54 April

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Israel's Magen David Adorn
Maintains Constant 1/ igilance

By FLORENCE ULLMAN

(Copyright 1976. JTA, Inc.)

TEL AVIV — One never
gets used to the horror that
is a terrorist attack. Yet,
terror is part of the reality
which is Israel, part of the
price we pay for our stub-
born determination to live
in the country of our fath-
ers.
Magen David Adom's con-
tribution to lessening the
consequences of these acts
is only part of its massive
medical and health program
in Israel, but it is one of its
most important activities,
one which requires vigilance
24 hours 'round the clock
and continual planning to
cope with future attacks.
As defined by both Israeli
and Red Cross law, Magen
David Adorn is Israel's
emergency medical auxil-
iary service which works in
close cooperation with both
RAGA (Civil Defense) and
the Israel Defense Forces.
The acting director of
Magen David Adorn, Ariel
Yahalomi, describes the
effectiveness with which
the emergency service
program operates.
"We have a vast commun-
ications network which can
alert ambulances in any of
our 57 branches, located
from Metulla in the north to
Sharm el-Sheikh in the
south and manned by
trained first aid drivers who
are able to race to the scene
of trouble within minutes of
notification and aid in the
speedy evacuation of the
wounded. In addition, we
have more than 150 sub-
stations and posts, each of
which is linked to a branch.
Every branch can call on the
posts within its area when it
needs more ambulances
than it has at its disposal."
Unfortunately, Magen
David Adorn has had much
experience in dealing with
terrorist attacks. "We
know," states Yahalomi,
"that there are often two
waves of action. The first ac-
tion involves those who are
hit right away. Then, there
is a long waiting period un-
til the terrorists are flushed
out and the hostages they
are holding are released. We
use this waiting period both
to call up additonal reserves

to check conditions at
and to
hospitals to see what facili-
ties are available and how
much blood is needed."
Last year, when terrorists
stormed the Savoy Hotel in
the center of Tel Aviv, Ma-
gen David Adorn had a fully
equipped casualty ambul-
ance on the scene within 10
minutes of being notified of
the incident. Such an am-
bulance, fitted up as a small
hospital, employs a staff of
up to 12 trained medical
personnel. Tel Aviv has two
such mobile casualty sta-
tions; there is also one in
five other locations through-
out Israel.
Every station is respon-
sible for the cost of its
daily operation. It must
pay its utility bills and
staff out of money it re-
ceives as its share of Ma-
gen David .Adom's na-
tional lottery. National
headquarters helps each
branch with ambulances,
equipment, supplies, in-
struction, rebuilding and
repairs. It does not assist
in the day-to-day mainte-
nance. From these
branches come the ambul-
ances and first aid person-
nel who must deal with the
victims of terrorist at-
tacks.
To see Magen David
Adom's emergency services
program in perspective, it
must be stressed that its
range of activities goes far
beyond coping with terror.
With the exception of a few
private "ambulances" in the
larger cities, it operates Is-
rael's only fleet of ambul-
ances whose myriad tasks

include ferrying sick and
wounded to hospitals
Magen David Adorn re-
cognizes the importance of
having branches in develop-
ment towns. It has estab-
lished a branch in every new
town as it is founded. Last
September, for example, a
branch was set up in Yamit,
Israel's newest project city,
located 25 miles south of
Gaza in the northeastern
corner of the Sinai, at the
same time as the first set-
tlers took possession of their
homes.

"We are also in constant
and direct communication
with large industries, plants
with 1,000 or more em-
ployes," says Yaholomi.
"We have plans to cope with
emergencies which may oc-
cur in these factories, emer-
gencies which may range
from fire, explosion to acts
of sabotage.
"We also have a major
obligation to the airport,"
states Yahalomi. Between
15 and 50 ambulances can
be mobilized to help with
emergency landings."
This year the Ministry of
Transport set up 36 experi-
mental first aid call stations
on the main highway out-
side of Tel Aviv and to its
north, to be used in case of
an accident. Their calls go
directly to Magen David
Adom's headquarters. This
operation represents an-
other example of Magen
David Adom's continual at-
tempt to reach those in need
of emergency medical atten-
tion as quickly and as effec-
tively as possible.

Sefira Denotes Interval
From Pesah to Shavuot

BY RABBI SAMUEL FOX

(Copyright 1976, JTA, Inc.)

