18 THE DETRE JEWISH NEWS Friday, August 21, 1981 SHERMAN FRIED & SHERMAN Court Dismisses Louisiana School Prayer , ATTORNEYS and COUNSELORS • • • • Corporate Divorce Traffic Probate • Real Estate • Personal Injury • Criminal • Collection ALL OTHER LEGAL MATTERS No Charge For First Consultation 29800 Telegraph, Southfield 354-0230 PORTABLES We Got 'E • EXECUTIVE CHAIRS NEW ORLEANS (JTA) — The American Jewish Congress has hailed a deci- sion by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals declaring unconstitutional a Louisiana statute that authorized prayers in public schools. The AJCongress had filed a friend-of-the court brief in the case challenging the school-prayer law. The court's two-to-one de- cision was handed down Aug. 12 in the case of Karen B. vs. Treen, according to Nathan Dershowitz, direc- • • • $6 996 • EXECUTIVE DESKS .399.50 • DESK LAMPS ...$49.95 ...$49.96 $49.96 • FILES • CHECKWRITERS $99.96 • SOFAS ...... ..$239.96 • COPIERS ;50 GIFTS With purchase of reconditioned & guaranteed electric typewriters $199.95 & up Luggage 'arsons Tables. Brie vases, etc. pimmoorre- 231 W. 9 Mite Rd. 1/4 blk. West of Woodward Ferndale 548-6404 for of the AJCongress Commission on Law and So- cial Action. It involved Act 519 of the 1980 Louisiana Legislature, signed into law by Governor David Treen and authorizing local school boards to allow teachers "to ask if a student wishes to volunteer to offer a prayer and, in the event that no student does volunteer, to allow the teacher to offer a prayer." Following the enact- ment of the law, the Jef- ferson Parish (county) School Board passed a resolution establishing "a moment of prayer and/or silent meditation at the beginning of each school day ..." Several parents in the school district challenged the resolution in the U.S. The Best Gift You Can Give a Child is a Jewish Education United Hebrew Schools has been in the business of providing quality Jewish educa- )/ tion for 62 years. us,0 43`P4' I 4) 01 At our main school and six conveniently aV located branches, we provide instruction in "Dramatics" Hebrew language, Bible, Jewish Social Studies and Bar and Bat Mitzvah training, using fully certified teachers. 'Jewr sh H istory „ But United Hebrew Schools' curriculum goes beyond the basics. Our students also learn Israeli folk music, participate in dramatic productions and special holiday workshops and have an opportunity to join in camping activities. We have an area-wide transportation system and a liberal scholarship program to make sure that no child is denied a Jewish education because of inability to pay. Registration is now in progress for the fall semester for both elementary and high school classes. Give us a call and find out more about the intensive and creative ible" "SI,Snka igl7s g"" Jewish education experience offered by UNITED HEBREW SCHOOLS 354-1050 Dr. Gerald A. Teller, Superintendent Member Agency of the Jewish Welfare Federation Affiliated With the American Association of .lewish Education TOTAL VidEO SERVICE 19919 W. 12 kik Rd. SOUTtlfiE14,11111. 4807h PRONE: 559-2255 FOR All YOUR vidEo NEEds! legitimate secular inter- District Court for the East- ern District of Louisiana. ests." In its friend-of-the- When the District Court ruled against them, the court brief, the AJCon- parents appealed the deci- gress argued: "Nearly 20 sion to the Court of Appeals, years ago, the United which has now upheld their States Supreme Court appeal. The state of squarely held that a Louisiana is expected to ap- state-sponsored program peal to the U.S. Supreme of prayer in the public schools, though volun- Court. In its ruling, the Circuit tary, violates the Estab- Court declared: "Since lishment clause of the prayer is a primary reli- United States Constitu- gious activity in itself, its tion ... "Holding Act 519 uncon- observance in publfc classrooms has, if anything, stitutional would not estab a more obviously religious lish a 'religion of secularism purpose than merely dis- hostile to religion.' The playing a copy of a religious Supreme Court and the text in the classroom. Even lower courts have clearly if the avowed objective of held that forbidding prayer the legislature and school programs in the public board is not itself strictly schools neither abridges religious, it is sought to be students' freedom to pray achieved through the ob- nor exhibits government servance of an intrinsically hostility to religion. "Rather, invalidation of religious practice. "The unmistakable mes- Act 519 is necessary to sage of the Supreme Court's preserve the state's con- teachings is that the state stitutionally-mandated cannot employ a religious neutrality in religious mat- means to serve otherwise ters." Yaacov Meridor Is Planning to Overhaul Israel Economy TEL AVIV (JTA) — Yaacov Meridor, appointed as the economic coordinator in the new Cabinet of Pre- mier Menahem Begin, says he intends running the country, from the economic point of view, as a "big busi- ness." He told a radio inter- viewer that he would- con- centrate on long-range planning. "Most of the tools, machinery and equipment in the country is idle most of the time, working one shift while their capacity is two or three shifts," he said. "This isn't because of any lack of markets but because of the wage structure, and the lack of incentives and taxes for the private indus- trialist as well as for the worker." He asserted, "My first ef- fort will be to change this, otherwise it means disaster for the Israeli economy." He said he foresaw no difficulties with the His- tadrut in this respect. "The only difference is that if a factory owner is offered incentives you'll find him in the factory at midnight instead of going to a concert, unlike the Histadrut official (in charge of a labor union cooperative enterprise) who might not be so in- terested." Meridor said it was condi- tions which made the Israeli worker lazy. If offered in- centives, in the form of no income tax on overtime payments, he would work harder "and we will make him a rich man." He said he was in favor of a nominal five-day week "but the worker will prob- ably agree to work and pro- duce on Fridays, also, if he gets incentives without in- come tax." He saw no prob- lems with Sabbath work. "Everybody has to have a day off," he said. Coal Arrives for Hadera TEL AVIV (JTA) — The first load of coal for the new power station at Hadera ar- rived in Israel last week from Australia. The 60,000 tons were to be unloaded after a ship from Britain with special cranes, also carrying coal, arrived the following day. A strike de- layed unloading. The new power station, largest in the country and the first to be fired by coal, will start working within a couple of weeks, at first on heavy oil until enough coal has been piled up. During the first stage the coal will be unloaded into barges. Work is pro- ceeding on the construc- tion of docks two miles off-shore which will be linked with the shore by a conveyor belt. Construction of the pier has been delayed by the de- struction during a storm last winter of the building equipment. • WEDDINGS • BAR MITZVAHS • REAL ESTATE • ANNIVERSARIES • SHOWERS • ADVERTISING ANY OCCASION! • TRAINING FILMS • DEPOSITIONS OUR EXPERIENCED STAFF OFFERS QUALITY AT REASONABLE PRICES. k e a .:4• •o. 4. 4