Argentinian
Jewry's Security
Menaced by
Anti-Semitism
Historic Lessons
for Diplomats
Demanding Caution
HE JEWISH NEWS
A Weekly Review
f Jewish Events
Commentary, Page 2
VOL. LXXI, No. 19
17515-W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 424-8833
Threat to Fair
Play at Olympics
in USSR in 1980
Outrageous
Truth Distorting
About Israel
Editorials, Page 4
July15, 1977
$10.00 Per Year; This Issue 30 4
Argentinian. Anti Semitism Stirs
Zrisis, Forces Government Role
ZOA Conferees in Israel
Tackle U.S. Erosion Issue;
Begin Welcomes Geneva Role
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Premier Menahem Begin urged a "political armi-
stice" in the Middle East and suggested that Israel and its Arab neigh-
bors refrain from defining future borders and national security until the
Geneva conference reconvenes.
Begin offered the truce in his addre s to the 80th annual convention of
the Zionist Organization of America here.
He responded to a warning by President
Anwar Sauat that Egypt would retaliate if
Israel launched_an atomic war by saying
that Israel will not threaten war, nuclear
or conventional. Begin also expressed
hope that President Carter will order the
U.S. Embassy moved from Tel Aviv to Je-
rusalem.
Rabbi Joseph Sternstein, re-elected presi-
dent of the ZOA, lashed out at elements in
the State Department and other officials
of the Carter Administration who he ac-
cused of playing a "devious game!' in the
course of recent negotiations.
"It seems that the State Department ma-
RABBI STERNSTEIN
chinations are coupled with brandishing
the recent Brookings Report as God's own word on Middle East policy,"
Sternstein said. He was referring to a study made by the Brookings In-
stitute some time ago which recommended Israel's withdrawal from occu-
pied Arab territories with only minor border rectifications.
Rabbi Sternstein said the ZOA approved and endorsed Jewish settle-
ments in the Judaea and Samaria regions. Refraining from such settle-
ments "will not buy good will or favor from our enemies," he said.
Sen. Robert Dole (R-Kan. ), who also spoke at the ZOA convention, de-
clared that Jerusalem is historically and legally a Jewish city and that
(Continued on P-age 6)
NEW YORK (JTA)—The American Jewish Committee - announced that it has closed its
Buenos Aires office after 29 years because of threats against its representative and his
family. AJCommittee President Richard Maass told a press conference that the organiza-
tion will not reopen the office which serves all of South America until it receives physical
evidence, not just verbal assurances, that those who make anti-Semitic and anti-American
threats will be found and punished.
Jacobo Kovadloff, director of the AJCommittee's Buenos Aires office; his wife Sonia;
their daughter, Georgina, 21; and son, Ezechiel, 15, are now in New York from where
Kovadloff will temporarily run the organization's South American affairs.
Kovadloff did not attend the press conference and Maass explained that this was
because he was still "shook up" after the threats and because as a fifth generation
Argentinian he did not want to be in the position of attacking his country from abroad.
-
Maass said that the United States goverment has been asked to lodge a protest with the
Argentine government against the threats to the AJCommittee and American property in
Buenos Aires. He noted that the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires and Consulate General in
Rio de Janeiro has been very helpful to Kovadloff and his family.
Maass charged that elements in the Argentine government were behind the threats to
Kovadloff. David Geller, the AJCommittee's Latin American specialist, said that Kovadloff
believes that the AJCommittee was singled out for attack to embarrass President Jorge
Rafael Videla, who is considered a moderate, by right-wing elements in the government. As
evidence of this, Maass pointed out that one of the notes threatening Kovadloff ended by
saying "We do not want offices of Yankees and Jews."
The AJCommittee president said that while Videla and other officials of his government
have condemned discrimination and racism they have not mentioned anti-Semitism by
name. He said the AJCommittee believes the government can find the persons who
threatened the Kovadloffs and should punish them as an example to others that such
threats will not be tolerated in Argentina any longer.
In addition, Maass said the government should completely ban the publication of anti-
Semitic organs like the magazine Cabildo instead of only confiscating one issue as it did
recently and should punish the generals and other government officials who attended a
recent anniversary banquet for the magazine.
The threats against Kovadloff started when an unidentified telephone caller told Mrs.