The days between Pas-
sover and Shauvuot are re-
ferred to as Sefira.
The Bible commanded
that a Jew is obligated ri-
tually to actually count each
day between the first day of
Passover and the Shavuot
holiday. Thus, these are
days of "counting" repre-
sented by the Hebrew word
for counting, Sefira.
The holiday of Shavuot is
U.S. Is Biggest
the only one of the major
holidays listed in the Bible
Arms Exporter
without a date. The Bible
WASHINGTON (ZINS) simply refers to this holiday
— According to the as the one occurring 50 days
"Federal Armaments Con- after Passover, its date
trol Agency," the United being arrived at by counting
States was the world's lead- the number of days between
ing vendor or armaments each of the two festivals.
for the year 1974 with ag-
Many claim that this
gregate sales in excess of $4 indicates the indispensa-
billion. The Soviet Union bility of each of these two
was second with sales of festivals to each other.
almost $3 billion, followed Passover is the festival of
by England and France at freedom which comme-
$1 billion each.
morates the exodus of the
According to this report, Jews from Egypt.
all countries in the world
Shavuot is the festival
that year spend $280 billion
for armaments. The USSR which commemorates the
leads in total outlays for event of the Revelation at
armaments — $103 billion Mount Sinai where the Jews
— with America second at accepted the Command-
ments and responsibility of
$86 billion.

the faith. Freedom is mean-
ingless without a sense of
commitment and responsi-
bility to uphold that free-
dom.
Revelation and responsi-
bility cannot take place un-
less the individual is free to
accept the teachings and
commandments of the faith.
The two festivals are there-
fore inter-twined with the
link of mutual indispensibil-
ity. Thus, the count takes
place between them.
The intervening days
are characterized as days of
sadness. It was during this
period that 24,000 of Rabbi
Akiba's students died dur-
ing the Roman period. Also,
there are other tragic events
which are said to have oc-
curred during this period.

There are some who claim
that even before this time,
this period was one of ten-
sion because it comprised
two basic harvest seasons —
barley and wheat — which
were staples of food and the
economy. In addition, the
pilgrims had to make sure
to get back home and then
return to Jerusalem during
this period, making them
tense in getting their work
at home done on time.

Election 76

David Levinson, Longtime
Oakland County Supervisor

WASHINGTON (JTA) —
David Levinson, a mem-
The foreign policy advisers ber of the Oakland County
to the three leading aspir-
Board of Supervisors, died
ants for the Democratic Tuesday at age. 80.
Presidential nomination,
A native Detroiter, Mr.
voiced criticism here of Sec- Levinson was chairman of
retary of State Henry A. the powerful Ways and
Kissinger's step-by-step di- Means Committee of the
plomacy in the Middle East board during part of his ten-
and advocated an overall so-
ure. He retired in 1968.
lution to the Arab-Israeli
He was the uncle of for-
conflict in which Israel
mer State Senator Sander
would relinquish virtually Levin and Detroit City
all of the occupied Arab ter-
Council President Carl
ritories in return for Big
Levin.
Power guarantees of its se-
A real estate appraiser in
Birmingham, Mr. Levinson
curity.
The experts, all of whom
was a graduate of the Uni-
served in the Johnson Ad- versity of Michigan. He was
ministration, participated a member of Birmingham
in a panel discussion of for- Lodge of the Masons, the
eign policy at the convention Master Appraisers Insti-
of the American Society of tute, the American Institute
Newspaper Editors.
of Appraisers, the Real Es-
They are George W.
tate Appraisers Institute
Ball, former Undersecre-
and the Birmingham
tary of State, who is one of Bloomfield Real Estate
the advisers to Sen. Henry Board.
M. Jackson of Washing-
He is survived by his wife,
ton; Prof. Zbigniew Brzez- Marie; a son, Bernard N.; a
inski, of Columbia Univer-
sity, a former member of
the State Department's Courses on Law
Policy Planning Council,
Set at Hebrew U.
who is advising former
PHILADELPHIA —
Governor Jimmy Carter of
Georgia; and Paul C. Courses on the comparative
Warnke, a former Assist- law of Israel and the United
ant Secreary of Defense, States, international law
who is an adviser to both with special reference to Ar-
Carter and Rep. Morris K. ab-Israeli conflicts, and
comparative constitutional
Udall of Arizona.
Warnke is a foreign policy law are being offered to
consultant to Sen. Hubert law students and recent law
H. Humphrey of Minnesota, school graduates in a special
who has not officially de- overseas session in Israel by
clared his candidacy but is the Temple University Law
regarded as a strong con- School this summer.
The five-and-a-half week
tender for the Democratic
course is being offered in
nomination.
The three experts faulted cooperation with the He-
Kissinger's policies for hav- brew University College of
ing squandered American Law and will run from July
leverage in the Middle East 15-August 23. Classes will
and missing an opportunity be conducted in English by
for an overall settlement members of the law facul-
there by pursuing the step- ties of Temple, Yale and He-
by-step approach. All fa- brew Universities, assisted
vored a settlement worked by leading Israeli legal au-
out by the U.S. in coordi- thorities. They will be held
nation with its European on the Mount Scopus cam-
allies and the Soviet Union pus of Hebrew University.
Cost of the program in-
through the United Nations.
cludes tuition, living accom-
$500,000 Settlement modations in Israel, orienta-
tion tour of Israel and field
TORONTO (JTA) — Some trips to Israeli courts and
1,000 members of Toron- other legal institutions.
to's Beth Tzedec synagogue,
For information, contact
Canada's largest, gave al-
I. Herman Stern, Temple
most unanimous approval to University Law School,
the settlement of the,claims
Philadelphia, Pa. 19122.
of Rabbi Stuart Rosenberg
Deadline for applications is
growing out of his dismissal
May 7.
as rabbi in Janry, 1973. The
settlement included a house
and totalled $507,600. The
AJCommittee Has
settlement came a few days
New Librarian
before the case was to come
to trial before the Supreme
NEW YORK — Cyma M.
Court of Ontario.
Horowitz has been ap-
pointed director of the li-
Bar-Ilan Marks
brary and archives of the
American Jewish Commit-
20th Anniversary
tee, it was announced by
Bertram H. Gold, executive
NEW YORK — The 20th
anniversary of the founding vice president.
Ms. Horowitz has been as-
of Bar-Ilan University, Is-
sistant librarian at AJCom-
rael's only religiously-or-
iented university, will be mittee since 1971.
She earned her master's
celebrated at a dinner May
degree in library science
19 at the Pierre Hotel in
from Pratt Institute, and
New York.
her BA degree in American
This occasion will also
history from City College of
mark the formal installa-
New York. She is a member
tion of Mrs. Jerome L. Stern
as the first woman chair- of Beta Phi Mu, the Library
Honor Society, and a mem-
man of the American Board
of Overseers of the univer- ber of the special Libraries
Association.
sity.

