Israel's Elite Who Rule the Nation Defined in New Elizur-Salpeter Volume

daughter, as we have seen) and -sons' assuming central positions cessity, yet they provide the the personalities so well ac-
Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) the elites of the Sephardi and is
himself married to Dalin, the in the life of the State, yet not
had a formula: "The history the old Ashkenazi -families— daughter of the late Eliahu Gol- always being of similar mind. In basic understanding of the complished.
omb.
Dalia's brother David the Katzneleson family, for ex- characteristics of those de-
of the world is the history of a process which never gained ("Dodik")
Although this book ap-
is one of the senior ample, the daughter Rachel (wife
peared long before the Dec.
great men." Yuval Elizur overwhelming scope in Tur- economists of Hevrat Ila'ovdim of the President of Israel, Zal- fined.
and heads a science-based indus- man Shazar) and her brother
Therefore whether it is 31 Israel elections, the au-
and Eliahu Salpeter, two top kish times. More significant- trial
company which is part of Abraham joined the Labor move-
ment, while their brother Reu- Moshe Dayan or Yigal Allon thors anticipated a question
Israeli journalists, give this ly, it marked the beginning the Labor Federation economy.
Yet the protektzia on which ben and his son Shmuel (Tamir) or Pinhas Sapir, the reader regarding succession. They
dictum credence in their au- of the slow decline in the im-
the positions of these members became active in more right-wing will have a proper portrait of concluded their book with an
thoritative work, "Who Rules portance of the Sephardi of
the Israeli power elite is sup- parties. Similarly, Menahem Ba-
was one of the founders of the Israeli in power after augury that a change is im-
Israel?", published by Har- elite and the rapid growth posedly built proves most ques- der
tionable and irrelevant following the leftist labor group Hashomer reading a volume so well or- possible and stated:
of the Ashkenazi."
per and Row.
a study of each case. The fact Hatzair and Kibutz Mizra in the
of Jezreel, while his cou- ganized for a subject that in-
Scores of personalities in
While this is not the most that relatives have similar his- Valley
"The division of power in
and are guided by similar sin, Dr. Yohanan Bader, is one quiries into the rulership of a
Israel have established such vital part of the book, it is tories
of
the
leaders
of the rightist par-
Israel according to a party
values is to be expected. Nor is
ty Herut, and has represented highly democratized and in-
excellent records for services valuable for an understand- it atypical that people marry this
party in the Knesset for tellectually progressive state. key, a method perfected be-
others who come from a similar
to their people, many of them ing of the personalities de- background.
fore the establishment of the
It may therefore many years.
With such fascinating in-
Whether it is Abba Eban or State and accepted in the
have such interesting back- scribed, because they are seem surprising, but it is a fact,
that
the
"hundred
families"
who
grounds, that they emerge in now of both the Ashkenazi ostensibly rule Israel are not en- troductory data, Elizur and Shimon Peres, Simha Dinitz Zionist movement, is in effect
historic roles, some as he- and Sephardi communities. gaged in handing out preferen- Salpeter proceeded to intro- or Yosef Tekoah, or the a system of sell-perpetuation
tial treatment to each other.
roes, others as intellectual
And because the character- Their close family ties are the duce the cast of characters. scores of others whose roles of the ruling elite, including
of the small dimensions Of course, Golda Meir heads are taken into consideration the opposition groups within
giants.
istics of the eminent Israelis result
of the population of pre-State
Are there 100, 150, 200 out- are inevitably associated with Israel and not of the practice of the list. David Ben-Gurion is in providing the answer to this elite. The 'cake' is d
by the ruling elite. often referred to; so are the question implied in the Bided up among those w
standing Israelis who domin- integrity, loyalty and hones- protektzia
The sons of the Chief Rabbi ob-
ate the small nation's destin- ty, it is equally important tained their positions not be- Moshe Sharett and Levi Esh- title of the book, "Who Rules are closest to it: the strugg-
ies? Even if there are as that the authors should have cause their father got them the kol ; so are others no longer Israel?" the answers are il- is only over the size of the
but because, as the result among the living.
luminating, instructive, and slice to be given to each
many as 200, one who knows dealt with the tricky subject jobs
of the background in which they
There is genuine thorough- the volume becomes insepar- group, while it is agreed in
grew
up, as well as their educa-
them inevitably becomes as- of protektzia—interpreted as
tion and qualifications, they ness in dealing with all of able from the "Who's Who
advance about those who are
quainted with practically all bribery or exchange or exer- were
found suitable for the posi-
of Israel's activities and as- tion of political influence— tions to which they were as- the personalities in this in Israel" because of the val- not 'one of us,' and there-
signed.
volume. The biographical uable biographical data it fore not eligible to receive
pirations. The authors of this about which there have been
