" 2 - -friday, March 4, 1977 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Purely Commentary Israel's Tourism a Fascinating Aspect of a Great Partnership With the Diaspora . . . U.S. on Short End of Tourist Par- ticipation . . . Ford Foundation's Linkage With Israel The Dramatic Story of Tourism as Israel's Major Income Item For decades, Israel's major agricultural product was citrus fruit and com- mencing with the pioneering efforts for a return to the soil the Jews of Palestine established a lucrative export of citrus fruits. The Jaffa Orange became world famous and the income was good. Conditions changed with the times. The competition with Spain and Florida was great and the citrus glory beg-an to vanish. Now, many of the Israeli citrus growers have turned to the avocado and to pecans. Peanuts have become an important agricultural product, together with cotton. Citrus now is the third leading Israel industry. Major income for Israel now is from tourism. Export of diamonds is second and citrus follows. The immense growth of the tourist trade has become a matter for interna- tional study, with many nations attempting to emulate Israel. But Israeli tourism has a special appeal. The land attracts Christian and Jew, and Moslems have been drawn to Israel in recent years to visit with relatives. Israel's magnanimity has permitted some 120,000 Arabs to visit Israel yearly. One would imagine that this would establish a friendly link between Jew and Moslem. It's difficult to get this to work when hatied in Arab countries stands in the way. Indeed, the love for Israel in Jewish ranks, the religious interest among Christians and related factors have contributed towards the establishment of a great tourist industry in the Jewish state. The romance of Israel tourism is defined in interesting facts which have been summarized as follows: - With 795,000 tourist arrivals, 1976 was year. The number of cruise visitors was Israel's best tourist year, surpassing by up six percent, reaching 64,000 in 1976. 28 percent the 620,000 that visited the The number of visitors that entered Is- country in 1975 and nine percent ahead rael from Jordan was 50,000, up 35 per- of the previous peak year, 1972, when the cent from 1975. number of tourists was 727,000. The average stay of tourists visiting Some 670,000 visitors arrived by air, Israel for less than three months was 16 an increase of 32 percent over 1975: Out days, a slight decrease from 17 days in of these, 36,350 traveled on charter 1975. The average bed occupancy rate in flights, making up 5 percent of the total 1976 was 53 percent, compared with 44 air passenger volume. The charter traf- percent in 1975, an increase of 20 per- fic to Israel expanded notably in the last cent. The improvement manifested itself three months of the year as a result of mainly in four and five star hotels and in changes in the Israel Government's avia- holiday villages. In spite of the higher tion policy. occupancy, the hotels' profit margins Some 11,000 visitors reached Israel by have not improved because of increased sea, up 16 percent over the previous expenses, specifically in the wage sector. The deep interest in the development of Israel's economy and the protection of that nation's role as a secure homeland justifies concern in the major exports which are so vital for a people's existence. It is thus additionally worth indicating that while the income from tourism for Israel was $235 million, that of exporting diamonds was $140 million with the citrus industry and agricultural products having produced $120 million. These facts serve as guides for action byisrael's friends and as an inspiration for a continuing tourism which must be expanded with the years. A fact not to be ignored is that tourism from the United States, at 235,000, is not very high compared with the total. This provides an added obligation on the part of American Jews to give added impetus to the major industry which is so vital for Israel. Not only the income but the fact that Americans go to Israel and share the family interest with the people of the embattled state is of such great significance in a partnership that has a famislial sanctity. By Philip Slomovitz The Ford Foundation Role in Progressive Israel Traditional Jewish hopes and Zionist aspirations for a redeemed Eretz Israel were based primarily on the spiritual and the cultural. The Arab antagonism had turned the great romance of redemption into the military sphere. It is contrary to Jewry's programming for wholesome and progressive statehood that Israel be- came a battleground. Nevertheless, the chief aim and the major tasks are geared for creativity. There is much to attest to it. American aid for Israel is evidence of acceptance of the tasks pursued by a modern state where deserts continue to be transformed into blooming areas and scientific achievement is the high mark of the growth of universities and of cultural institutions. Non-Jews have recognized the positive role of the redeemed state of Israel. The Ford Foundation, as an example of such services, continues to encourage and to support creative Jewish tasks in Israel. In . the latest issue of Ford Foundation Letter, just issued, appears this interesting report: Measured by generally accepted criteria for scholarly research, Israel is a "developed country," many of those scholars work at levels comparable to those of their colleagues in Europe and North America. This quality has been achieved in some measure, through sup- port for research provided by the Israel Foundations Trustees (IFT). Founded in 1953, the IFT for many years gave priority to work in the natural sciences, much of it related to agricul- tural and industrial needs of the new country. In 1972, IFT switched its em- phasis almost entirely to support of the social sciences, concerning on such sub- jects as pluralism, development of human resources, and problems of ur- banization and modernization. Since 1953, Foundation assistance to IFT has totaled some $6 million. A recent supplemental two-year grant of $300,000 will enable IFT to continue its program of research awards, many of which have assisted the country's best younger so- cial scientists. In addition,-the Foundation set aside $200,000 over the next two years for sup- port of Israeli research and related tivities aimed at contributing worldwide knowledge of education and learning, particularly research aimed at improving the status of disadvantaged groups and enhancing intergroup rela- tions in a multi-ethnic society. Israel offers an almost unique poten- tial for educational research, since it combines able researchers with an ac- cessible national laboratory for study and experimentation. Israel's broad ethnic mix and its small population make national studies manageable. Important work is already under way that examines the effects of ethnic integ- ration in the schools and the influence of various patterns of family life on educa- tional achievement. Awards