62 Friday, May 18, 1919

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Boris Smolar's

`Between You
. . . and Me'

Jewish Center's English Classes
Are Aiding Soviet Immigrants

Israel Greets
Slepak Farr ► '

JERUSALEM (JTA) —
Leonid Slepak, 20, son of
Soviet prisoner of con-
science Vladimir Slepak,
arrived Sunday night in Is-
rael with his wife Olge, 19,
and their three-month-old
daughter.
Young Slepak carried a
message from his father,
who is imprisoned in a work
camp in Siberia, calling on
all aliya activists in Israel
to do their utmost to release
him and bring him to T
Shortly before he left h -
given permission to visit his
imprisoned father. <
Vladimir Slepak has been
waiting for a visa to Israel
for 10 years. He was impris-
oned 51/2 years ago, after he
demonstrated for immigra-,
tion to Israel.
In a related develop-
ment, Eduard Kuznetsov,
who arrived in Israel
after spending nine years
in a Siberian labor camp
for his part in the 1970
Leningrad hijacking at-
tempt, is preparing for
formal conversion to
Judaism.
Meanwhile, a serious dis-
cussion of how to reduce the _
number of drop-outs —
Soviet Jews who opt to set-
tle in countries other than
Israel after leaving the
USSR — is now taking
place.
It also was learned that
Alexander Bobin, head of a
four-man Soviet delegation
invited to Israel by the
Communist-sponsored
Israel-Russian Friendship
League, said "There are no
signs at this point for the
resumption of Israeli-
Russian relations. Even th
release of Jews from Rus-
sian jails does not indicate
an improvement of rela-
tions."

