THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

•

Friday, March 2, 1919

Masked Man Describes Horrible Conditions for Syria's 4,500 Jews

(Continued from Page 1)

doms," he said. "Jews who
flee Syria risk their lives
and the lives of their chil-
dren, families and any
friends they leave behind.
Those who flee leave every-
thing they own behind to
gain a freedom they have
never known.
"We do not know what
this freedom is, but we risk
everything to find this free-
dom. And when we find it, it
is something that cannot be
described."

He said he had been im-
prisoned twice: once while
planning an escape and
once while trying to escape.
His 64-year-old father was
interrogated and beaten for
10 days by Syrian officials
after Albert's brother es-
caped from Syria.
"Syria does not want the
Jews to leave," Albert said.
"They fear the Jews will go
to Israel and fight against
Syria." He added that regis-
tration of all Jews is again
in Syria following
a brief lapse in 1977 after
the plight of Syrian Jewry
was publicized in the U.S.

enforced

He said Syrian Jews
are not allowed to travel
more than four kilomet-
ers (2.4 miles) from their
homes without obtaining
a permit. Jews are not
allowed to work for the
government, in major
public businesses or in
banks.

He added that Moslems
can deal with the small
Jewish shops, but harass-
ment, anti-Semitic remarks
and government survei-
lance is constant. The word
Musawi — follower of Moses
— is still stamped on papers
and identification cards or
the word is imprinted on the
edge of each document.
Albert laughed at the Sy-
rian Ambassador's rebuttal
to his interview with New
York reporters last week.
The ambassador said Syria
restricted the movement of
all Syrian professionals and
claimed there were a large
number of professionals
within the Syrian Jewish
community.
"He must think six doc-
tors among a population of
4,500 is a high proportion,"

MR. ALBERT

Albert said. "They don't
even differentiate between
babies and adults in their
treatment. I am not a pro-
fessional, but I was impris-
oned twice."

At the New York press
conference last week,
Richard Ravitch,
president of the Jewich
Community Relations
Council, expressed deep
concern over the fate of
the Syrian Jewish com-
munity, particularly in

the wake of events in
Iran.

Referring to a recent
State Department report on
the status of human rights
in various - countries,
Ravitch charged that the
report cited moves by the
Syrian government to ease
limitations on the rights of
Syrian Jews but failed to
note that these have been
rescinded. and more severe
treatment imposed.
Noting that Washington
allocates $90 million in aid
to Syria, Ravitch declared
that the Jewish community
will demand this aid be
halted until the Syrian gov-
ernment stops denying its
Jewish citizens their
human rights.
Ravitch announced that

the 26 member organiza-
tions of the JCRC, repre-
senting the organized
Jewish community in the
metropolitan area, were

being mobilized, together
with concerned Christians,
civic and human rights
organizations on behalf of
Syrian Jewry.

BLOWING FUSES?
SHORT CIRCUITED?

Call

DR. ELECTRIC

No Job Too Small or Large
Repairs, Violations Corrected

754-7131

He described the Sy-
rian Jewish community
as lower middle class and
said that Jewish children
must now pay tuition to
go to schools that were
formetrly free, and for-
merly Jewish. Now Mos-
lem children attend the
same schools and do, not
pay. Jewish children
must quit school at an
early age -to help pay for
their brothers' and sis-
ters' schooling and to
help support the family.

Albert said he personally
knew of four girls and two
boys who were beaten to
death by Syrian inter-
rogators. He said the girls
were raped and then all the
bodies burned and left in
sacks in front of their par-
ents' homes.
"Only the Jews in Syria
do not have the basic free-

Veteran of Israeli Soccer
Drafted by American Team

By HASKELL COHEN
Inc.)

(Copyright 1979, JTA,

NEW YORK — One of Is-
rael's former National Soc-
cer League performers, Ron
Schneider, who finished his
college career in the t.S. at
Adelphi, has been drafted
by the New York Appollos of
the American Soccer
League (ASL).
Schneider played in Is-
rael for the Kfar Saba 11 in
the Israeli National League
that included Roby Young
who saw Schneider perform
and advised him that he
could arrange for Schneider
to study at Adelphi where
he could certainly make the
school 11.
On Young's recommenda-
tion, Schneider came to
Adelphi, played four years
as a starter, and captained
the team the last two years
of his college career. He was
also voted the team's most
valuable player in his
senior year.
In addition to Schneider,
the Appollos, on their fifth
round pick,. selected Bob
Diamond, from the Univer-
sity of Rhode Island, who
played on the Appollos' B
team as an amateur last
season. Diamond also
played on the 1977_

Maccabia team.
1-veryone knows the role
Randy Grossman played in
the Pittsburgh Steelers'
march to the Super Bowl
championship. Born and
bred in the Philadelphia,
Grossman is the only
Jewish player in the Na-
tional Football League, a
far cry from the halcyon
days of Sid Luckman, Mar-
shall Goldberg, Ron Mix,
Benny, Friedman, Harry
Newman, and numerous
other's.
Grossman graduated
from Temple University in
1974 where he entered as a
potential basketball candi-
date. He switched over to
football and didn't become a
starter with the Steelers
until the sixth game of the
1978 regular season.
Playing in the Super
Bowl in January was not
Grossman's first chance in
that glorious game. He
played in the 1.0th Super
Bowl when Pittsburgh nip-
ped Dallas 21-17, with
Grossman catching a
touchdown pass from Terry
Bradshaw in the first quar-
ter of the contest.
Actually, at 6'1" and 200
pounds, Grossman is not big
fora tight end.

OFFICIAL ISRAEL MEDALS FOR BAR/BAT MITZVAH.AND WEDDING

Commemorate the most significant occasions in the life of a
Jewish family, with specially minted Israel State Medals for Bar
Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs and Weddings.

Silver Medal, in Silver 934 metal, weighs 26 grams and mea-
sures 37mm diameter. The Bronze Medal weighs 100 grams,

These official State Medals are minted by the Israel Government
Coins and Medals Corporation, and are offered in a choice of
Gold. Silver and Bronze. handsomely crafted by skilled ar-
tisans. An illustrated brochure accompanies each medal, depict-
ing the history. tradition and importance of the commemorated
event.

For an unusually impressive gift. complete' sets of each com-
memorative medal are available in Gold. Silver and Bronze.
beautifully displayed in their presentation case.

The Gold Medal is of 18K Gold weighing 15 grams, and is 30mm
diameter. It is supplied in a deluxe velvet-lined display box. The

and is 59mm diameter.

Official Medals of Israel are meaningful gifts that will be trea-
sured forever, for they provide an important link between con-
tinuous Jewish family tradition and the reborn Israel. Puzzle no
more for the unusual, memorable gift. Israel has provided them
for you, at last.

To: Israel Government Coins & Medals Corporation. Liaison Office For North America. 350 Fifth Avenue. New York, N.Y. 10001.

D M 2:

❑ I enclose my check or money order covering the orders indicated for Israel State Medals.
❑ At this time I do not wish to place an order but would like to receive more information on Israel State Medals.

Please send the Medals checked below.

Quantity

Each

Bar Mitzvah

Bronze

$7.00
I 5.00
$170.00
: Gold
Set of 3 $192.00

Silver

$

Bat Mitzvah

Wedding

Name
Address
City
State

Total enclosed $

Zip

(All payments to be in U.S. Funds drawn on
U.S. banks.)

This order will be forwarded for processing to ICCAMC. Jerusalem. Please allow 5-6 weeks for delivery. Handling charges included.

-

