Friday, 'lovelier 11, 1183 45 ME DEIROff 11/121 MIS DANCE! into the 80's Detroiter Visits Nes Amim, Christian Moshav in Israel By HY SHENKMAN (Editor's Note: Radio producer Hy Shenkman, who was a Detroit repre- sentative at the Holocaust survivors' re- union in Israel last month, visited the Hol- land Christians' settle- ment of Nes Amim. His interviews with the settlers is presented here.) Our forefathers would find it hard to believe that the time would come, when Christians would refer to Jews as "People of God" and prove that it exists as a genuine attitude of goodwill and profound respect for Jewry and Judaism. A half century ago it would be be- yond imagination to picture Catholics observing Shabat and singing Hebrew songs at a Shulhan Arukh in a Jewish state. But this happened in our lifetime. A Dutch doctor Johan Pelon founded a movement, Nes Amim, which translates from He- brew as "The Miracle of the Nations." Nes Amim proposed to the government of Israel to allow a group of Lutherans, Anglicans, Calvinists, Episcopalians and other Christian denominations to settle and help the state of Israel and its people. In spite of the good rea- sons and the goodwill for wanting to be in Isiael, the Nes Amim movement encountered opposition. Opinions were divided. Some felt it was a nice idea; others were op- posed, especially reli- gious Jews. They couldn't understand why Christians who had been trying to convert Jews for the last 2,000 years would all -of a sudden want to help them. But Nes Amim mem- bers insisted that they were against evangelism, that Jews should have a place in history like any other people. They claimed that there can be no solidarity with missionary work and that all they want is to re- spect the Jewish people and learn from them how to be- come better Christians. The Israel government granted Nes Amim permission to form the first Christian moshay. At the Nes Amim settle- ment Doar Hasherat, near Haifa stood a grey-haired woman waiting to welcome visitors. She shook their hands with a flashing smile. "Welcome, my name is Kristina Pelon which is also a Hebrew word for a young elephant. I'm so glad to see you. Let me show you around." On the way to the newly built quarters Kristina, the wife of the founder, pointed at an old Egged bus and re- marked: "Here is where we started the operation of our movement. Now we are using it as an extra office. We are now approaching our new two-story building. This is the place where we meet our Israeli friends from the neighboring areas and tourists who have be- come our friends. Here we do things which have never been possible in the Dias- pora. We can never make good what had been done to the Jewish people. We rec- ognize the injustice and we want to build new rela- tionships. Our presence is our affirmation with the Jewish state and its people." Looking at the lobby of the newly built guest house, Kristina said: "This candelabra is a symbol of our solidarity with the state of Israel. At the left is the rectory and at the right is our lunch room. About 200 feet away is a pavilion for singles and another one for married couples. After one year one gets a room for himself. We now have in moshav 200 members and we have room for 200 more." In the center of the set- tlement stands a monument of Koeno H. E. Gravemeyer. He was the first Dutch minister who refused to fol- low the orders of the Nazis and he sent them protest papers. He was sent to a concentration camp, but survived the Nazi era. After the war he came to Israel to join Nes Amim. All his documents were contrib- uted to the Israeli Museum. The monument was erected in 1973 after he died at age 90. "We have a youth hostel. We take the young people to the neighboring Lohamei Hagetaot to show them what happened to one-third of the Jewish people and that history can repeat it- self in the future if we don't learn from this lesson. Nes Amim will never be Nes Amim until it has teaching quality. Our guests are in- vited to our club for a lec- ture. This is a moshav shetuvi, a cooperative where everybody gets the same allowance for food and clothing. "At the suggestion of the Israeli government, we are growing flowers, avocado, cotton and we are also run- ning a guest house. Now we are making wooden stair- cases, but our main indus- try is roses. We export 10,000 roses a day, thus con-. tributing to Israel's economy. Israel's govern- ment is interested in growth and we can be partners. We have a task to fulfill it and we feel gratified. On one of the hothouse's there is a sign that reads 'Flowers love people — take them into your home.' Kristina has her own PARTIES BY il Rock & Roll Disco 50's, 60's, 70's Best Music We Haven't Stopped Dancing — Why Should You! Call Dan Sandberg interpretation of Nes Amim: "Perhaps it's a miracle that we suc- ceeded in our objective. While we are trying to help we are getting a lot in return from the state of Israel. They are support- ing us and protecting us. We are actually the ones who benefit. "Our members enjoy the stay in Israel. We made many friends. Members of the neighboring kibutzim volunteered to help us get organized . . . For recrea- tion we have volleyball, ping pong and chess. Our day off is Shabat because if we take off Sundays we would never see our friends from the nearby kibutzim. We learn Hebrew and our children speak it well. On Erev Shabat our families get together and we sing Hebrew songs. "Nes Amim has agencies in Holland, Germany, Swit- zerland, Belgium, Canada and the United States. There, new members are being screened and re- cruited. We are looking for motivated, open-minded people able to respect other opinions. Most people come to Israel for a certain time and when they return to their countries they become goodwill ambassadors and recruit other Christians for Nes Amim, men and women from 19 to 70." On her way out Kristina handed her guest a large bouquet of fresh roses. Her parting words were: "For us Christians solidarity with 12 Mile & Southfield Open 7 Days Mon. thru Sat. 9-7, Sunday 10-5 345-7139 541-7651 Member Detroit Area Retail Kosher Meat Dealers Assoc. REPEAT BY POPULAR DEMAND Starting Sun., Nov. 13th thru Thurs., Nov. 17th ROCK CORNISH HENS 9.29 lb. POTATO PANCAKES 99c pkg. - Cohen & Son Kosher Meat Market 26835 Coolidge, Oak Park Dexter Davison Kosher Meat Market 24760 Coolidge, Oak Park Harvard Row Kosher Meat Market 21780 W. 11 Mile Rd., Southfield Northgate Kosher Meat Market 25254 Greenfield, Oak Park Louis Cohen & Sons Net! 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Dulzin Offers Refusnik Plea at London Parley JERUSALEM (JNI) — An appeal for help in ob- taining immigration visas to Israel written on behalf of 27 Moscow Jews was pre- sented to the World Presidium on Soviet Jewry in London last week by Arye Dulzin, chairman of the World Zionist Organization (WZO). Dulzin read the appeal to a crowd of 10,000 prior to the "March of the Re- fusniks" between Hyde Park and the Soviet Em- bassy. 353-6699 I Detroiter Hy Shenkman, right, is pictured with Kristina Pelon, center, and her assistant, Jordan Bloch. MIKE'S QUALITY FRUIT MARKET . hit :gA E0 • Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice • Fresh Fruit Baskets • Imported & Domestic Cheese at the Lowest Prices! • The Finest in Bread, Roils, Pastries & Cakes WE REGULARLY CARRY MANY FRESH FRUIT & FRESH PRODUCE ITEMS THAT OTHER MARKETS CALL "HARD TO GET" ....... ....... C