Reagan's Debt to U.S. Jews Remains to Be Earned
By MURRAY ZUCKOFF
MURRAY ZUCKOFF
Presidential
Glory Bathed
in Legacies
Rooted in
Justice and
Fair Play
NEW YORK (JTA) — Prominent Jewish Republicans are claiming
that Jewish voters played a pivotal role in electing Ronald Reagan and
defeating President Carter in his bid for a second term in office.
According to them, and on the basis of some random samplings by the
television and print media, Reagan received about 45 percent of the
Jewish vote and Carter got about 43 percent. According to the prestigious
CBS News-New York Times poll, Carter received 45 percent and Reagan
39 percent of the Jewish vote.
The Coalition for Reagan-Bush, the Jewish organization set up
last summer in support of the Republican candidates, noted soon
after the election results were known that "many political experts
have determined that the Jewish vote now represents a swing con-
stituency."
Many in the Jewish community, especially those who supported Re-
agan during the election campaign, now apparently feel that he should be,
or will be, indebted to the Jewish electorate. In fact, some prominent
Jewish Republicans are already saying that in view of the great support
Reagan had in the Jewish community, the Jewish community has earned
the right to be heard on matters of concern and interest to American Jews
in international and domestic affairs.
This is at best an assumption or at worst a misreading of national and
international developments. No candidate who wins so sweepingly feels
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THE JEWISH NEWS
Commentary, Page 2
A Weekly Review
of Jewish Events
VOL. LXXVIII, No. 11 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075
424-8833
Anti-Semitic
Insanities:
Menacing
Trends Embracing
Many Lands,
Including U.S.
Editorial, Page 4
$15 Per Year: ThisIssue35c November 14, 1980
National Council of Churches
Statement on PLO Criticized
Zionist Pioneers Honored
by Begin on U.S. Visit
NEW YORK — Prime Minister Menahem Begin of Israel began a
10-day private visit to the U.S. this week with speeches before the
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the
Zionist Organization of America, the Jabotinsky Centennial Dinner,
and Thursday night at the Council of Jewish Federations General
Assembly at the Detroit Plaza Hotel.
(Complete coverage of Begin's Detroit address and his meeting on
Thursday with President Carter will appear in next week's Jewish
News.)
Begin paid tribute Monday night to Zeev Jabotinsky, the Zionist
Revisionist Jewish leader who was one of the architects of the Jewish
state, declaring that "without him, without his vision, without his
thought and his sufferings, without his fight, the state of Israel would
not have come into being."
Addressing more than 2,000 people at a dinner at the Waldorf
Astoria Hotel, Begin's 13-page address was conspicuous for
avoiding any reference to contemporary political events. It was
devoted from beginning to end to Jabotinsky, whom Begin de-
scribed as a "poet, philologist, statesman, sociologist, author,
orator and soldier."
A few hours before the dinner, Begin presented the Jabotinsky
Centennial Medal to 100 Americans of all faiths "in recognition of
distinguished service to the state of Israel and the Jewish people."
Among prominent Americans receiving the awards were: the Rev.
Billy Graham, Senators Henry Jackson (D-Wash.), Jacob Javits (R-
NY), and Daniel Moynihan (D-NY), Secretary of Commerce Philip M.
Klutznick, writers Leon Uris and Elie Wiesel, Danny Kaye, Rev. Jerry
Falwell, leader of the Moral Majority movement; Admiral Elmo R.
Zumwalt, former chief of naval operations; and Detroiter Joseph Rand-
leman and Dean William Haber of Ann Arbor.
One of the scheduled recipients, Sen. Frank Church (D-Idaho),
rejected the award because Rev. Falwell was also being honored. In a
-legram to Mordechai Hacohen, chairman of the dinner committee.
:arch declared that "Mr. Falwell has attempted to distort the
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By BEN GALLOB
NEW YORK (JTA) — The new policy
statement on the Middle East approved
last Thursday by the National Council of
Churches, recognizing the Palestine Lib-
eration Organization as the legitimate
representative of the Palestinian people,
came under mounting attack from Jewish
organizations.
Statements denouncing the approval of
the policy by the NCC governing board at
its semi-annual meeting were issued by
the American Jewish Committee, the Na-
tional Jewish Community Relations Advi-
sory Council, the American Jewish Con-
RABBI RUDIN
RABBI TANNENBAUM
gress and the Rabbinical Council of
America, an association of Orthodox rabbis. They AJCommittee sent two of Its officials to the
NCC meeting as official fraternal observers. They were Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum, director of
interreligious affairs, and Rabbi James Rudin, assistant director.
The new NCC policy statement was approved despite a Jewish appeal to the NCC to
delay adoption. In making that request, the
Anti-Defamation League said the projected
policy approved and encouraged Palesti-
nian terrorism and undermined the Camp
David peace process. The NCC policy
statement, long in the making, included a
Allocations to national and overseas- agen-
proposal that the PLO be recognized as the
cies from the 1980 Allied Jewish Campaign
legitimate representative of the Palestinian
were approved by the Jewish Welfare Federa-
people and a demand that the PLO ac-
tion Board of Governors at a recent meeting. In
most cases, the figures reflect increases to non-
knowledge the right of Israel to exist as a
local agencies over the preceding year.
Jewish state.
A total of $485,200 was approved for the na-
The AJCommittee statement declared that
tional agencies and includes grants of $77,400
the new policy statement has as one of its "cru-
each to the American Jewish Committee and
cial political recommendations" endorsement of
the Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Brith.
"the concept of a PLO state to be established on
The national Hillel Foundation program of
the borders of Israel." The AJCommittee offi-
Bnai Brith, the American Association for
National Agencies
Allocated $485,200
from '80 Campaign
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2,000 CJF Delegates Discuss Jewish Problems
COUNCIL OF JEWISH FEDERATIONS
49th General Assembly
Detroit, Michigan • Nov. 12-16, 1980
More than 2,000 delegates, representing some 800 communities
in all states of the Union, are in session here, at the Plaza Hotel,
reviewing American Jewry's responsibilities for the advancement of
the cultural needs, dealing with the numerous socio-economic prob-
lems of the nation, planning the philanthropic obligations for Is-
rael's progress and her security as a nation, and reviewing the
problems created by the emerging anti-Semitism.
As the most representative body of U.S. Jewry, the Council of
Jewish Federations commenced the scores of conferences, as part of
the 49th General Assembly, on Tuesday, and will remain in sessions
until noon on Sunday at the Plaza Hotel.
Women's organizational sessions commenced on Tuesday af-
ternoon and seminars discussing the many problems confronting
the communities began to convene on Wednesday.
Evaluations of philanthropic allocations to the many
agencies supported with funds raised under the direction of
Jewish welfare federations were conducted Wednesday
morning by the Large City Budgeting Conference and the
LCBC continued its studies until the formai opening of the
General Assembly sessions that evening.
Morton Mandel of Cleveland, national president of the Council
of Jewish Federations, presented his report analyzing the year's
activities at the formal opening of the General Assembly Wednes-
day evening. George M. Zeltzer, president of the Detroit Jewish
Welfare Federation, gave the welcoming address in behalf of Met-
ropolitan Detroit Jewry at this session. Rabbi Richard C. Hertz of
Temple Beth El delivered the Dvar Torah at the session and greet-
ings were extended by Detroit Mayor Coleman Young.
Attracting major attention was the address delivered at the
Thursday evening plenary session by Israel Prime Minister
Menahem Begin. He was introduced by Max M. Fisher, chairman of
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