Lesson plans are de-
Moving to a new country grammar, after approx-
and having to learn a new imately three weeks, they veloped weekly by Ms.
language is a frightening will already have a basic Fishman, Ms. Binkert and
Editor-in-Chief
assistant director Ann
and confusing experience. knowledge of syntax."
Emeritus, JTA
Clancy. Teachers study the
For Jews leaving the Soviet
"Survival skills" are an
(Copyright 1979, JTA, Inc.)
Union, the culture shock important part of the pro- lessons before each class,
and afterwards prepare
can be great.
gram in all classes, from be- comment sheets describing
THE UNKNOWN JDC: The Joint Distribution
The English Language ginning to advanced, Ms.
Committee — which is holding its semi-annual, two-day
Department at the Jewish Fishman said. Students are how the students responded
conference next week in New York — is the pride of Ameri-
Community Center is doing taught how to act during a to the lesson.
can Jewry. It is the most popular Jewish agency throughout
The English Depart-
its best to help hundreds of job interview, how to talk on
the Jewish and non-Jewish world. This year it will spend
ment's
program directors
immigrants adjust to our the telephone, how to look
$51 million bringing relief and offering strength and hope
and Melba Winer, director
society.
for a house or apartment
to needy Jewish communities in more than 25 countries.
of volunteers, conduct an
Immigrants start in the and similar skills.
The major operations of the JDC are well-known to
orientation
program for all
English classes almost as
"In teaching job-seeking new teachers. The volun-
millions of people. Not so well known are the JDC programs
soon as they arrive in De-
in small and distant Jewish communities.
troit. The beginning classes skills, for example, we teach teers learn teaching
Take for instance the application the JDC received
are taught through a proc- a work-related vocabulary," methods and procedures
from the Jewish Welfare Association in Delhi and northern
ess called "total physical re- she said. "We'll teach that and something about the
India.
sponse," said department `single' means 'not married' immigrants' background.
There are about 8,000 Jews in India, the great major-
director Marcia Fishman. rather than 'something They also spend three days
standing by itself because observing other classes be-
ity of them in Bombay. Their communities are being served
The teacher uses com-
they encounter that word fore taking on their own
by JDC-supported health and welfare programs, with the
mands, such as "sit down"
frequently on job applica- students.
beneficiaries being destitute aged as well as school chil-
and "stand up," and can tell
dren, including ORT students. The Jewish community in
The availability of vol-
right away if the student tions."
Students attend class unteers enables the pro-
Delhi has an important role to play in inter-religious and
understands because he
from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., gram to remain flexible to
communal activities in the capital, presenting Jewish ideas
must physically respond.
with an hour's break for meet the needs of new
and ideals before the general public and to visitors. It is
Teachers also use
therefore erecting a library and lecture hall building and
students, Ms. Fishman
props, such as colored lunch, four days a week.
seeks a grant from the JDC toward the cost of completing
The Center's English said. Students are tested
Cuisinaire rods used to
this building.
and placed in classes at
teach elementary school program is unusual be-
Or take the case of the small Jewish community of Abo, mathematics. "The rods cause all its teachers are
the appropriate level as
Finland.
help develop a sense of volunteers. More than 50 soon as they arrive here,
The Jewish community in Finland has a population of sentence structure," said persons are involved. All
and new classes are
1,300. It seeks a loan of $20,000 — to be repaid over a assistant director Jackie give at least half-a-day added as needed.
five-year period. The loan will go to assist needy members
The flexibility of the pro-
Binkert. "The teacher each week, though many
of the community with credits to stand on their own feet.
will say things like, teach as much as three gram is important this year,
The Jewish community in Finland has previously received
when Detroit will receive
`Sonia, pick up the yellow days.
three such loans from the JDC and all of them were duly__ rod and give it to Boris,'
Some of the volunteers
500 new Soviet immigrants,
repaid. Last year, the loan fund of the community issued
and then, `Boris, when have been professional lan- double the number who ar-
140 loans totaling about $175,000 in Finnish currency.
guage teachers; many have rived last year.
Many examples of such aid by JDC to small and distant Sonia gives you the yel- no teaching background.
In its four years, the pro-
low rod, put it down and
communities could be cited.
pick up the blue rod,' But the standards remain gram has served more than
JDC plays no small role in the existence and self-
350 families.
When they start learning professional.
assurance of small and isolated communities. They know to
whom to address themselves when needed. To them, JDC is
a tower of strength.
In the postwar years, JDC set up a network of loan
societies to assist in the economic rehabilitation of Jewish
vocation June 11 at The in efforts on behalf of
refugees and enable low-income artisans and tradesmen to
Honorary doctorates from Pierre in New York City, it Soviet Jews and Jews
become self-supporting. More than 40 JDC-supported loan Bar-Ilan University will be
