Friday, Jahuary 5, 1979 1

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Fearful Refugees Scramble for El Al Flight

(Continued from Page 1)
elaborate on the details.
Dulzin responded to
charges of inefficiency
leveled against the
agency by Knesset
member Mosha Katzav
who recently returned
from a visit to Iran.

)

Katzav said Tuesday he
"feared it is too late" for the
Jews in Iran to make aliya.
H.,returned from Iran 10
ago and spoke of the
.,..te-spread and growing
anti-Semitism he had wit-
nessed in many cities.
The Israel Interior Minis-
- try announced that it will
ease immigration regula-
• tions to enable Iranian Jews
wishing to do so to easily be-
come Israeli citizens or
temporary residents.
The Jewish Agency an-
nounced that it was dispens-
ing with regular health
checkups and lifting the
standard restrictions on
persons of ill-repute in the
case of Iranian Jews who
want to settle in Israel.
Passengers arriving on an
• El Al flight from Teheran
told reporters that the situ-
ation in the capital was
worsening. They said eco-
nomic life was virtually
paralyzed and there was a
growing fuel shortage. -

The Jewish Agency
and the relevant gov-
ernment departments
have been preparing for
some weeks for a possible
mass influx of immig-
rants from Iran. So far it
has failed to materialize
and some circles ex-
pressed fear that by the
time Iranian Jews decide
to leave it may be too late
for them to do so.

Iran will cut off all oil to

Israel "after the advent of- book, "Islamic Govern-
an Islamic republic" in Iran, ment," published in
according to Iranian refu- Arabic and reportedly
gees who have joined very rare in the United
Ayatullah Khoumeini, the States and Iran, quotes
exiled Iranian religious him as expressing "ex-
leader who has become the treme hostility" against
symbol of resistance to the Jews, whom he accuses
Shah, at his home in of "plotting against Is-
Neauphle-le-Chateau 25 lam" and "preparing the
miles southwest from Paris. way to rule over the
These Iranians do not claim entire planet."
to act as Khoumeini's
According to the Times,
spokesmen but are known he is-also quoted as saying
to be supporters and close in his book: "From its very
followers of his cause. They inception, Islam has been
say -openly that "after we afflicted by the Jews. From
win, not a drop of oil will go the beginning, they have
to Israel," and add that Iran launched their hostile ac-
will "join in the struggle to
free the Moslem holy places
in Jerusalem from Israeli
rule."
Khoumeini has up to now
made only one statement on
this issue, confirming that
oil shipments to Israel will
cease once a new Islamic re-
gime takes control. The
exiled leader has refused to
discuss this question
further and has also re-
jected requests for inter-
views from Israeli jour-
nalists and representatives
of Jewish newspapers.
Members of his entour-
age, however, are quite out-
spoken. Some assert that
"all Israelis will be chased
out of Iran" once the Shah is
deposed and accuse Israel of
serving "as the tool of
American irnperalism" in
Iran.

Over the weekend, the
New York Times re-
ported the Khoumeini is
quoted as expressing
anti-Jewish sentiments
in a little-known book
based on lectures deliv-
ered in Iraq in 1970. The

Havdala, Fingernails, Wine

By RABBI SAMUEL FOX

(Copyright 1979, JTA, Inc.)

a reminder for man to
evaluate the works of
the hands to see if they
are justified in the light of
"truth and justice."