Kovadloff June 20: "Tell your husband that if he does not leave the country, the same thing
(Continued on Page 6)
Oak Park Cooperative Spirit and Impressive Jewish Center Changes,
Educational Standards Helped Stabilization Greater Membership
"Stabilize your communities" is the challenge the so-
bis, has the matter on its agenda. It has named an Ad
Hoc Committee to deal with the problem. Contrary to
cially-minded are hurling at the larger cities in the
Assure Ongoing Service
earlier reports, the Orthodox rabbis are not inactive
country, especially those that have grown prosper-
or silent on the issue. Rabbi Joshua S. Sperka, secre-
,
ously as suburbs to the major centers of population.
The confident and objective-thinking, those who ap-
proach the need for wholesome integration with posi-
tive motives, reject the panic that has begun to affect
residents in cities that have become subjects of study
as suburbia.
Southfield and Oak Park are two Michigan cities
whose experiences may provide an answer to the
_ emerging anxieties.
On the positive side in Oak Park is the developing
"Arity to assure stabilization. The character of the
ism is what inspires confidence in the assurances
that this city of some 36,000 residents has a future
akin to its present progressive status.
Several elements are involved in the process of striv-
ing for an integrated society that will stay thoroughly
American in spirit as a protectorate for the highest
goals in ethnicism.
Here are examples of acceptance of the challenges
that have emerged and the readiness of responsible
people and of functioning authorities to promptly
and realistically:
The Oak Park City Council has refused to sweep the
problem under a rug. It has a program of im-
pressive cultural activities, with services for the
young and their elders, tending to make the city a
community to be proud of, as Mayor Pro-Tern
Charlotte M. Rothstein, O.P. City Council member,
summarized it.
The Vaad Harabonim, the Council of Orthodox Rab-
tary of the Vaad Harabonim, reported this week that,
together with the Jewish Community Council, which al-
so has responded to the concerns expressed in search
for a stabilized community, will continue to share in
efforts to keep Oak Park strong and culturally note-
worthy.
Most impressive of all is the movement that was be-
gun by Harry Gordon and a group of associates, Catho-
lics, Protestants and Jews, blacks and whites, "to
stabilize." Gordon, a former president of the Chabad
Lubavitch Hasidim movement here, and several of his
neighbors recently formed SCOPA—South Central Oak
Park Association— to achieve the desired results for
positive integration.
'Gordon stated in part:
"SCOPA and other groups within the boundaries of
Oak Park are the grass roots movements that are
meeting with much success, assisted by the city and
its common council. We have strong identification
with and a big investment in our city.
"Basically, SCOPA, in my opinion, has been formed
to open communication with all the multi-ethnic
groups in its area to stablize our community. In order
to accomplish this goal, we are trying to encourage ac-
tions where neighbor meets neighbor; we continue the
same level of excellence in our schools our citizens
have always demanded; we combat unethical real es-
tate practices and we actively participate in city gov-
ernment.
(Continued on Page 48)
Jewish Community Center and staff, in an evaluative state-
ment on the current status of services in the main complex in
West Bloomfield, outlined planned activities promising continu-
ity for existing programs and additions of new services in the
cultural sphere.
Conceding that there were errors in construction planning
which have created serious problems, the statement asserts that
budgetary handicaps contributed to the handicaps and pledged
corrections to assure expanded services.
Renovations now being conducted will solve the handicaps that
were experienced in recent months, according to Dr. Morton
Plotnick, the Center's executive director. Dr. Plotnick said the
Center officials and staff were aware of the criticism of moving
the main complex a considerable distance from the main cen-
ters of Jewish population. Nevertheless, he said, the member-
ship doubled and the multitude of services have not been cur-
tailed.
He also maintains that the 10 Mile Road Center Branch has a
full schedule of activities, that its services have not been cur-
tailed, that the senior citizens and the handicapped are provided
with proper programming.
Explaining the reduction in busing from the. 10 Mile Center to
the main complex, Dr. Plotnick said that in mid-week buses trav-
eled either empty or with three or four occupants, and under
such circumstances continuation of the services became prohibi-
tive and the expense was not justified. But on Thursdays the bus-
ing service for the retarded has continued uninterruptedly and
the services will be available without hindrance on Sundays.
(Continued on Page 48)