sister, Mrs. Bess Levin; a
brother and three grand-
children.

Harold Kempner

Dies in Rehovot

As this issue of The Jew-
ish News was going to press,
the passing in Rehovot, Is-
rael, of Harold (Hayyim)
Kempner was reported.
Mr. Kempner was a
prominent city employe and
communal and social
worker in Detroit. He set-
tled in Israel two years ago
upon his retirement from
city employment.
Among his survivor, _
a
daughter, Aviva, and as
John, both of whom are pur-
suing university - degrees. A
detailed obituary will ap-
pear in next week's Jewish
News.

Belle Bloom, 64

Belle Bloom, a member
and past president of De-
troit Chapter of Bnai Brith,
died April 24 at age 64.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa,
Mrs. Bloom lived 45 years in
Detroit. She was a past
president of the Youth Edu-
cation League.
She leaves a daughter,
Mrs. Marshall (Karol), Her-
shon; one brother, three sis-
ters and two granddaugh-
ters.

Seminary to Honor
3 at Graduation

NEW YORK — Carl Kay-
sen, economist; Hugo Weis-
gall, composer and conduc-
tor, and Mrs. Adele
Ginzberg will be honored by
the Jewish Theological Sem-
inary of America May 9 at
the commencement conclud-
ing the school's 90th aca-
demic year.
Dr. Kaysen, who is direc-
tor of the Institute for Ad-
vanced Study in Princeton,
N.J. and Dr. Weisgall, who
is chairman of the faculty of
the Seminary's Cantors In-.
stitute and College of Jew-
ish Music, will each receive
the degree of doctor of let-
ters honoris causa. Mrs.
Ginsberg, communal leader
and widow of the scholar
and talmudist Louis Ginz-
berg, will be installed as a
member of the Seminary
Society of Fellows.

HUC-JIR Summer
Program Planned

NEW YORK — Speci
courses in Jewish histo
Jewish identity through
prayer and worship, and
Bible are being conducted
during the summer mor"s
from June 28 to July 2
the School of Education of
Hebrew Union College-Jew-
ish Institute of Religion in
New York.
The three two-unit
courses are being offered for
credit to religious school
principals and teachers, col-
lege students and to the gen-
eral public on a non-credit
basis.
For information, write
Summer at the College, 40
W. 68 St., New York, NY
10023.