THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Brazil's Jews abandon Manaus Rio de Janeiro (JTA) — The once vital and flourish- ing Jewish community in Manaus, capital of Amazonas province in northern Brazil, is not vir- tually dead and no efforts are being made to revive it, according to Eli Tabori, Consul General of Israel in Rio de Janeiro, who just re- turned from a visit to Amazonas and other north- ern provinces. Manaus is a metropolis built in the heart of the jungle, on the banks of the Amazon River, 1,000 miles from the sea. It was once the - s‘ center of the world rubber trade and a vibrant cultural center that boasted an opera house rivaling the best in Europe. The Jewish presence there goes back more than 100 years when immig- rants, mainly from Spanish Morocco, left the Brazilian coastal provinces of Per- nambuco and Para to estab- lish industries and export houses in Manaus. For generations they maintained close contact with Jewish communities elsewhere in Brazil. But to- day, only 80 Jewish families remain, many of mixed marriages, and they show no interest in Jewish life or in Israel, Tabori told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. The Jewish community center is headed by a woman, a convert to Judaism. The last remain- ing synagogue is open only on the High Holidays. While other Brazilian Jewish communities are struggling to maintain their identity and tradi- tions, this is not the case in Manaus, Tabori said. His report recalled the fact that Jews have lived in Brazil since it was dis- covered in 1500. The foun- der of Rio de Janeiro, Es- tacio De Sa, is said to have been the grandson of Mar- ranos — Jews forced by the inquisition in Spain to con- vert to Catholicism but who secretly practiced their faith. The same is said of Joao Ramalho, founder of Sao Paulo, Brazil's second largest city. There was a well estab- lished Jewish community in Recife in northeastern Brazil early in the 16th Century. It was from there that a group of 23 Dutch Jewish refugees sailed for Dutch Nieuw Amsterdam to found the first Jewish com- munity 350 years ago in what became the city of New York. Brazilian Jews settled mainly in Pernambuco and Diamond exports up Ramat-Gan — The Israel diamond industry is con- tinuing its recovery with net exports during the first quarter of 1984 of $276.4 million compared to $265.3 million during the same three-month period last year. The industry exported $1 billion in 1983 after a three-year slump. Para provinces. The capital of Para is Belem, a contrac- tion of Bethlehem, which was founded at the end of the 18th Century. The syn- agogue there, Shaarei Shamaim, opened its doors in 1824. `Pandering to special interests in NY primary BY MORRIS. AMITAY Special to The Jewish News Washington — In the most recent New York presidential primary elec- tion, the media, and even some "Jewish leaders" ex- pressed their displeasure over the amount of time the Presidential candidates de- voted to U.S.-Israel rela- tions. In particular, their scorn was directed at the proposed bill in Congress to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The fact that Israel is the United States' most reliable ally in the Middle East, and that Jerusalem, Israel's capital, is the only capital in the world in which the United States does not maintain its embassy was almost completely forgot- ten. But substance aside, the fact that 25 percent of the electorate in the New York Democratic Primary are Jewish and deeply con- cerned about this issue would appear to be reason enough for the candidates to discuss this at length. Despite the obvious policy and political implications of the move, Mondale and Hart were accused of trivializing the debate and giving inordinate attention to a single issue and a single interest group. They were described as "pandering" to the Jewish community in expressing their support for Israel as if this support was unworthy of a future President of the United States. What is almost humor- ous here is that when the candidates spoke in depth about U.S.-Israel relations, they were "pandering" to Jews, whereas in discussing farm policies in Iowa or so- cial security issues in Florida, the candidates were "hammering out" posi- tions on critical concerns of the nation. In every forum through- out the Presidential cam- paigns, the candidates have made valiant efforts to dis- tinguish themselves and their policies from their op- ponents. Any good politi- cian follows a cardinal rule of speech — 'know thy audience." The Presidential primary contests, while much criticized for their long duration and great ex- pense, afford each candidate the opportunity to speak towards the concerns of a particular region, economic class, or demographic group in specifics which would be inappropriate in speaking to the nation as a whole. Through this process, voters become attuned to the can- didates views on a variety of issues. So while agricul- tural issues may dominate in Iowa or acid rain be the topic in Maine, why shouldn't U.S. foreign pol- icy