THE JEWISH NEWS
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CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
ALAN HITSKY
News Editor
HEIDI PRESS
Associate News Editor
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Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 18th day of Adar, 5742, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Exodus 30:11-34:35, Numbers 19:1-22. Prophetical portion, Ezekiel 36:16-38.
Candlelighting, Friday, March 12, 6:17 p.m.
VOL. LXXXI, No. 2
Page Four
Friday, March 12, 1982
AUTONOMY UNBLEMISHED
With the April 25th Sinai withdrawal date
drawing closer, anxieties over a threatened af-
termath are growing and the doubtful are be-
coming scornful.
The trend to blame Israel immediately be-
comes an avalanche of criticism that develops
into condemnation. That's where the an-
tagonists reveal themselves as intolerable
bigots.
Not that Israel is overwhelmingly
sanctimonious. There are developing situations
which call for criticisms, for repudiation of some
policies. On the question of autonomy there is a
duty for all peace-seeking individuals and na-
tions to recognize the significance of proposals
that have been outlined by the Israel govern-
ment.
Israel offered autonomy to the residents of
Judea, Samaria and Gaza in 1977, immediately
after Anwar Sadat's visit to Jerusalem. The
basics of outlines for self-rule by Arabs in these
areas had the approVal of the Egyptian
president, in the joint Anwar Sadat-Menahem
Begin letter that was addressed to President
Jimmy Carter.
The introductory approaches to autonomy
must therefore be viewed as being the very basis
of the Camp David agreement.
In a briefing on the autonomy proposals, the
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlined the
proposals and objectives. Explaining the scope ;
jurisdiction and structure of the proposed self-
governing authority, the Foreign Ministry
stated:
"The Camp David accords set forth the estab-
lishment of a self-governing authority (ad-
ministrative council) that will comprise one
body representing the Arab inhabitants of
Judea, Samaria and the Gaza district, who will
choose this body in free elections, and it will
assume those functional powers that will be
transferred to it. Thus the Palestinian Arabs
will for the first time have an elected and repre-
sentative body, in accordance with their own
wishes and free choice, that will be able to carry,
out the functions assigned to it as an adminis-
trative council.
"The members of the administrative council
will be able, as a group, to discuss all subjects
within the council's competence, apportioning
among themselves the spheres of responsibility
for the various functions. Within the domain of
its assigned powers and responsibilities, the
council will be responsible for planning and car-
rying out its activities."
There is an elaboration by the Israel Foreign
Ministry spokesmen that needs added consider-
ation:
"The council will have full powers in its
spheres of competence to determine its budget,
to enter into contractual obligations, to sue and
be sued and to engage manpower. It will,
moreover, have wide powers to promulgate
regulations, as required by a body of this kind.
"In the nature of things, in view of the free
movement that will prevail between Judea-
Samaria and the Gaza district and Israel and for
the general welfare of the inhabitants, ar-
rangements will be agreed upon in the negotia-
tions, in a number of domains, for cooperation
and coordination with Israel. The administra-
tive council will, hence, have full scope to exer-
cise its wide-ranging powers under the terms of
the autonomy agreement. These powers em-
brace all walks of life, and will enable the in-
habitants the areas concerned to enjoy full au-
tonomy."
The obligation to assure popular elections
also is taken under consideration:
Amough trA
"Elections to the administrative council,
under Israel's proposals, will be absolutely free,
as stipulated in the Camp David agreement.
Under the terms of the agreement, the parties
will agree upon the modalities of the elections;
as a matter of fact, in past negotiations a long
list of principles and guidelines has already
been prepared in this matter.
Bantam Books views its newly-published "The Jewish Family
"In these free elections, all the rights pertain-
Book" as its "lead trade title for Bantam's 1981 Jewish Book Shelf."
ing to a peaceful assembly, freedom of expres-
The reader will quickly accept such a designation. It is a highly
sion and secret balloting will be preserved and
informative work, serving as a guide to "creative approaches to rais-
assured, and all necessary steps will be taken to
ing kids."
prevent any interference with the election proc-
Authored by Sharon Strassfeld, who has already produced the
best-selling "Jewish Catalog," together with Kathy Green, an
ess. The holding of an absolutely free and un.
educational psychologist, this book serves a very important need: that
hampered election process will thus be assured
of defining Jewish values, of encouraging adherence to basic Jewish
in full, under the law, and in keeping with the
principles, how to teach children, advising about the basic Jewish
tradition of free elections practiced in demo-
needs and practices.
cratic societies.
