THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS October 17, 1975 21 Minister Simone Veil; France's 1st Woman Cabinet Member By EDWIN EYTAN (Copyright 1975, JTA Inc.) PARIS — Mme. Simone Veil, France's Minister of Health, is unusual in many ways. She is the first — and only — woman to reach Cabinet rank in France. She is the only Jew with full ministerial responsibilities. She is a former Auschwitz inmate with the number 78651 tattooed on her fo- rearm. Mme. Veil has become France's most popular polit- ical figure. Recent public opinion polls gave her a six percent edge over Premier 'Jacques Chirac and two per- cent over opposition leader Francois Mitterand. In a recent interview, Mme. Veil spoke about what it was like to be a woman Cabinet minister, a Jew with strong sentimental ties to Israel and a member of a government whose attitude toward Israel, while more friendly than in the recent past, is still ambiguous to- ward the Middle East and which has recognized the Palestine Liberation Organ- ization as a representative body. Mme. Veil has been a frequent visitor to Israel in "a private capacity." Her three sons have all visited Israel and have studied Hebrew at ulpanim there. She joined the govern- ment in 1974 after the Fran- co-Israel rift on the arms embargo was mended, al- though Israeli diplomats and many Jewish organiza- tions in France are still not happy with the govern- ment's Mideast policy. She was asked if she felt more a minister or more a Jew: "There is no, there can be no such problem. I am French and a member of the French government. Emo- tionally I feel close to Israel and to Jerusalem both as a Jew and as a former depor- tee but there can be no ques- tion of a double allegiance. "Israel is something special to me and to my family but there is a clear distinctive line between sentimental involvement and concrete political fac- tors," she said. Mme. Veil does not like to speak about her concentra- tion camp experience. Sometimes the subject crops up unexpectedly. During the debate in the French National Assembly last fall on her bill legalizing abortion in France, a Dep- uty shouted at her: "You 'want to send our unborn children to the cremation ovens." Mme. Veil, whose parents and brother died in Ausch- witz, slumped forward in her chair and her eyes filled with tears. By MOSHE RON Simone Veil was born to an assimilated Jewish mid- dle class family. Her father, Andre Jacob, was an archi- tect; her mother Yvonne Steinmetz, a chemist. Old friends recall that the fam- ily was assimilated to such a degree that her brother, who was later to die at Auschwitz, was not circum- cized, and no Jewish holi- days were observed. In spite of their assimila- tion, the family declared it- self Jewish at the time of the Nazi occupation. Mme. Veil was arrested in 1944 by a German patrol. Her par- ents, her brother and sister were arrested two days later. They were all de- ported to Auschwitz and only the two daughters sur- vived. After the war she re- turned to France and stud- ied law at the Sorbonne in Paris where she met her husband, Antoine Veil, to- day president of African Air Lines, a state-owned com- pany and a senior civil serv- ant. She worked as a magis- trate from her graduation until she was appointed to SIMONE VEIL the Cabinet by President Valery Giscard d'Estaing. Mme. Veil is a member of no political party and her appointment came as a surprise. Many thought that Giscard d'Estaing was mainly interested in keeping his election prom- ise to appoint a woman to Cabinet rank if elected. He chose Mme. Veil as fitting the role, probably una- ware at the time, that one year later she would emerge as France's main political personality with, observers say, ambitions of her own. makes good and eventually replaces Chirac as Prime Minister, they will have lit- tle additional influence in French government circles. Always distant from or- ganized Jewish life, Mme. Veil has drawn even further away since her appointment as minister. The only ap- pearance she made at a Jew- ish gathering was at a re- cent meeting of the Alliance Israelite Universelle, consid- ered here as the most French of Jewish organiza- tions and the least involved with Israel and Zionism. This does not prevent her youngest son, Jean Michel, from planning to revisit Is- rael and perhaps settle ' there one day. - .44 41. the .ifht It's Nice To Deal With Joe Slatkin's DEXTER CHEVROLET - 20811 W. 8 Mile between Southfield a Telegraph 534-1400 Our Promise To You: UTTER SERVICE! 4...1•J . - 4 filth - kiN s /80&111§0. ■ ‘VATIP An, skulls NW: ampiacce VO9 Vb Norman Allan & To. 17540 WYOMING • TEL. 341-1330 • Mon. Et Thurs. 9:30-7:00 Tues.. Ws ea dt . 0 09 : 30-6:00 Jewish observers fear, drivers would not be allowed to enter religious quarters in Jerusalem. The committee argues TEL AVIV — The Com- mittee for Holiness of Israel, that women drivers in pub- which consists of a small lic buses injure the feelings group of extreme religious of religious people. The reli- observers headed by Rabbi gious law forbids women to Shimon Turnheim in Jeru- manage public affairs. salem, has appealed to the Some of the women drivers Israeli bus company Egged wear short skirts or trou- not to employ women driv-. sers and open blouses. Reli- gious people are not allowed ers. The committee warned to come in close contact the company that if this with women or to look at appeal would not be heeded, other women than their religious Jewry would ask own. the Minister for Transport According to the religious to grant it permission to es- law it is forbidden that a tablish its own bus com- man should be alone with a pany. Buses with women married weigan, and it of- ten happens that there is Druze Baker only one male passenger in a bus. In this case, if there is Ends 'Mission' woman driver, he has to in West Germany a leave the bus immediately TEL AVIV (JTA)—Sheik and is unable to reach the Abu Rushdi Natour, a station where he intends to Druze from Daliyat Al-Car- go. mel village near Haifa, just returned from a one-man Yeshiva U. Picks technical assistance mission Law School Head to West Germany. The Sheik, a baker by NEW YORK — Monrad trade, taught bakers in G. Paulsen, dean of the Uni- Munich how to make pitta, versity of Virginia School of the round, flat bread of the Law, has been appointed Middle East. vice president for legal edu- He went to Munich at the cation at Yeshiva University invitation of German inves- to head Yeshiva's new Ben- tors who have since estab- jamin N. Cardozo School of lished a pitta bakery there. Law. The school is planned According to Abu Rushdi, to open in fall 1976. the demand for pitta and fa- Prof. Paulsen, a native of lafel is on the rise in Ger- Clinton, Iowa, is a graduate many. of the University of Chicago. READY WHEN YOU ARE! Cream Cheese SATISFACTION GUARANTEED roo Kri , ..Lo•ea ro,u ro r m Incredibly spreadable Philadelphia Brand Whipped Cream Cheese • •••• •••• •••••-• Philly's been whipped. So it's lighter, smoother and easier to spread. It comes out of your refrigerator creamy and fluffy. Ready to enjoy on a bagel, cracker, matzo or muffin. Take your choice of regular Philadelphia Brand Whipped Cream Cheese or our other delicious Kosher favorites—every one guaranteed fresh when you buy it or your money back from Kraft. Be sure to keep the "incredible s1 readables" on hand at your house. They're always ready to spread happiness! D,r.s,on of Kraft. Corporation • I t at Ihe .444 peace. The Assembly President asked her if she wanted a recess but she replied, cooly, "No, this will not be necessary," and the de- bate continued. Late in the night, when the vote was taken she had won and France became the first Israel Women Bus Drivers Seen as Danger to Religious Jewish News Special Israel Correspondent however, that even if she Catholic country to legal- ize abortion. Enjoy Philadelphia Brand Whipped Cream Cheese and Philadelphia Brand Whipped Cream Cheese with Chives/with Pimento with Onion/with Smoked salmon All these Kraft Philadelphia Brand Whipped Cream Cheeses CERTIFLED KOSHER