The Zionist roots of a family
revealing book introduce the so many puns and criticisms. in many cases led to several sketches are concise, by ne- contains and the defining of any slice at all. The widening
of the base of the power elite
major personalities with skill, There is this form of exon-
and its `technologization'
out of personal acquaintance eration of protektzia .by Eli-
may bring about the down-
with all of the top Israelis.
zur and Salpeter:
Histadrut Unit Builds Synagogues
fall of this traditional key
Elizur and Salpeter are
"There are countries in
system. It appears, however,
highly qualified to perform which a form of protektzia is
that the process will be slow,
this task because of their in- exercised with the aim of ex-
butz. And the seder is held Hapoel Hamizrachi of Israel. even if a reform in the elec-
timacy with many of the peo- empting sons of friends from
By MOSHE RON
with the original Magada ac- The ministry of religious af- tion system to the Knesset,
ple they described in their military service or of trans-
Jewish News Israel
companied by pioneer songs. fairs sends special rabbis to to local government bodies
joint effort about who rules ferring them to safe assign-
Correspondent
Israel. They are among the ments in the rear. In Israel.
More than 20 kibutz syna- teach the girls, and when and to the Histadrut is even-
Fifty years ago, when the
leaders in journalism in Is- friends of senior officers of- first kibutzim were founded gogue.s were built. Not only they finish their courses suc- tually pushed through.
"Those who expect that
rael, they have both had ex- ten utilize their contacts for in Emek Jezreel and the Gal- older members, but also cessfully they become candi-
general elections in Israel
perience as foreign corre- the opposite reason: they ask ilee, the settlers dropped all youngsters of those born in dates for conversion.
will bring to power a totally
spondents in Washington, and that their son or daughter be traditional and religious life. the kibutzim take part in the
There are cases of Gentile different group of persons,
they understand Israel so- admitted to a crack fighting
Sabbath and Jewish holi- prayers. There are Bar girls who have finished their who will fill all the key po-
cially, politically, economic- unit or a desired military
days were ordinary working M i t z v a ceremonies, and course in the ulpaii and sur- sitions with its own mem-
ally.
course. They feel that in do- days. The Pesah seder was members study Torah and prised the rabbinate with bers, just as a fresh morning
It is regrettable that pub- ing so they are not doing held with bread, matzot and Talmud. Besides these syna- their excellent knowledge of shift takes over from the
lication of this revealing book anything wrong, since they a modern Hagada, com- gogues, in dozens of kibutzim Jewish customs. Some of tired night shift, may wait
was not deferred until after are not shielding their chil- prised of pioneer songs about there are - prayers for older them compelled their Jewish in-vain. It is to be expected
the Yom Kippur War, after dren, but, on the contrary, the landscape and the spring people in special wooden husbands to keep Jewish tra- that in the foreseeable fu-
the 1973 Israel national elec- exposing them to even great- in Eretz Yisrael.
huts.
ditional customs in the ki- ture all personnel changes
tions, when Ephraim Katzir er danger. It is obvious that
The special department for butzim.
Over the years, many par-
and shifts in the power elite
was already president of Is- -even this form of preference ents of kibutz members ar- religious affairs in Histadrut,
The religious department will be carried out at the
rael, and at a time when they is not desirable. It disrupts rived in the kibutzim, and the trade union, promotes the
of the Histadrut had been es- tempo of a clock which some-
could have added their com- the procedure of selecting
among them were religious building of synagogues in ki- tablished on the demand of times runs slowly and some-
ments on the changing moods the most suitable candidate
Jews, who had to suffer from butzim and moshavim. Head the religious faction "Hooved times fast, but always main-
in Israel resulting from the for the elite units of the Is-
tains a delicate balance
the
non-religious members. of the department is Rabbi Hoodati" 28 years ago.
gloom that was cast by the rael Defense Forces."
among its various compon-
In
those
times every social- Menachem Hacohen, called
death of some 2,500 young
the rabbi of Histadrut, who
What about the continuity
In the last Histadrut elec- ents, which imperceptibly
Israelis in the suddenness of in family interests in govern- ist was an agnostic.
Since then, the situation recently was elected to the tions, the Oved Hadati got are replaced in the course
the Egyptian-Syrian attacks. ment activities, the fact that
has
changed considerably. Knesset on the Labor Party 33,000 votes, and succeeded of time."
It would have been easier to sons often gain status on a
In view of these observa-
There
is a strong religious list. He is organizing praying- to double its electorate over
judge the present and antici- par, often exceeding, those
revival
in the kibutzim. Even parties on kibutzim and in the elections of 1969. This tions, it is well that the re-
pate the future if the most of their fathers? Is there the
villages on the High Holy "victory" encouraged the ac- view appears after the Dec.
recent events had also been influence of protektzia also in in the kibutzim of "Hasho- Days.
