Non-Jew Hopes His Silver Gift to Hadassah Will Inspire Other Americans to Aid Israel By JOSEPH POLAKOFF (Copyright 1974, JTA, Inc.) WASHINGTON—At a time when Israel sorely needs both moral and material support, Albert P. Hinckley Jr. has come through hand- somely both ways. Shortly after the Yom Kippur War was under way, he contrib- uted his collection of Geor- gian silver to Hadassah for two reasons: The silver's sale would bring $85,000 to help purchase supplies for Israeli soldiers wounded on the Syrian and Egyptian fronts. More importantly, his in- tention was to encourage other Americans, especially non-Jews but Jews too, to give more of themselves for Israel. Hinckley. a non-Jew, told Hadassah President Rose E. Matzkin that he became "madly, totally and eternally in love with Israel" during 1960-61 when he lived in Tel Aviv. He almost converted to Judaism and became an Is- raeli. "Israel," he said, "is very much a part of my life." It all started in 1959. He was traveling in Greece when his original plans went awry. "I decided to make a swing through the Near East — Turkey, • Egypt, Lebanon and via Cyprus to Israel," he said. But, while being buffeted by the shortage of hotel rooms in Tel Aviv, he thought Israel was "very scuffy" until he became acquainted with an Israeli, Rafi Blu- menfelt, who persuaded him to go on a trip to Galilee. "During that trip Rafi told told me a great deal. about the history of Palestine and Israel," he said. "I began to gain a perspective and an admiration for what I had not until then been seeing." That experience, a reading of "Exodus" which he said is "trash as literature but the story is very strong" and, among other things, "a fear that I was heading home to a very soft and thus prob- ably destructive life," caused him to decide to return to Israel for a couple of years. There, "after things sorted themselves out and during e period of misery, "I found a flat, got a job, part time for the first five months as I was studying Hebrew five hours a day, six days a week at Ulpan Meir in downtown Tel Aviv, and started to make friends. Time passed and in about 1% years I was madly, totally and eternally in love with Israel. I still am." Hinckley said that among many elements it is the peo- ple he came to know that created this love. He finally realized he had to choose be- tween Israel and America then or he would find it al- most impossible to leave later. "Somewhere inside I knew that to really go over would be self-indulgent and prob- ably a mistake," he said. "Better to use what I had learned to become a better original than be any kind of copy. So after two years in Israel I left." During the Yom Kippur War he read about the out- pouring of support from the Jewish community here and how help was coming from Christians, too. "I decided that life could go on without my collection of Georgian silver," he said. He called Ruth Rivlin, the Israeli con- sul-general's wife in New York, who is a first cousin of his former employer's Israelis, Beset With Own Woes, React Mildly to Impeachment wife in Israel, and asked for her help. The Rivlins sug- gested Hadassah. Visiting Israel after the war, he became convinced that "much more Gentile support was required than is presently forthcoming." While mulling this over, he realized he mas defeating his own purpose in shunning publicity about the silver. "While I really do not like the idea of people publicizing their own good works," he said, "I can now see that in this case and probably many others, the attitude can be selfish. So I am ready to get as much mileage out of this as possible to help Hadassah and Israel. If it brings more Gentile support, good, but it may bring more Jewish sup- port too, and that would also be good." Bulgaria Cites Jewish Editor SOFIA (JTA) — The gov- of the Jewish Cultural Or- ernment recently awarded ganizations of Bulgaria. Israel Barukh Meyer the Order of the Popular Repub- THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS lic of Bulgaria on the occa- 16—Friday, August 2, 1974 sion of his 70th birthday. Mayer has held several government posts including a position in the Bulgarian Council of Ministers and the culture ministry. He served as editor of the p , 1 Jewish newspaper of