THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, August 12, 1977 19
Political Rivalries Abound in Ninth Israel Knesset
JERUSALEM (JTA)—
The Ninth Knesset recessed
for the summer Aug. 3
after little more than two
months in office during
which it hardly had time to
establish a legislative re-
cord. But its image is
markedly different from
previous Knessets.
Not only are there scores
of new faces. many of them
political unknowns a few
months ago, but most im-
portant the Ninth Knesset
is more sharply divided
along ideological lines than
any of its predecessors.
The boundaries are clear-
ly marked between the
rightist, religious-oriented
Likud coalition which holds
a precariously narrow par-
liamentary majority, and
the center-liberal-leftist op-
position. While the latter
has not coalesced into a uni-
fied opposition bloc, it nev-
ertheless can spell trouble
for Premier Menahem
Begin's legislative pro-
grams.
The final decision by the
Democraftic Movement for
Change (DMC) last week
by a vote of 61-8, not to join
the Likud-led coalition de-
prived Begin of its 15 Knes-
set votes.
Although the DMC said it
would be a "strong but con-
structive opposition" the
fact that it is no longer a po-
tential Likud partner
means that it will exercise
fewer restraints in opposing
government policies.
The opposition is now the
strongest ever in an Israeli
parliament. The Labor
Alignment's 33 votes. the
DMC's 15 and the potential
support of such leftist fac-
tions as the Rakah Com-
munists (5 seats) and Sheli
(2 seats). plus the Independ-
ent Liberal Party (ILP) (1
seat) add up to 56 opposi-
tion mandates. The Likud
coalition musters 63 votes
and can usually count on
the single vote of independ-
ent MX Shmuel Flatto-Sha-
ron.
The weakness of the oppo-
sition lies, for the time
being at least, in the dis-
unity within the Labor
Alignment which. after 29
years in power cannot seem
to adjust to the opposition
role. The same factors that
contributed to Labor's de-
feat in the May 17 elec-
tions—bitter rivalry among
the party's leaders and lack
of political conformity be-
tkveen its different fac-
tions—are still evident.
Alignment leader Shimon
Peres avoides discussing
the party's election failure
on grounds that such dis-
cussion would degenerate
into recriminations rather
than be constructive. Never-
theless, internal political
struggles continue and
Peres is keeping a sharp
eye on his erstwhile rival,
former Premier Yitzhak
Rabin who has indicated
that he might be a candi-
date for the permiership at
some future time.
The Labor, opposition
came to life briefly during
the recent rebate on
Begin's visit to the U.S.
Peres delivered a brilliant
speech to the Knesset,
Giora Fiedman Album Enhances Wlezmer' Art
By AVRAHAM SOLTES
(Editor's Note: Avraham
Soltes is the host of a radio
program of Jewish interest
in New York.)
American audiences. this
past winter, were moved to
ecstatic response by the
vivid performances of the
Israel Philharmonic's princi-
pal bass clarinetist. A
fourth generation "klez-
mer," Giora Feidman had
become concerned with the
disappearance of the won-
drous art of the East Eu-
ropean Jewish musician
known as "klezmer" and
his "niggun" — the Jewish
soul melody.
"Long Live Giora" (LP
ST AE76 A/B) is drawing
its inspiration from a quota-
tion by Maestro Leonard
Bernstein, an admirer of
Giora Feidman, who wrote:
"Long live Giora, his clari-
net and his soul music ! He
bridges many gaps —gener-
ational, cultural and social,
and he does it with con-
summate artistry." The re-
cord includes 22 selections
presented in an inimitable
style and with dazzling vir-
tuosity.
What prevented Feid-
man's master performance
from degenerating into an
ethnological exercise in nos-
talgia was his fortunate
teaming with composer Issa-
char Miron. A super crafts-
man, skilled in the diver-
sified branches of music,
Miron has rejuvenated and
broadened the base of the
generation's. old "klezmer"
art. '
No longer does Giora's
clarinet "klezmerize" only
East European memories.
Enriching the style of the
past, which Miron knows
from his own youth, with a
sophisticated technique, the
composer has provided
Feidman with a palette of
colors that sing through
laughter and tears with the
joy and dignity of a free
people; vigorous, proud,
is pressures most of the
sensitive and strong.
women in Israel are em-
The scoring is so skilled
ployed and are in the coun-
that it sounds amazingly im-
try s work force. In most in-
provisational, although. in
stances, ' she said, it be-
fact, these are written out,
comes necessary for the
women to supplement in-
down to every ornamenta-
comes because of the abnor-
tion, original compositions
mal inflation. -- which reflect a creative
mind at work.