It is traditional to hold up
ope's fingernails close to the
Havdala candle when recit-
ing the blessing on Satur-
It is also claimed that the
day night.
fingernails are used be-
The Mishnah in Berakot cause of the tradition which
(Chapter 8) cites a general claims that originally hu-
rule to the effect that "one mans were covered with a
does not pronounce a bles- surface of nail tissue and
sing over the candle until lost this protective covering
one is sure of deriving some (except for the nails that
benefit from its light." _ remained at the end of the
Some commentaries de- fingers and the toes) after
rive this requirement from the disappointing episode in
the Biblical description Eden.
It thus serves to remind
which tells how the Al-
'`-ity first assessed the man of his creation and at
(or benefit) of the the same ti - me encourages
"lig t" he created as being him. to look forward to his
"good" and then He pro- final salvation when his
ceeded to distinguish the nail tissue might again be
character of this light. We extended.
The flame of the candle is
follow His example by "us-
doused
by the wine in the
ing" and "benefitting" from
this light while pronounc- Havdala ceremony to show
ing the benediction over it. that the symbols are integ-
rated into a unit of experi-
Using the fingernails is a
ence.
means of "distinguishing"
The wine must overflow
between the hard fingernail
to display the blessing of
and the soft skin around it.
This is something one can- "plenty" which the Al-
mighty bestows on the Uni-
not do without light.

verse.
Dipping the candle flame
into this overflow also indi-
cates that nothing must go

to waste and so the overflow
also has a practical value,
i.e., in dousing the flame
after it has been blessed.

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Shevat 5138 -- January 29 to February 21, 1919
JNF SABBATH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10
Tu B'SHEVAT, New Year of Trees, February 12
Plant trees for all occasions

FuJ

TASKS DURING ISRAEL'S 31st ANNIVERSARY YEAR
and Detroit JNF's 60th Anniversary

❑ To avow full solidarity with the State of Israel in its period of stress.
❑ To focus attention on 78 years of Jewish National Fund activities - in developing the Land of Israel
and securing the future of the State of Israel.
❑ To stress the fact that JNF is a major contributor in improving and maintaining the quality of Israel's
environment. JNF fights desolation, decay, waste and wilderness.
❑ To reclaim more land for outposts in the most vulnerable areas.
❑ To participate in "Operation Galilee," to insure a Jewish stronghold in this area, vital to the future
security and economic self-sufficiency of the State. The Galilee has only a 32% Jewish popula-
tion.
❑ To encourage inscriptions in the Honor Roll of the Jewish People — the Golden Book in
Jerusalem.
❑ To place another thousand JNF Blue Boxes, the symbol of a nation reborn, in Greater Detroit and
Michigan Jewish homes.
❑ To plant more trees in ISrael. Israel needs more trees. Trees represent the rekindled strength and
lifeblood of the land.
❑ To remind Jews to remember JNF in their Wills, thus not only linking their names forever with the
land of Israel, but that their legacy will help ALL of Israel.

iipe

commentary
One
(Rabbenu Jonah) states
that fingernails are a sign
of blessing because they
can easily be observed as
growing and growth is a
sign of blessing. Others
claim that the practice is

tivity by distorting the good
name of Islam . ." Chris-
tians and members of the
Bahai sect are also attacked
in the book:
"In Teheran, Christian,
Zionist and Bahai mission-
ary centers issue their pub-
lications in order to mislead
people and to alienate them
from the teachings and
principles of religion," the
book says. "Is it not our duty
to demolish these centers?"
Approximately 80,000
Jews, 230,000 Christians
and between 200,000 and
300,000 Bahai members
live in Iran.

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DIAMONDS

And — we ask you to help JNF carry on its Five Year Plan, during which it will prepare, among many other forms of reclamation, 150,000
dunams of waste and rockland for intensive farming; laying the foundations for the construction of 15,000 new production units and 7,500
homes for rural settlers; to drain and prepare 50,000 dunams for agriculture; to cut 2,000 kilometers of roads in outlying areas, and through
forests; to plant 150,000 dunams of trees for picnic areas, camping grounds and recreation sites. "It is within our power to revive the very
earth," said David Ben-Gurion. This holds true today — and tomorrow.

r

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14 1Tif

1

ri►

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND

Ir-11 11
KIPMN 1.01MM UMW.

27308 Southfield Rd.
Southfield, 48076
Phone 557-6644

A JNF Box ,
in every
Jewish home

Ali contributions to JNF are tax dedyctible