tivity of the faction, and 31 elections. Meanwhile the
mer
Hatzair,"
there
is
a
tra-
analyzed. But the book was evidence in high ranks? A
Rabbi Hacohen was elected evaluative factors of the
His
department
builds
syn-
ditional
supper
with
candle-
already a best seller in Is- notable set of experiences is
Elizur-Salpeter book gains
rael where it first appeared recorded by the authors who light Friday evening in the agogues in institutions which a member of Parliament. The permanency for those always
dining hall. On Yom Kippur, employ more than 1,000 peo- intense activity of the faction
in Hebrew, and its values state:
there is no work on any ki- ple. Thirteen were built in has caused dissatisfaction in need of information about
are undiminished by the time
When David Hacohen, one-time
the vast area of the Israeli among the political leaders Israel political approaches
element.
director of Solel Boneh, the con--
tracting company owned by the
Aircraft Industry. Special of the Alignment, and rela- and the state's politicians.
The Elizur-Salpeter service labor
sector of the economy, and
—P. S.
rooms were opened tions are tense.
former
Israel
Minister
to
Burma,
Hebrew U. Exhibits prayer
rendei-ed in the interest of
served as chairman of the De-
for
employees
of
the
rail-
knowledgeability about Israel fense and Foreign Relations Com- Book Treasures Gift
ways. The department takes
is not limited to biographical mittee of the Knesset, he was
as the "most related per-
care of the kosher kitchens
JERUSALEM
—
A
page
sketches. The authors con- known
son in Israel." One of his daugh-
in
kibutzim and moshavim
from
the
500-year-old
Guten-
ters
is
married
to
Uzi
Narkiss,
at
tribute splendid historical ex-
time head of the Central berg Bible as well as a selec- and the workers' kitchen of
planations for the rise of Se- one
Command of the Israeli Army
phardi influence in Israel, and subsequently director of the tion of 60 other rare and the Histadrut.
immigration department of the valuable books presented to
The department set up spe-
the Ashkenazi background of Jewish
Agency. His second
the earliest pioneering build- daughter is married to Aharon the Hebrew University by cial ulpariim for the conver-
secretary-general of the the estate of Charles Rosen- sion of young women who
ers of Zion, the commence- Yadlin,
ruling Labor 'party and one-time
ment of fusing of interests Deputy Minister of Education. bloom, of Pittsburgh, went came as volunteers and work
Ruppin, one of David
and families by the two ele- Hanna
Hacohen's sisters, is the widow on exhibit last month at the in several kibutzim. Some
ments of Israel's society.
of Dr. Arthur Ruppin, who head- Jewish National and Univer-- Gentile girls fell in love with
ed the Jewish settlement move- sity Library on the Hebrew Jewish members of the ki-
There is this example: ment
in Palestine. One of Mrs.
"For a long time there was Ruppin's daughters is married to University's Givat Ram cam- butzim, then turned to the
Professor
Yigael Yadin, the noted pus. A catalogue of the rabbinate and asked for a
no intermarriage between archeologist
and one-time Chief
important Sephardi families of Staff of the Israeli Army. Her treasures was published co- conversion, which creates
second daughter is married to inciding with the opening certain difficulties. Some rab-
and their Ashkenazi neigh- Dr.
Zvi Dinstein, the Deputy
bors. Therefore, when one Minister of Finance. A further ceremony.
bis maintain that there is no
Joseph Ben Nathan Meyou- study of the Hacohen family rela-
Attending the event were traditional life in the kibutz-
tives would uncover many other
has, scion of a family which persons holding senior positions Charles Rosenbloom's widow, im, and therefore such girls
traced its family tree in Pal- in the Israeli establishment, in- Lucile Johnson Rosenbloom should not be converted ac-
Yitzhak Rabin, Chief of
estine for 19 generations, cluding
Staff of the Israeli Army during and members of the univer- cording to the Halakha.
married the daughter of Ye- the Six-Day War and later Is- sity's board of governors 'Rabbi Hacohen undertook
Ambassador in Washington.
chiel Michael Pines, one of rael's
Asher Yadlin, the secretary of now convening in Jerusalem the mission to examine such
(nCreCtSing hUrnberS of new
the notables of the Jerusalem Hevrat Ha'ovdim, the L a b o r for the 36th annual meeting. cases, and when he becomes
holding company, as
Ashkenazi community, to- Federation's
well as the secretary-general of
convinced of a genuine de-
to'cloub,
ward the end of the 19th Cen- Kupat Holim, the Labor Federa- In the audience were Charles
Feinberg of Detroit, vice sire to convert he sends
tion
sick
fund,
is
to
some
ex-
tury, it was a memorable tent the missing link between
these girls to special ulpanim up"
historic occasion. This mark- the Hacohen "tribe" and the president of the American
"tribe" of Sharett-Golomb-Hoz. Friends of the Hebrew Uni- to learn Jewish rights and
ed the beginning of a very He
is a cousin of Aharon Yadlin
slow merger process between (married to David Hacohen's versity and National chair- customs in English, French
man of its library advisory and Spanish. The ulpanim
are in religious kibutzim of
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS committee.
40 Friday, April 12, 1974

Religion Conies to the Kibutzim

imtritighnt
fam.11ies krael (Ire being ipted
with pteviousItz-ort:Ived Imrriicpants
-fablitles-.
in ab56- ption ce Te‘i.

,

—