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Friday, May 29, 1981
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
13
Search for Identity, Direction Part of Jewish Life in Hawaii
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By JAMES RICE
made available to them by
HONOLULU (JTA — In Temple Emanuel.
The community has or-
this vacation mecca 2,400
miles from the West Coast, ganized the Hawaii
a growing community of Jewish Welfare Fund,
5,000 Jewish men, women whose primary aim is to
and children is struggling to aid Israel by allocating
find its goals and direction. most of its funds to the
Like most of the "haoles, - of United Jewish Appeal.
Caucasians, the majority of The identification with
Hawaiian Jews flocked to Israel is also carried out
these sun-drenched islands by a subsidy for a
in the last 10 years — fol- Shaliakh sent by the
lowing Hawaii's admission Jewish Agency's Ameri-
can Zionist Youth Foun-
as the 50th state in 1959.
.nple Emanuel, a Re- dation, to work with
congregation, boasts Hawaiian Jewish youth.
about 350 members and is The need for developing
the only congregation able more local services is
to maintain a full-time being studied by a part-
rabbi on the islands, Rabbi time, American-trained
Arnold Magid. A Conser- social worker.
As is so often true, the
vative congregation, Sof Ma
'arav, which includes about Jewish community emu-
50 families, is self-directed lates the non-Jewish popu-
except for the High Holi- lation in many respects. In
days, when Rabbi Melvin this relatively open society,
Libman of the National with its minority of Cauca-
United Jewish Appeal sians, there are many
comes to lead the services. inter-racial marriages in
Paradoxically, a small which the non-Jewish part-
ner may or may not convert.
traditionally-oriented
group uses the facilities Members of the community
earn their living in busi-
ness, the media, the profes-
sions and academe.
The acting president is
Dr. Jerrold Michael, dean of
the School of Public Health
of the University of Hawaii.
He reported to a community
meeting on his recent
attendance in Israel as offi-
cial U.S. representative at
an international conference
on public health. He was
immensely impressed by Is-
rael's health achievements,
which he learned about in
meetings with Israeli col-
leagues, including those at
Hebrew University and
Hadassah Hospital.
Like other "island
paradises" in this unstable
world, the Hawaiian Jewish
community has its share of
problems. There is an unre-
solved issue concerning
Welfare Fund subsidies and
supervision for Jewish edu-
cation. Fundraising has met
with recent setbacks, partly
because of economic prob-
lems, especially in Hawaii's
tourist industry, and also
because some major givers
in Hawaii frequently shift
their gifts to their
hometowns on the main-
land.
There is only a tenuous
relationship with Jewish
service men and women
stationed in the Pearl
Harbor area and other
military bases in Hawaii,
through the JWB as-
signed Chaplain Fred
Natkin, but it has not
been possible as yet to
develop close ties with
the members of the local
community.
Despite these handicaps,
the community supports an
impressive variety of activi-
ties, including an Hadassah
chapter, Bnai Brith lodge,
"40-Plus Singles," Jewish
Welfare Board, Jewish
Seniors Council, a kosher
co-op, a group for Soviet
Jews, student chavurah,
and Young Judea. The
monthly "Hawaiian Jewish
News," is a lively publica-
tion, crammed with local,
national, and overseas
news, and fascinating
Hawaiian Jewish historical
information.
What of the future? It is
impossible to predict, but it
is not unreasonable to an-
ticipate that the many dedi-
cated Jewish men and
women of these seductively
lovely semi-tropical islands
will find a way to fulfill
their ambitions, and make
their rightful place among
other American Jewish
communities.
Remember:
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Croll, Bronfman Part in Arms
Deal Revealed in Peres' Book
The roles of Canadian
Senator David Croll and
financier Samuel Bronfman
in securing an early
Canada-Israel arms sale are
detailed in a new book (thus
far, only released in France)
by Shimon Peres, leader of
Israel's Labor Party. The
episode is the subject of an
article by M.J. Nurenberger
of the Jewish Times of Bal-
timore.
