Arab Woman Lib Leader Serves Her People With Courage
By JANICE ROTHSCHILD
Israel, organizing centers for the
women and persuading them to
participate. She has thus far estab-
JERUSALEM — Preservation of
lished 28 in the towns and villages
the past plays an important part
of northern Israel, one in East
in forging a better future for Arab
Jerusalem, and one in the Golan
women, according to Mrs. Enam
Heights.
Zuabi of Nazareth, Israeli Arab
"We are just at the beginning of
feminist. A devout Moslem, she
the road," she admits, "but com-
uses both piety and wit, plus a
pared to other Eastern women it
large measure- of persistence in
is much." Due in part to these ef-
her war on backwardness.
forts infant mortality has dropped
Mrs. Zuabi, a lady of ample pro-
almost to a Western level (Arab
portions, charm and vitality, is
women entering hospitals for child-
the wife of the former mayor of
birth have increased in recent
Nazareth, now deputy speaker of
years from 46 per cent to 84 per
the Knesset, and mother of six
cent. School attendance among
Arab girls in Nazareth has now
reached 96 per cent, and a gratify-
Holiday Good Wishes
ing 78 per cent in the more iso-
lated communities.
These gains were not easily
achieved. To accomplish them
Mrs. Zuabi had to wheedle her
husband's friends, the mayors
14395 Schaefer
VE 8-6000
and head men of the towns, to
r.
permit their wives and daughters
to attend her centers. "I went
s•
personally to each town," she
Passover Greetings to
relates, "and told the mayor 'I
Our Friends and Customers
will not drink your coffee unless
you let your wife come with
Advance Glass Co..
me.' " This, from the lips of an
18287 Livernois
impeccably religious Moslem
lady of high social standing, is
UN 4-4974
a meaningful threat.
Mrs. Zuabi emphasizes the im-
portance of maintaining tradition.
Israeli law, she believes, has done
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much to better the lot of Arab
women. The right to vote, prohi-
bition of polygamy and forced mar-
Dealers in Scrap Materials
riage, raising the age of marriage
from 14 to 17 years all have been
31 95 BELLEVUE
steps toward a better life. "The
WA 2-2720
difficulty is not with the law,"
she insists, "but with convincing
the people to use it. The men don't
want it. They fear the breakdown
Best Wishes For A
of the family structure."
Happy Passover
In this respect Mrs. Zuabi sees
eye to eye with her male oppo-
nents. "We must not lose the
warmth of the Arab family," she
maintains. "We must safeguard
13241 W. Chicago Blvd.
this whatever else we do."
An, Arab family, she explains,
.
sm NMI MN MN —
comprises some 400 to 500 people,
— —
Happy Passover from
all of them closely tied to one
N
and Mrs. Chaim Rosenberg.
another. "A person might have 30
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Greetings
I
RO- SENBERG'S
-
uncles and aunts, and cousins to
KOSHER POULTRY
EDER
the 10th generation." Marriages
usually take place between mem-
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bers of the same family. Mrs.
13420 W. 7 Mile. Rd.
Louis Eder
Zuabi and her husband are them-
Coll UN 4-6963
11-
DUI 1-1940
1751 FORT
selves cousins. She believes that
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inbreeding of families, while it
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can produce mental and physical
deficiencies in the offspring, can
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also bring beneficial results. "My
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own children are very smart," she
adds with an expression exactly
WeRernove MOTH HOLES, CUTS,
like that of a Jewish mother.
TEARS, BURNS, RUGS
Her friendships with Jews date
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back many years. "I remember
4501 N. Woodward, Royal Oak
my first Jewish friend," she re-
1515 Division
549-2151
calls, "a girl soldier who used to
•
wait for her bus each morning
■ Isemboomemommommummemosommeom‘ just outside my house. One day I
• spoke to her and invited her in."
