' ia ■ At MtiA* AN 41,44.:P
16 Friday, January 2, 1981
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
5 lbs. of MATZO
Readers Forum
Materials submitted to the Readers Forum must be brief. The writer's name will be
withheld from publication upon request. No unsigned letters will be published. Materials
will not be returned unless a stamped, self-addressed envelope is enclosed.
I
If I can't Beat Your Best Deal
Margolis Household Furniture
Idea for Jewish Critics of Israel
6 Mile, 1 Blk. W. of Schaefer
ARNOLD MARGOLIS
INTERIOR
DECORATOR
SERVICE
OUR 34th YEAR
SHARPENING the PENCIL
On All Name Brands
Furniture and Bedding
•SCHOOLFIELD •SELIG 'SIMMONS •SEALY •SERTA 'SPRING AIR •LA-Z-
BOY •STIFFEL LAMPS •KROEHLER •AMERICAN •BURLINGTON •BASSETT
•BARCALOUNGER •LANE •UNIOUE
13703 W. McNichols , 342-5351 Hrs. Mon thru Sat. 9:30 til 5:30
1
Editor, The Jewish News:
For years, as a young, loc-
ally residing Zionist, I ex-
perienced frustration with
what I saw of the Zionist
movement in Detroit. I
could not understand how so
many of us could be
"Zionists" while so few of us
made aliya. I have since
realized that the word
"Zionist" must always ap-
pear in quotation marks.
The longer a "Zionist" re-
mains in Chutz la'Aretz
(outside of Israel), the more
DON'T WEIGHT
NAUTILUS
COMES TO
HAMILTON
The finest in modern exercise
equipment has arrived at
Hamilton Place. Nautilus is
here. Just one more reason to
join Hamilton Place. Take a dip
in the indoor pool, jog around
the indoor track, sauna, dine
in the gourmet restaurant and
,tore!. You can do it
{including
Nautilus)...Now
at Hamilton
Place.
* * Associated
Racquetball
membership at
Oakland
Racquet
Club
GOLDEN
MUSHROOM
COMES TO
HAMILTON
PLACE
Golden Mushroom
owner, Reid Ashton,
and internationally
acclaimed Chef Milos,
will also be directing
food services
at Hamilton Place. Join
Now and taste the
difference.
CALL NOW FOR
SPECIAL OFFER
646-8990 r=eSno1une1id3 RMdile Rd )
obvious the quotation
marks become.
Unfortunately, my frus-
trations are not at an end,
thanks to the Committee for
a New Jewish Agenda. The
fledgling organization
really ha's one heck of a
nerve!
No one expects all of
American Jewry to agree
completely with all of the
policies of any Israeli gov-
ernment. There is no reason
why American Jews should
not discuss their disagree-
ment with Israeli govern-
ment policy. However, the
public expression of this
dissent, particularly in the
mass media, serves no con-
structive purpose, educa-
tional or otherwise.
In fact, it helps erode
public support for the
state of Israel, especially
(but not exclusively)
among non-Jews.
Realize, that most, of
America does not differ-
entiate between the gov-
ernment of Israel and the
state (or people) of Israel.
For that matter, why should
the distinction be made?
The Begin government is
presently the
democratically-elected gov-
ernment of Israel. It does
represent the people of Is-
rael.
The tactless public dis-
sent of the New Jewish
Agenda just hints at the au-
dacity of the committee: its
supporters actually demand
that their opinions be taken
-into account when decisions
are made by the Israeli gov-
ernment.
Once again: Israeli citi-
zens decide the policies of
their state through the
democratic processes pro-
vided by Israeli laW. Israeli
citizens live in Israel, work
in Israel, and fight in the
armed forces of Israel. They
therefore have the right to
vote in Israel.
Can American Jews,
safe and secure some
6,000 miles away from Is-
rael, make decisions, in-
cluding those of life and
death, for the people of
that state? The answer
should be obvious (but
just in case: no).
I have a suggestion for the
members of the Committee
for a New Jewish Agenda.
Go. The state of Israel needs
your presence in Israel
much more than it, needs
your meetings and dona-
tiOns, certainly more than it
needs your bad-mouthing.
In Israel, your expression
of dissent would be heard,
encouraged and moral.
Here, it is only heard.
-
Nathan Bigman
* *
A New Breira
HAMILTON PLACE
•
Editor, The Jewish News:
A new Jewish organiza-
tion has appeared on the
American Jewish scene,
"The Committee for A New
Agenda." It is already mak-
ing waves, the. kind of news
and propaganda that should
concern all of us.
"The New Agenda" is
nothing more than a rein-
carnation of the now-
defunct and not-at-all
mourned "Breira."
perusal of the names of th,
sponsoring and organizing
committee-in-formation in-
cludes those of Israel's so-
called friends: I.F. Stone,
Arthur Waskow, leaders of
Americans for Progressive
Israel, rabbis, professors,
and others who supported
and played a decisive role in
"Breira" and many of whom
signed the infamous letter
to Prime Minister Begin
which appeared as an ad in
the New York Times.
Louis Panush
Maccabean
Town Is
Re-kindled
NEW YORK — The story
of the modern rebirth of the
ancient Maccabean town of
Hadasha through the ef-
forts of young Israeli men
and women, is told by Uriel
Ofek, in the December 1980
issue of Olam Hadash, the
American-Hebrew monthly
for young people.
More than 22 centuries
ago, in an area halfway be-
tween Jerusalem and
Ramallah, the Maccabees
founded Hadasha, in the
midst of the very same hills
had
in which they
triumphed over King An-
tiochus and his Greek hosts
commanded by Nikanor.
Until the advent of the
Six-Day War in 1967, Ofek
writes, "the region of
Hadasha was part of the
Kingdom of Jordan." With
the war's end, and the vicin-
ity's return to Israeli con-
trol, archeologists came to
the area to study this an-
cient Jewish town. They un-
covered valuable mosaics
and the remains of ceramic
workshops dating back to
the Greek and Byzantine
periods.
Several weeks ago a band
of young Israelis founded
new Hadasha. Ofek relate
how they have alread,
erected several buildings
and have begun ,planting
trees in the process of re-
storing life to the region.
Oldest Ketuba
NEW YORK — The
Women's League for Con-
servative Judaism has pre-
sented an award to Cong.
Shearith Israel of New York
for the oldest American
signed copy of a ketuba, the
Jewish marriage certifi-
cate, located in the league's
recent national ketuba
hunt.
The ketuba was written
for Manuel Myers and
Miriam Pinto in 1759.
' ''