was announced this week by everywhere.
societies now function in a number of countries. A loan awarded to Jane Stern,
Phillip Stollman, global
She is the national
averages $1200. Thanks to an almost perfect record of re- president of the American
chairman of the university's chairman of the Women's
payment; most of the societies have operated as revolving board of overseers of Bar-
Division of State of Israel
funds, with the total value of the loans approaching $2.7 Ilan University, and to Sen. board of governors.
Frank Church (D-Idaho) at
million a year.
Sen. Church is chairman Bonds.
THE EDUCATION PROGRAMS: Another little- the annual dinner and con- of the Senate Foreign Rela-
known field in the JDC program is the sponsorship of edu-
tions Committee. He also is
cation. JDC spends about $9 million a year on Jewish
chairman of the Senate sub-
WASHINGTON (JTA) —
education in primary, secondary, religious and vocational
committee on energy re-
The Senate adopted the $4.8
schools. JDC is assisting about 170 yeshivot in Israel with a
search and development. He
billion bill authorizing th; _ - -
total enrollment of about 33,000 students, providing them
is the ranking member of
U.S. to provide $3 billion for
with funds totaling $1 million.
the Senate Special Commit-
Israel and $1.8 billion for
In France, Morocco, Iran, Tunisia and other countries,
tee on aging.
Egypt to implement their
many thousands of children are enrolled in JDC-supported
Mrs. Stern joins her
peace treaty.
schools. There is also a global annual sutsidy to ORT for its
husband in many educa-
The vote was 73-11. Vot-
modern vocational schools.
tional and cultural
ing against the bill were
A major portion of the subsidy is being spent in Israel,
organizations dedicated
Sens. Adlai Stevenson (D-
where the ORT maintains 70 institutions providing about a
to improving the quality
Ill), and William Proxmire
third of all the technical education in the country.
of life in Israel and
(D-Wis.). They were joined
With the realization that increasing numbers of
JANE
STERN
America. She is involved
by Sens. Jesse Helms (R-
Jewish youth are being lost by assimilation, and the loss of
SEN. FRANK CHURCH
N.C.) Barry Goldwater (R-
continuity in many communities, the JDC is now projecting
Ariz.) and Russell Long
a review of its education programs on a country-by-country
(D-La.) among othev
basis with the intention of an even deeper involvement in
ate,
Earlier in the,
the future.
Sen. Paul Laxalt (R-1,,,
The JDC is also active in assisting community centers
conservative leader,
in Israel. There are 86 such centers and 14 more are being
Capticci's release from a that no one better than he
JERUSALEM — The
who had fought against
pointed out that he has not
built; 32 of them are school day centers.
Jerusalem
jail
in
1977,
Vatican has given Israel a
the Nazis and for the
supported "a single foreign
written pledge that Msgr. where he served 39 months
good of his country, Po-
Hebron Arabs Show Hostility
assistance measure since
Hilarion Capucci, the of a 12-year sentence for
coming to the Senate" five
gun-running for the PLO land, could understand
former
head
of
the
Melchite
JERUSALEM (JTA) — residents of the nearby
years ago, but on this issue'
when he was still Patriarc- my having fought for the
community
in
Jerusalem,
Palestinian people and
Judging by the sight of up- Jewish town of Kiryat Arba.
he was making an exception
would not return to the hal Vicar, was achieved
Israel Radio reported that
their
dignity."
rooted vine saplings, the
because it "contributes to 'a
through
the
personal
inter-
Middle
East
without
papal
According to reliable
Arab residents of the Arab farmers had uprooted
prudent attempt at solving
vention of Pope Paul VI.
consent
and
would
refrain
sources,
when
Capucci
told
an extraordinarily difficuL,
Mamre Hill in Hebron ap- the newly planted vines be-
from any activities harmful
parently believe that a Jew cause they feared that Jews
and dangerous problem.
He drew a comparison Pope John Paul II, "I de-
to
Israel.
"Although no one can be
is a Jew — no matter what would claim ownership in
between the Pope's fended my people just as you
However,
in
Rome
the future.
overly
sanguine about the
his political beliefs are.
did
yours
in
Poland,"
the
struggle
against
the
Capucci declared that the
Residents of Kiryat Arba
The Arabs did not fully
Nazis, for the Polish Pope raised his finger at prospects for finally achiev-
Greek
Melchite
Patriarch
appreciate the gesture of a were in high spirits after
ing peace in the Middle,)
Maximos V assured him people and his own him and said, "in Poland we
"peace now" delegation the Cabinet failed to discuss
East, I believe it imperative
struggles for the Palesti- defended morality without
that
as
soon
as
political
that the glimmer of hope for
' which during the weekend the issue of the town's
nians. Saying he found engaging in politics
problems
were
solved,
he
planted vines on two Heb- women and children who
whereas
you
engaged
in
peace
raised by the
the
Pope
to
be
a
"man"
would be able to return to
ron hills, in protest against have occupied the Hadassah
with a capital "M," he as- politics without taking Egyptian-Israeli peace
Jerusalem
as
Patriarchal
the cutting down of several building in Hebron since
treaty be sustained."
serted, "it seemed to me morality into account."
Vicar.
hundred vines, allegedly by April 26.

Jane Stern and Sen. Church Will Receive
Honorary Degrees at Annual Bar-Ilan Evnt

Egypt, Israel
Aid Is OK'd

Written Vatican Pledge to Israel Promises
Msgr. Capucci to Stay Out of Middle East

,

'