to Israeli scholars for educa- tional research and related activities with significance for other countries will be made with the advice of an interna- tional panel of experts. IFT will adminis- ter the awards. The present-day Fords are consistent in their friendship for Israel. Henry Ford II is a regular contributor to the Allied Jewish Campaign. His mother, the late Mrs. Edsel Ford, who passed away several months ago, supported the UJA and the Detroit Allied Jewish Campaign financially. Their acts have negated the unfriendliness of an earlier Ford. The effectiveness of the Ford Foundation statement quoted here lies in an affirmation of the positiveness of a people's labors. While the news of the Middle East keeps being laden with war threat's and the hoped-for paths for peace are strewn with thorns, the people of Israel are carrying on a battle for life with emphasis on productivity that must eventually benefit the entire Middle East and should give satisfaction to Israel's friends that they are not laboring in vain by supporting the great democracy of that part of the world. Surely, what the Ford Foundation reports must prove a boon for all philanthropic efforts for Israel. Nothing functions half way. Therefore, that which is benefited from introductory gifts must be enhanced by ever growing backing and mounting financial assis- tance. Administration-Congress Consensus Seen on Boycott Proposals (Continued from Page I.) Carter Administration's commitment to discour- age compliance with the boycott by U.S. com- panies, according . to Will Maslow, general counsel of the AJCongress. The new SEC position has a direct effect on the Stockholder Project of the American Jewish Congress, which this year is placing resolutions be- fore 43 firms requesting disclosure of company policy on the Arab boycott. The uniform resolu- tions being submitted for shareholder votes this year state that the Arab boycott against Israel "results in unfair dis- crimination against cer- tain American com- panies" and reflects "anti-Jewish prejudice." They also call on man- agement to report to shareholders on the steps being taken to prevent discrimination against Jewish employees or suppliers that results from business dealings with "any Arab interest." Last year 16 companies obtained letters from the SEC division of corpora- tion finance that they corned as an encouraging would not face action by indication of progFess in' the SEC if they declined to' the fight against the Arab submit anti-boycott pro- boycott." But Naomi posals to - a shareholder Levine, executive director vote. of the AJCongress, These "no-action" let- criticized a warnings by a ters were based on a staff Saudi Arabian spokesman finding that the corn- that the new policy could panies in question did not be scrapped if there were do enough buS'iness with stringent new American Arab countries to make anti-boycott legislation. The report of the drop- ping of the requirement was published by the Journal of Commerce in New York based on in- formation that the U.S.- Arab Chamber of Com- merce, Inc. of New York was circularizing its members to that effect. A negative certificate of origin is a document the issue "significant" — "The abandonment of filed by American and therefore required the negative certificate of suppliers at the request for submission under origin augurs well for of Arab .customers attest- SEC rules. quick passage of -a strong ing that the goods are not A resolution sponsored and effective anti-boycott of Israeli origin and do by the AJCongress call- law which, among other not contain components ing on the Hewlett- things, would prohibit the made in Israel. Packard Corporation to use of suchcertificates," Zeev Sher, Israel's reveal its policy on the Mrs. Levine said, adding, economic minister to the Arab boycott garnered "If the Arab states no U.S., speaking at the open- 1.7 million votes at the longer require negative ing session of the 11th an- company's annual certificates, why should nual economic conference shareholder meeting last_ they object if the law pro- of Histadrut Founda- week in Santa Clara, hibits them?" tion in Miami Beach, said Calif. Arnold Forster, gen- the boycott has made The vote represented eral counsel of the Anti- that it difficult for Israel to find nearly eight percent of Defamation League of the total votes cast, well Bnai Brith, cautioned markets outside of the U.S. and the European over the 3 percent needed that the move by the Market coun- for the resolution to be Arab states may signify Common re-introduced next year. an effort on their part to tries. "That is why all of A report that all Arab try to soften Congres- you must promote the sale states except Iraq have sional opposition to the of goods made in Israel," dropped requirements for boycott and to try to con- he told some 1,500 persons so-called "negative cer- wince Congressmen to attending the conference. Sher said the economic tificates of origin" for hold off on voting in favor in Israel is still goods imported from the of anti-boycott legisla- situation bad even though Israel United States was wel- ,tion. reduced its foreign ex- change debt by $500 mil- lion last year. He said the Israeli Pou nd has been devalued by 110 percent since 1974, the cost of goods and services have risen by more than 200 percent, the inflation rate was 38 percent last year and investments in the economy have fallen, par- ticularly in housing. The three-day confer- ence marked the $45 Mil- lion milestone for the Is- rael Histadrut Founda- tion, which helps support the vast network of health, education and welfare programs of the Histadrut in Israel. Meanwhile, Canadian Minister of External Af- fairs Don Jamieson says his government is "not proposing to go the legis- lative route" to deal with the effect of the Arab boycott on Canadian companies that refuse to abide by Arab demands. Jamieson, who affirmed that "we have been quite categorical in our denun- ciation of the boycott," noted that the Canadian policy adopted last Oc- tober "denies governmen- tal assistance of any kind" to a company that is corn- plying with the boycott. He said it was too early to see the effect of his government's policy but added that Canada will "keep monitoring" trade with the Arab countries and "consulting" with the United States about the boycott. One of the witnesses opposing the boycott at the Senate hearings was McGill University law professor Irwin Cotler of Canada who presented to the subcommittee re- commendations for a "common front" amo countries hit by boycott and urged Ca dian laws to buttress that country's policy. •He called for an inter- national "protective shield" for business and industry in all countries affected by the Arab movement to disrupt'free international trade. Vance, however, tes- tified that the U.S. "ought to stick to its own business" and not try to enlist other countries against the boycott. He -said, "That would cause trouble" in the Arab world.