THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Friday, November 18, 1983 35

Shamir Hears Criticism
While Touring IDF Positions

TEL AVIV (JTA) — An
Israeli soldier voiced criti-
cism of some of his govern-
ment's policies to Prime
Minister Yitzhak Shamir
earlier this month as
Shamir toured Israel De-
fense Force (IDF) positions
in Lebanon. Shamir was ac-
companied by Chief of Staff
Gen. Moshe Levy, other
senior officers and a group
of reporters covering the
Middle East.
Likud
a
Shamir,
hardliner, was confronted
by the soldier, a kibutznik,
who told the premier: "I
have more of a statement
than a question: I feel like
an actor in a film of the
Germans in Europe in
World War II or the Rus-
sians in Afghanistan. I am
on the roads here a lot and I
wonder what we are doing
to the local population. How
long are we going to remain
here?"
Shamir retorted, appa-
rently without rancor, that
such comparisons should
not be made. In any event,
the IDF will remain in
Lebanon only long enough
to ensure Israel's security,
he said.
Shamir told reporters
later that he was impre-
ssed by the behavior of
most of the soldiers. He
admitted that there was
what he called a "very
vocal minority" imbued
with "negative ideas."
He added, "But this is no
discredit. It proves the to-
lerance of Israel and its
democratic basis." Shamir
left to the imagination of
the journalists whether
such an exchange could
have taken place between a
Syrian soldier and Presi-

Move Geared
to Help Falashas
Get to Israel

WASHINGTON (JTA) —
The Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee has ap-
proved a resolution voicing
concern for the plight of the
Jews in Ethiopia and urged
that President Reagan
make an effort to help them
to emigrate to Israel. •
The resolution, intro-
duced by Sens. Charles
Percy (R-I11.), chairman of
the committee, and Paul
Tsongas (D-Mass.), now
goes to the Senate floor for
action. A similar resolution
in the House by Rep.
Stephen Solarz (D-N.Y.) has
103 sponsors there so far.
The Senate committee
also passed a resolution urg-
ing the President to con-
tinue action on behalf of
Raoul Wallenberg, the
Swedish diplomat who
helped save Jews in Hun-
gary at the end of World
War II and who is believed
to be in a Soviet prison since
1945.

In many European
Jewish communities, it was
customary on the night be-
fore a Brit Mila to have a
study session surrounding
the baby's crib. The ka-
balistic custom was said to
ward off evil spirits.

dent Hafez Assad.
Other soldiers fully sup-
ported the Israeli presence
in Lebanon. They told the
premier they were angered
by the relatively light
punishment meted out to
reservists who refuse to
serve in Lebanon. Many are
simply assigned to other
duties. Those who face
military courts are usually
sentenced to no -more than
35 days in jail.

B'nai B'rith Foundation of the United States

cordially invites you to attend the

B'nai B'rith International
Great American Traditions Award Dinner

honoring

ROGER B. SMITH

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer-General Motors

Tuesday, November 22, 1983, 6:30 p.m.
The Westin Hotel

Dietary Laws

Couvert $135 per person

B'nai B'rith is commemorating 140 years of service to mankind and General Motors is
celebrating 75 years of service to American industry.
"He who produces for the perpetuation of the world shares in a divine work."
— The Talmud

General Dinner Chairmen

W. Michael Blumenthal
Donald R. Mandich

Alan E. Schwartz
A. Alfred Taubman

Program Participants

Rabbi Milton Arm
Sheri Benkoff
Lee Cohen

Gerald Kraft

Mort Crim
Cantor Harold Orbach
Robert Simon

B'nai B'rith Foundation of the United States

Nathan D. Rubenstein

Detroit Chairman

Louis Weber

Honorary Chairman

Sharon R. Rappaport

Michigan Director
B'nai B'rith Foundation

R.S.V.P.

552-8070