50 Friday, October 1, 1982
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
"Don't Leave 'em Hanging!!
BGU Interfaith Group Probes Differences,
Similarities Between Jews and Arabs
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By YISRAEL WOOLF
Ben-Gurion University
BEERSHEVA — Soft
voices of conversation break
the evening silence as a
magnificent Negev sunset
frames the figures of a
group of Jews and Bedouin
sipping coffee under the
open sky. In the north,
thunderous explosions
pierce the air as Israeli
forces clash with terrorists.
Talk of the war fades,
though, as the Moslems and
Jews in Beersheva turn
their attention to the
similarities which touch
their faiths.
This gathering during
Operation Peace for Galilee
was one of the activities of
the newly-formed Negev
Chapter of the Israel Inter-
faith Committee, which op-
erates under the auspices of
Ben-Gurion University of
the Negev's Blechner Chair
in Jewish Tradition and
Values.
This chair sponsors an
array of activities such as
"teach-ins" on Jewish holi-
days, a dialogue series, and
Shabat retreats, with the
goal of generating creativ-
ity in Jewish thought. Ac-
cording to Eli Gamir,-one of
the group's founders, the
committee tries to provide a
forum in which the predo-
minant Israeli Jewish popu-
lation and other Negev
residents can learn about
each other.
Gamil belongs to the
Karaite community, a
sect which broke away
from normative Judaism
in Medieval times, ac-
cepting only a distinctive
literal interpretation of
the Bible. A wealth of lit-
erature among Karaitic
scholars has accumu-
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lated in order to clarify
their view of Judaism, as
distinct from what they
term "Rabbinic
Judaism." Nevertheless,
their ordained leaders
are known as rabbis.
The gathering sponsored
by the committee at the new
Bedouin settlement of Tel-
Sheva centered on ques-
tions about Moslem customs
raised by the Jewish guests.
The visitors were surprised
to learn that many aspects
of the Bedouin religious cul-
ture resemble Jewish tradi-
tions. Variations of the
"Minyan" requirement for a
prayer quorum, the rede-
mption of the firstborn boy,
the ceremonial cutting of a
child's hair, and the circum-
cision ritual can be found in
both Islam and Judaism.
The list also includes the
idea of a holy day of rest —
Friday for Moslems and
Saturday for Jews, daily
prayers recited while facing
the religious center, and the
'meritorious pilgrimage to
Mecca in Islam and aliya to
Jerusalem in Judaism.
The discussion, held at
the beginning of the
month-long Moslem fast of
Ramadan, also revealed
that divergent views are
emerging among the Be-
douin regarding many as-
pects of their rapidly chang-
ing society. The Israeli gov-
ernment is helping Bedouin
tribes to move from a
nomadic to sedentary lifes-
tyle for the first time in his-
tory. Tel-Sheva and nearby
Rahat are two attempts at
building towns for the Be-
douin, who have tradi-
tionally lived in tents. Slow
acclimation to modern Is-
rael is becoming evident, as
the conversation, conducted
in Hebrew while sitting on
large handmade mats, in-
cluded several Bedouin
university graduates.
The Bedouin woman's
position is very different
from the role played by
her Western equivalent.
But, although no female
members of the commu-
nity participated in the
dialogue, a debate arose
among the men over is-
sues such as the dowry.
The hosts explained that
the Bedouin groom must
pay a sum of money to the
family of his bride before
his marriage proposal
can be accepted. Al-
though they insisted that
this is not a degradation
of women, many partici-
pants complained that
French Guard
Synagogues on
Yom Kippur
PARIS (JTA) — Tight
security measures were
taken around and in syna-
gogues in France during
Yom Kippur.
The
most
closely
guarded area was the Rue
des Rosiers Jewish quarter
in Paris. Barriers blocked
access to the street and
passers-by, even non-Jews,
had to show what they had
in their bags.
the totals requested by remember the devastation
the families are some- wrought by a booby-trapped
times too steep for a car placed at the entrance to
young man to meet.
the Cairo Karaite ghetto in
On a related topic, the 1947.
group agreed that bigamy,
Despite
widespread
presently common among ignorance about them, the
the Bedouin, will probably Karaites have succeeded in
fade out as their society be- integrating into the
comes more modern. This mainstream of Israeli life.
program demonstrated that The Karaite National Sec-
the Moslem Bedouin, faith- retary, Magdi Shmuel,
ful to the state of Israel and is a graduate of Ben-Gurion
exemplary soldiers in the University. Modern Israeli
IDF, contribute a unique education has not di-
dimension to the total Is- minished the commitment
raeli experience. of the Karaites to their own
An earlier encounter with culture, though, and the vis-
the Karaite community re- itors heard explanations of
vealed an aspect of the these distinctive prayers
Jewish world in Israel and customs from the rabbi
which few participa
nts of the Ofakim community in
realized exists. The the newly, ,dedicated
hundred Karaite families Beersheva synakogue.
of Beersheva, mostly im-
migrants from Iraq and
MAGICIAN
Egypt, know the feeling of
Exciting
discrimination only too
entertainment for
well. Their strict adherence
your organization.
to constrictions against in-
club
or private party
termarriage assures their
perpetual minority status
Stage Shows
in Israel.
Close up magic
Yet, their identification
Audience
as Jews brought on them
Participation
the wrath of the anti-
Mel Eisenberg
Semitic majorities of their
547-2464
countries of origin. Many of
the Beersheva residents
MENTA T
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