in the Middle East be considered topical in New York City? If once every four years Jewish New Yorkers are paid special attention be- cause they care about-Is- rael's security and well- being, it is not such a great tragedy; for it is far better to be wooed, rather than to be ignored. Given their history of deep irvolvement in the entire range of domestic and foreign policy issues, American Jews do not have to demonstrate to anyone that they are 100 percent Americans. But politicians, if not the media, are wise enough to realize that although there may be differences among Jews on the size of the de- fense budget, or tuition tax credits, as examples, the one issue of concern to the entire community is our na- tion's support for Israel. In the New York primary, "overkill" was preferable to "underkill" because it demonstrated sensitivity to this concern. And without continuing high-level at- tention to this legitimate concern, both Israel , nd the United States will be the worse for it. * * * At the end of this month, Larry Eagleburger, the ranking career official at the State Department as Under Secretary for Politi- cal Affairs, will leave his position after 27 years of continuous diplomatic serv- ice. This writer has known Eagleburger for 20 years, having first worked closely with him at State when both were relatively junior Foreign Service officers, and later on when Eag- leburger was Henry Kis- singer's top assistant and I was director of the Ameri- can Israel Public Affairs Committee. Eagleburger was atypical of most State Department officials in that he was fre- quently able to overcome bureaucratic inertia, out- worn attitudes and fuzzy thinking while forging for himself a brilliant career including stints at the De- fense Department and the National Security Council. It is therefore no surprise that in recent times he has emerged as a leading figure in our government in recog- nizing the value of closer U.S.-Israel ties. His intelligence and breadth of experience in all aspects of foreign policy enabled him to see through the built-in bias of the State Department's Middle East "experts." While we wish him well in his new endeavors, his departure is not without some remorse as he will leave a void at State that will not easily be filled. Friday, April 13, 1984 37 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • •• • • • • • •• • ••• • •••• • • • • • • • • We Wish All - Our Friends & Customers A Happy Passover • • • • • • • • 1 We Remove & Install 891-1818 DRAPERY CLEANERS "All that the name implies." sow Suburban Call Collect VISA & MASTERCHARGE • • : • • • • e • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • HAPPY PASSOVER To All Our Friends From David Wachler & Sons Internationally famous award winning Jewelers 100 S. Woodward Birmingham, Michigan 48011 (313) 540-4622 Mon. -Sat. 10-5; Thurs. 70-8:30 Ideal Cut Diamond Jeweler Renaissance Center • Tower 200 Suite 275 Detroit, Michigan 48243 (313) 259-6922 Certified Gemologist American Gem Society "THE JEWISH IDEA" The Jewish Community Council, with the endorsement of the Conservative Rabbinic Commission, has published and distributed "Supplemental Hag- gadah Readings" for Jewish use on Pesach which are religiously and histori- cally incorrect, and which distort the meaning of Pesach. There are three basic distortions. The true meaning of Pesach is the deliverance of the Jewish People from Egyptian slavery by the direct intervention of the AI-mighty. It has nothing to do with, as the Council claims, "the kinship of all G-d's children." Pesach is not the equivalent of Brotherhood Week. Furthermore, the Jewish spirit is free by Torah, not as Council suggests, when "all are freed from hunger, joblessness, and fear." Pesach's meaning should not be confused with election-year rhetoric. Thus, the Council's Passover Statement on Hunger is actually a liberal political advocacy mascarading as Jewish Law, and has no place in a Jewish religious service. A. RELIGIOUS. B.• MORAL. Slavery of Jews is central to Pesach, and under the principle of Ahavas Yisroel, we must remember the slavery of all, Jews, not only the Jews in the Soviet Gulag. We must also note the slavery of Jews in America who echo Gentile principles and values, and by their behavior cannot be distinguished from Goyim. But unlike their Soviet counterparts, they do not want to leave the land of their moral enslavement.t C.HISTORICAL. Pesach was celebrated in Eretz Yisroel from ancient times to this very day. The "ancient Palestine" of which Council refers, never existed. It was always the Land of Israel. Council's use of the term gives credence to Arab claims that the Holy Land does not belong to the Jewish People. No Jewish publication should ever use Arab terminology for Jewish Land. THERE NEVER WAS NOR IS THERE A PALESTINE. It is a myth. The Land of Israel is REAL. The Committee for the Jewish Idea and the Jewish Defense League con- demns and repudiates this attempt by Council to Distort Pesach and dilute its relevance to the Jewish People. ,..,. ..t ;L.