•
•
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• Today her Jewish friends include
Wishing
You
a
Happy
Passover
• the leaders of Israel's government,
• • •
• its cultural and social life. When
•
(A Seven Arts Feature)
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children. She presides over a
household in which, for three years,
"there has not been a single day
without guests" and in which, fol-
lowing the Arab tradition of hos-
pitality, the hostess does not sit at
the table with her guests but stands
and serves them. This, by the way,
has nothing to do with the avail-
ability of hired help. It is simply
considered more gracious for the
hostess to do it herself.
Despite these considerable re-
sponsibilities as homemaker, Mrs.
Zuabi manages a multitude of
outside activities. She helps her
husband in his political cam-
paigns, represents her people in
practically every national con-
ference that involves women,
serves on the municipal council
of her city, is the only woman
member of its labor council,
holds a position on the Israel
broadcasting authority, and' is
president of the women's organi-
zation of Histadrut, Israel's pow-
erful labor federation. In addi-
tion she toils at the grass roots
of women's liberation, with the
individual women themselves.
Women's lib means something
quite different in the Middle East
from what we know in America.
Mrs. Zuabi points out that until
recently the average Arab woman
spent the better part of her time
supplying her family with water,
usually from a well located miles
away from her home. "Now in 102
Arab villages in Israel there is
running water in every house. This
makes a tremendous difference."
The 21st Century is dawning in
other areas as well. "Every shep-
herd has his transistor radio," she
reveals. Incongruous as this may
seem, the intrusion on biblical air
waves provides a clue to the
broader scene. Today, even in re-
mote villages, young men see
wives who have received an edu-
cation, wives who can share the
problems and the advantages of
modern life.
To help meet this challenge Mrs.
Zuabi travels indefatigably through-
out the Arab-populated areas of
recently she took a visiting rela
tive from the administered terri-
tories with her to Jerusalem for a
conference, it was an incredible
revelation for the visitor to ob-
serve the warmth of the greetings
she received from Jewish friends.
She comments hopefully, "alto-
gether this picture is getting on."
Regarding intermarriage between
Jews and Arabs, however, she
disapproves. Again, this is based
upon her determination to preserve
the family structure. "According
to Moslem law the children must
follow the religion of their father.
Jewish law requires them to fol-
low their mother. Is is not a good
situation."
In spite of the problems, though,
she believes strongly that a multi-
cultured society is a good thing.
"It's all for our benefit if we
know how to use it;" she declares.
There are three kinds of people
—commonplace men, remarkable
men and lunatics.—Mark Twain.
Happy Passover
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Mr. and Mrs. Abe Weisman
AL GENDEL'S COLLISION
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to our Friends and Customers
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25040 Southfield at 10 Mile Rd.
Phone: 557-6044
ACME AWNING CO.
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8800 West McNichols
Don H. Appel and Ben Roggin
KLIP & KURL BEAUTY. SALON
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HAIR CUTTING - PERMANENT WAVING - TINTING
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INTERNATIONAL METAL PRODUCTS CORP.
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MICHIGAN INDUSTRIAL LAUNDRY, INC.
LOUIS DALITZ
9350 Roselawn
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and Friends
Wishing All My Customers an
A Very Happy and Healthy Passover
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DETROIT INSTITUTE OF MUSICAL ART
5330-50 JOHN R (Art Centre)
rbE or1 n - , 2Z0 t Side
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SCHILLER MILLINERY STORES, INC.
Best Wishes for the
Passover
MR. and MRS.
PETER HELLMAN
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Detroit Mill Supply Co.
17325 LAMONT
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BRENT'S HAIR FASHIONS
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Wish You a Happy Passover
543-2211
15411 W. 9 Mile Rd., Oak Park
CO.
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Best Wishes for a Happy
Passover To Our Customers
and Friends
The Staff of
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, April 9, 1971-33
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For A Joyous Passover
Junction-McGregor Waste Paper & Metal Co.
5650 McGregor, Detroit
7A Sol Rosen
and Family
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and Family
1