Mrs. Shapiro spoke with
admiration about Israel
"Long Live Giora," a
Prime Minister Menahem
rare collector's item, featur-
Begin. "His scholarship, de-
ing an extraordinary per-
votion and realism will
former and an extraor-
stand Israel in good stead,"
dinary composer, may be
she said.
ordered from Star Record
Mrs. Shapiro returns to Is-' Co.. 521 Fifth Ave., New
rael next week to join the
York 10017.
public relations department
of Hadassah Medical Organ-
ization in Jerusalem.
Mrs. Shapiro's cousin,
"Virg. Landau. is a former
Hadassah president. Other
former Hadassah presi-
dents who attended the re-
union during the visit of
Mesdames Snapiro and Bra-
verman were Mrs. Ralph
Davidson. Mrs. Morris
(Goldie) Adler and Mrs.
Morse Saulson.
Mrs. Ezra Shapiro Is Greeted
at Reunion of Hadassah Heads
A week-end visit here of
Mrs. Ezra (Sylvia Lam-
port) Shapiro with her cous-
in, Mrs. Maurice (Anna
Lamport) Landau was occa-
sion for a reunion of former
Detroit Hadassah president
and pioneer Hadassah lead-
ers.
Mrs. Shapiro, who contin-
ues to make her home in Je-
rusalem, came to this coun-
try to attend a memorial as-
sembly for her late husband
who had held the global
post of president of the
Keren Hayesod, the Israel
Foundation Fund.
'The late Mr. Shapiro's
, role as a leader in Zionist
and educational ranks was
honored / at the memorial
meeting in Cleveland and
tributes to him were paid
at memorial gatherings- in
Israel and in other commu-
nities.
Accompanying Mrs. Sha-
piro to Detroit for the Ha-
dassah reunion was Mrs.
Sig (Libby) Braverman,
also a pioneer in Zionism
and an active leader in liter-
ary and educational circles
in Cleveland.
Mrs. Shapiro emphasized
her deep interest in aliya
and the settlement of young
American Jews in Israel.
She stated that the eco-
nomic situation in Israel,
while serious, hopefully
soon will be on the road to
normalization. She stated
that because of the econom-
matching the Likud lead-
er's polemic for polemic.
But that was only a single
performance.
Intra-party strains were
plainly evident after the
Labor Central Committee
voted to oppose the repatria-
tion of the Christian Arab
villagers of Ikrit and
Biram. Labor MX Yossi
Sarid. often a spokesman
for the party's "doves." as-
sailed Labor for failing to
learn any lessons from its
election defeat.
On the Likud side, Begin
seems to enjoy the parlia-
mentary game now that he
is in power even more than
he did during his many
years in opposition.
An ardent debator, Begin
was described as at "the
peak of his traditional par-
liamentary form" during
last week's debate over the
proposed Independence Day
military parade. But Begin,
who supports the parade,
was forced to concede
every MK the right to vote
his conscience on the issue.
The new environment
that prevails is reflected
more clearly in the Knesset
restaurant than in the legis-
lative chamber. Defence
Minister Ezer Weizman. a
newcomer to parliament.
walks with a swagger and
an air of "master of the
house." casting confident
smiles to right and left.
Key figures of yesterday.
Peres and former Finance
Minister Yehoshua Rabinow-
itz, maintain a low profile,
sitting at side tables con-
versing quietly with ac-
quaintances.
Foreign Minister Moshe
Dayan hasn't changed his
style. During his political
isolation before the elec-
tions, he usually occupied
the last table on the left in
the rear of the restaurant
and often dined alone. He
still sits at the rear and
r
I
I
.
probably would prefer to sit
alone but in his new, pow-
erful office he cannot man-
age that.
Among the new faces fre-
quently seen in the restau-
rant are Charlie Biton, six
months ago a Black Pan-
ther outcast, now a respect-
able member of the DMC
Knesset faction, Biton. once
unacceptable in "proper"
social circles. is now one of
the members of the Knesset
House Committee which is
in charge of running the
parliament.
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