Croll, the only Jewish
senator from Ottawa and
former mayor of Windsor, is
a cousin of U.S. Sen. Carl
Levin (D-Mich.) and Michi-
gan Supreme Court Justice
Charles Levin. According to
the article:
"In 1952, Peres had been
sent on a special mission to
SAMUEL BRONFMAN
Canada with the sole pur-
pose of trying to purchase
badly-needed arms. This is
where the role of the two
Canadians emerges. Re-
minisces Peres:
" As I did not know
anyone in Canada, I de-
cided to contact a Cana-
dian member of Parlia-
ment, a Jew, Mr. David
Croll ... Through some
acquaintances I suc-
ceeded in obtaining the
information that the gov-
ernment was meeting in
order to consider our re-
quest.
SEN. DAVID CROLL
" The answer was very
clear. Canada, which re-
fused to sell us offensive
arms, consented to furnish
defensive weapons . . . but a
very high price, two million
dollars.' "
It was at this point that
Peres decided to seek out
Bronfman's monetary help.
" 'Everyone tried to dis-
suade me from seeing him.
Bronfman had the reputa-
tion of being very eco-
nomical and those in the
entourage made a bet that
he would not give me a nic-
kel.' "
Peres then recounts
how, after he enlisted the
efforts of the stubborn
Bronfman, the two men
AJCommittee
Prints Catalogue
NEW YORK — A 68-page
publications catalogue, of-
fering more than 250
selected pamphlets, books,
discussion guides, fact
sheets and reprints of mag-
azine and newspaper arti-
cles of Jewish interest, has
been issued by the Ameri-
can Jewish Committee.
Single copieS of the cat-
alogue are available free of
charge from the Publica-
tions Service of the Ameri-
can Jewish Committee, 165
E. 56th St., New York, N.Y.
10022.
traveled to Ottowa to
convince Canadian
Minister of France Clar-
ence Decatur Howe of Is-
rael's need for arms at a
reduced price. Peres and
Bronfman managed to
secure the deal for half
the original $2 million of-
fer.
"The sensational revela-
tion in Shimon Peres'
memoir," writes Nuren-
berger, "is the quiet but effi-
cient roll of Senator David
Croll, who worked for this
positive decision with re-
gard to the sale of arms."
The Times of Your Life
From one t'il Eternity an
add-a-diamond wedding band
elegantly say
"I Love You".
Daily and Sat. 10-6
Thurs. 10-8
I
can
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La) MC/VISA Welcome
Creativeievvelers
29173 NORTHWESTERN HWY. / SOUTHFIELD, 48034
313-356-2525
FRANKLIN PLAZA / AT 12 MILE RD.
My Prayers for the Pope
By MAURICE CROLL, M.D.
Oh heavenly man, of great renown
Prime leader of all the Catholic faith
Know this for sure
We, too, the Jews, we cry for you
And we pray in our own way.
I have never seen you face-to-face
I have never touched your hand
But you must know, I do insist
That in my heart you dwell
An orthodox Jew — I pray for you
For your love of all mankind
What heights I reached when you were ordained
As Pope of all the Catholic faith
In my own way I love you too
Your gentle face — your love I saw
Written, einblazed, upon your face
You speak all languages unto all men
But, most of all you speak of love and peace,
And the dignity of all mankind
Although the Catholic church claims all of you
I must insist, that part of you
I care not how small
I claim for me — into my heart you go — to stay
And always you and your decency
Will be a part of me
You are the second in my life
Pope John XXXIII
I studied his life
Oh Lord — what a superb saint he was
My words do fail me now
To say — in simple language
How much I loved this man
And when he died, I cried and cried
For I had lost a friend
Into my heart Pope John
Reserved a space for you — for full recovery
In my own way, I pray for you
Your decency and peaceful love
Your intelligence, Your dignity
From out the Polish land
Your prayers were heard
Around the world
Prayers for all mankind
I heard them too — and I rejoiced
For such a saint as you.
Go — all the people
To the Sistine Chapel
What will you see
Michaelangelo's — upon the ceiling
There are two
Christ — in all his magnificence
On one side
Moses — our leader — our Rabbi
On the other.
So rest assured
I pray for you
In my own humble way.
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