It is a remarkable work in many respects. Every problem is
"These elections will, in many respects, con-
tackled.
stitute a new departure in the region around us • There are the Jewish ceremonials, the ideals that fortify Jewish
which in most of its parts is not too close to the
life, the experiences commencing with the birth of children, their
ways of democracy, and in which free elections
training with emphases on Jewish values, the challenges that emerge
are a rare phenomenon. It is of some interest,
from assimilationism.
The authors deal with mixed marriages and the conversions, the
therefore, to note. that Judea-Samaria and
issues that arise when one parent is not Jewish.
Gaza, under Israel's Military Government since
Exemplary in the advice- offered is a chapter dealing with inter-
1967, have exemplified the practical possibility
dating.
The authors oppose it strenuously. And they have advice how
of totally free elections in these areas.
to overcome the pending menace leading to mixed marriages. They
"In 1972, and again in 1976, Israel organized suggest in part:
free elections in these areas based on the tradi-
"Provide your pre-adolescent and adolescent children with as
111,
tion and model of its own democratic and liberal many Jewish social settings as you can.
tradition and custom; voters and elected offi-
"Send them to Jewish schools, especially day schools ; and par-
cials alike concede that these were free elections
ticularly in the teen-age years.
"Try to live in Jewish neighborhoods.
in the fullest sense. The elections in the ad-
"Be sure your children have extended experiences in Israel,
ministrative council will be organized and
supervised by a central elections committee either as individuals or together with your family. (But recognize that -)
Herzl, Weizmann, and Ben-Gurion all had children who intermar-
whose composition has been agreed upon by the
ried.)
parties."
"Plainly and explicitly discourage them from interdating, but be
This is such a total commitment to the demo-
careful not to turn interdating into the issue which they use to work
cratic way of life that Israel should be corn-
out their adolescent rebellions. You don't want to encourage them to
mended for propagating it and should be sup-
continue interdating someone they would be content to drop just so
ported in aims to have the aims realized.
you won't have the satisfaction of 'winning.'
There is emphasis in the official Israeli
"Hedge your bets. Have lots of children.
"If these don't work, you might consider the following:
statement on the following:
"You want your children to go to a college with a Hillel Founda-
"The joint letter of the late President Sadat
tion. Even if they have no desire to affiliate, its mere presence indi -
and of Prime Minister Begin to President Car-
cates a sizable Jewish population, and a set of available Jewish
ter, dated 26 March 1979, set forth the manner options.
in which the self-governing authority (adminis-
"Rent an anti-Semite. They work wonders in keeping a , _ wish
trative council) is to be established, under the
community together.
"Recite Psalms. This course is recommended if your only alterna-
terms of the Camp David agreement."
tive is to wait for a miracle.
On the basis of such commitments, any effort
"If nothing works:
to undermine the proposals, all venomous barbs
"Remember that more than one fine member of the Jewish coin-
leveled at Israel, should be repudiated. They munity has come in through conversion."
must be condemned whenever an effort is made
This is quoted as an example of what is offered as .a guide to
to undermine Israel's sincerity in the search for Jewishness.
These are the approaches — advising the reader what and how to
the approach to peace. •
do things Jewishly and listing by name and address every creative
The autonomy question can be, as it has been, force in Jewish life.
muddied. It must be kept on a high level. Let
"The Jewish Family Book" has many values — primarily as a
there be an end to efforts to undermine the sin- guide for families and individuals. It must be introduced also as a text
cere approaches to peace by Israel Prime Minis- book for all schools. It is a book of immense value and merits great
acclaim.
ter Menahem Begin and his government.
The Jewish Family Book'
Emphasizes the Positive
.