LZA Supports
Soviet Jewry
Compromise
Communizing
the Yidddish
Theater
A Black Hero
Among the
Resisting
Hostages
NEW YORK — The National Executive Committee of the
Labor Zionist Alliance has voted to support the compromise pro-
posal of the Executive of the World Zionist Organization that:
while every Jew who can be, will be rescued from the Soviet
Union, "financial assistance for absorption and resettlement will
go to only those Soviet Jews opting to go to Israel or those Soviet
Jews with immediate family already in America who opt for
resettlement in the U.S."
In making the announcement, Prof. Allen Pollack, president
THE JEWISH NEWS
A Weekly Review
Commentary, Page 2
VOL. LXXVI, No. 18
of the Labor Zionist Alliance and a member of the Executive of
the World Zionist Organization, repeatedly emphasized that "ev-
ery Jew who can be rescued will be; no one will be denied a letter
of invitation from the state of Israel."
Both he and the NEC members noted that "no one will be
forced to go anywhere." Soviet Jews can select freely their new
country of residence, but Jewish communal funds should not be
available for use in their absorption outside of Israel, said the
LZA, unless they have immediate family at their destination.
of Jewish Events
17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 424-8833 $15.00 Per Year: This Issue 35`
Tragic
Escalation of
Oppression
Inspiring
Literary
Aristocracy
Editorials, Page 4
Jan. 4, 1980
Israeli Officials Disappointed
With Amount of U.S. Credits
Syrian Ambassador
Quits, Rips Assad
UNITED NATIONS — Hammoud el-Choufi, Syrian
ambassador to the UN and former secretary-general of the
ruling Baath Party, envoy to Moscow and chief of the
United States section at the Syrian Foreign Ministry, an-
nounced last week that he would go into exile in France
and, with other exiles, form a political movement to bring
"democracy to Syria."
He particularly criticized his government for reacting
to sectarian violence with mass arrests and executions
More than 100 Alawites, members of a minority Moslem
sect with disproportionate political and commercial power
in Syria, have been killed in the past six months. The
murders have been blamed on members of the Moslem
Brotherhood, an extremist Sunni group.
President Hafez el-Assad, who is an Alawite, "should
have reconsidered his style of government," Choufi said.
"But the regime dealt with this as a police problem. Now I
have great fear of Syria being Lebanized, split into warring
sects." Choufi is a Druze.
Clearly stung by the public defection of so senior an
official, Syria accused Choufi of collaborating with Egyp-
tian intelligence agents "in the service of Camp David
policies."
Choufi, 52, was the most senior official to defect
since Assad seized power nine years ago.
Syria said Choufi was ordered home on Dec. 7, after
presenting views at the UN contrary to Syrian policy. He
refused to heed the order. His resignation coincided with a
congress of the Syrian Baath Party, which opened last
Saturday.
Western diplomats thought it likely Choufi would join
exiled opposition politicians such as the head of the Moslem
Brotherhood, Issam Attar, and former premier Salah Bitar.
Bitar, who lives in Paris, recently began publishing a
magazine critical of conditions in Syria. Attar has issued
periodic calls for the overthrow of the Syrian government
from exile in West Germany.
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli officials have expressed disappointment with the $200 million in
military sales credits that President Carter has agreed to add to the $3 billion aid package for Israel over
the next three years. The White House announced late Monday that the President will seek Congressional
approval of that sum. Israel had requested a total of $3.4 billion in military and economic assistance for the
fiscal year 1981 which begins next Oct. 1.
According to Israeli officials, the short-fall means that military expenditures will have to be reduced
substantially and the government will be forced to implement even tougher economic austerity measures
than those already announced.
Defense Minister Ezer Weizman returned from Washington on Monday where he had spent a week
conferring with President Carter, Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, Defense Secretary Harold Brown,
Special Ambassador Sol Linowitz and other top officials on the new aid package.
The $3.4 billion Israel sought, double its present allocation, was expected to cover the loss of
purchasing power of the U.S. dollar owing to inflation. Congress has already approved $2.2
billion in military aid credits over the next three years to help Israel carry out the terms of its
peace treaty with Egypt, including the redeployment of its forces from Sinai to the Negev.
Congress also approved $800 million dollars in economic aid.
The exact amount Israel will receive for fiscal 1981 will not be known until the Carter Administration
announces its budget later this month. In an-
nouncing the additional $200 million for mili-
tary purposes the White House said the increase
"reflects our sympathy and concern for Israel's
security and well-being."
The White House statement said, "The deci-
TEL AVIV (JTA) — The World Jewish Federation of
sion was based on consideration of such factors
Nazi Victims has announced that it will hold a demonstra-
as inflation and Israel's balance of payments
tion outside the West German Embassy in Tel Aviv on Jan.
deficit and takes into account the fact that the
21 to protest the final restitution agreement recently
signed between the Bonn government and the Conference
Israeli government has instituted since last
on Jewish Material Claims against Germany.
November extremely tough austerity measures
The agreement calls for the payment of 440 million
designed to overcome those economic prob-
Marks ($200 million) over a three-year period. It will be the
lems." .
last payment to Jewish survivors of the Holocaust.
The statement also stressed that President
The Israeli government has endorsed the agreement,
Carter is determined to hold down federal ex-
but Tuvia Friedman, chairman of the federation, said at a
penditures.
Weizman came in for sharp criti-
press conference that his group will challenge it.
cism in some Israeli quarters for failing to per-
He said they were dissatisfied by the way Dr. Nahum
suade the Administration of Israel's need for a
Goldmann, chairman of the Claims Conference, handled
the negotiations and are convinced that the payments are
larger aid package. The defense minister, who
too small.
reported on his mission to Premier Menahem
According to Friedman, the payment of restitution
Begin, rejected the criticism. He maintained
(Continued on Page 5)
(Continued on Page 5)
Survivors Protest
Claims Agreement
Talking Box for Deaf-Blind
Wins a 12th Grade Student
Weizmann Scientific Prize
REHOVOT — A new electronic device which will permit
easier communication between people who are both deaf and blind
and others with normal faculties won David Abramov, a Natanya
12th grader, the IL 100,000 ($280) first prize in this year's Weiz-
mann Institute — Discount Bank Science Models Contest.
Up to now, one has "talked" to a blind and deaf person by
tapping on his fingers in a special alphabet-like code. Now, thanks
to the Abramov device, for which a patent request has been filed,
the "speaker" transmits the message electronicly to the handi-
capped man or woman with whom he is "speaking."
Abramov, in striped shirt in the photograph at left, developed
this new instrument out of a desire to communicate with his friend,
at left, who is both blind and deaf.
.