Sofia and was a council member POE Al S Foreign Car Service SPECIALIST IN VOLKSWAGEN AND PORSCHE CARS CALL 548-3926 548-4160 541-9704 1018 W. 9 Mile Rd. Alfons G. Rehme FERNDALE MICH. Between Livernois & Pinehurst 33locks CLOTHES Semi-annual Clearance TEL AVIV (JTA) — The emergency airlifts of urgent- news of the historic action ly needed military equipment of the House Judiciary Com- to Israel. Other Israelis simply shrug- mittee in recommending the impeachment of President ged their shoulders and said Nixon was received in Is- "It's an American affair al- rael with interest and concern together. Let them solve their but not with the attention so problems. We have enough on momentous an event deserv- our hands with Jordan, Egypt, ed, observers here agreed. Syria — and the mortality They attributed the rela- rate in traffic accidents." Is- tively low-key reaction here raeli officials reported one to a welter of problems sud- of the worst weeks in such JERUSALEM — Dr uze denly faced by Israelis. No- accidents, with the number Sheikh Jaber Muadi has been tably the unsuccessful at- of deaths reaching 30, a rec- reappointed deputy communi- tempt by a group of Ortho- ord. cations minister, and is the dox Jewish families to estab- Some Israelis, reportedly first deputy minister to be lish an illegal settlement near not very many, are prepared appointed by the present Is- Nablus in the West Bank over to accept an impeachment if rael cabinet. the President was proved to the weekend. Sheikh Muadi is an Align- Israelis also were grap- be really involved in the ment affiliated Knesset mem- pling with problems of energy Watergate affair. But the ber. His appointment, made shortages, a partial strike by general popular view seems medical workers which has to be, the observers said, that curtailed radio and television the impeachment procedures broadcasts and warnings of have not been completed and Selected Groups of* the possibility of a new war that it is better to wait and breaking out toward the end see. by GGG, Eagle, Le Baron, of this year. In terms of Israel's needs, Geoffrey Beene, Pierre Cardin, As has been the situation there seems to be no question and other famous makers. since . President Nixo n' s among Israelis generally that Watergate . troubles . began Mr. Nixon has been a good more than a year ago, the president. SPORTCOATS government has maintained RAINCOATS total silence toward what is considered at the official Tenor Peerce Hurt LEATHER COATS level as totally an internal During Performance American affair. SHOES NEW YORK—Jan Peerce, But the announcement of the 70-year-old opera tenor is the House committee action resting in Mount Sinai Hos- Y2 FURNISHINGS failed, to date; to evoke any pital here after suffering a editorial reaction from any broken leg when he fell dur- AT BOTH STORES of the major newspapers. SHEIKH JABER MUADI Man-on-the-street cornmerX ing a performance at the Westbury Music Fair in Long 'ALTERATIONS AT COST by Premier Yitzhak Rabin, also has been limited to such Island. remarks as "You know, he is who is still communications Peerce, who is starring in 19132 LIVERNOIS • .. minister, must be announced the best President we ever "Laugh a Little, Cry a JUST OFF 7 MILE RD. Phone DI 1-0480 — Free Parking Livernois corner of Cambridge in the Knesset before it can had in the United States" Little," based on a book by and "After all, had it not take effect. been for Nixon, we might not Leo Rosten, was said to have visit our i> in the new enclosed Orchard Mall on Orchard Lake Road He formerly formed a unit- have received what we did in lost his footing as he made new store ed front in the Knesset with the Yom Kippur War" — A an exit from the theater-in- just 1/2 block north of Maple Road — Phone 851-9080 two Alignment-affiliated col- reference to the President's the-round stage into the audi- Open daily 10 to 6 p.m. / Thurs.-Fri. till 9 p.m. / Sat. till 6 p.m : leagues, former Nazareth quick action in providing ence. Mayor Seif-e-Din Zuabi, and Sheikh Hamad Abu Rabia, a Negev Bedouin. They de- manded more power for the Arab and Druze Knesset Typewriter and Dictating Equipment—Standards - Executives - Selectrics members. 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