An end to the Gulf War would
release large numbers of battle-
trained Iranian soldiers, ready to
reinforce the Hizbullah in Leba-
non, where they would at once
heat up Israel’s northern border.
The population of Iran is three
times that of Iraq, and militarily
the odds are in favor of Kho
meini. But the outcome of the
war may be determined by the
economic staying capacity of the
two countries, and in this Iran
is at a disadvantage, with its
income from sale of its oil con
stantly dwindling. Iraq, on the
other hand, is receiving massive
financial support from the Arab
oil states. Continuation of the
war is draining both countries.
An Iraqi victory may present a
more immediate threat to us.
Baghdad has 40 divisions under
arms. Obviously they can not all
be demobilized at once, and many
of them would probably end up
on Israel's eastern border. Which
front? Through its ally, Jordan,
with the cooperation of Hussein
who would welcome help in seek
ing to recapture the West Bank?
Through Syria, which would no
doubt happily shift its support to
the victor, and make common
cause with it in seeking to regain
the Golan Heights? Having de
feated K homeini or brought about
his downfall by economic col
lapse from within, Iraq would
enjoy enormous prestige in the
Arab world, and would be en
couraged to continue its victory
momentum, utilizing its well-oiled
and experienced military machine
against Israel.
Iran’s repeated offensives
against a fatigued but stubbornly
dug-in Iraq have thus far failed
to bring about any conclusive
decision.
The precarious state of his
Robert Klein, one of Ameri
ca's most popular comedians and
prominent Broadway, Hollywood
and television actor, was inaugu
rated as national president of the
Sabra Society, the honor society
of the Israel Bond Organization’s
New Leadership Division, at a
recent dinner-dance at the Wal
dorf-Astoria in New York.
Klein was the recipient of the
Israel Cultural Award in ac
knowledgement of his outstand
ing contributions to the perform
ing arts and to numerous humani
tarian and philanthropic causes
which benefit Israel.
The Sabra Society consists of
young business and professional
men and women in the United
economy will compel Khomeini
to make a further all-out effort to
smash his opponents, and the
new- offensive may be expected to
begin at the tail end of the winter,
perhaps late in February, or later
if bad weather prevails.
Israel’s military authorities
make no secret of the fact that a
decisive victory by either side
would be bad for us. It would be
better if there were no victor, and
the two sides simply went on
bleeding each other until they
both collapsed, leaving behind a
mess of human misery which the
Moslem world would somehow
have to salvage before the Com
munists stepped into the \ acuum
created.
The situation is not a pleasant
one—neither for Israel nor for
of several Israeli leaders that it is
wary eye on developments. Most
here agree with the observations
of several Israel leaders that it is
in our interests for the Iraq-Iran
war to carry on. This would pre
sumably mean that we should
not hesitate to help prop up
either side w hich seemed in danger
of collapsing first.
States and Canada w ho purchase
SI,000 or more in Israel Bonds
each year.
Previous presidents of the
society have included actresses
Liv Uliman, Rita Moreno and
Jane Alexander, actor Elliott
Gould, composer Marvin Ham-
lisch, TV comedy star Gabe Kap
lan and singer actor Mike Bur
sty n.
Israel Prime Minister Yitzhak
Shamir, in a cabled message from
Jerusalem, told members of the
Israel Bond Sabra Society that
through their efforts, they are
“helping to fulfill the promise of
a better future for Israel, the Jew
ish people and the vital work of
Israel Bonds."
Comedian Robert Klein
will lead Sabra Society
By popular demand: repeat performance!
Or VeShalom
Mini-Bazaar
Sunday, Dec. 21
12:00 noon-6 p.m.
1681 N. Druid Hills Rd.
★ Gifts at fantastic savings
★ Our famous Sephardic delicacies
★ No admission charge
Thanks to our many friends for your continuous support
