THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, November 16, 1984 1 Budget Continued from Page . 1 leaked the news that they for- see a sharp rise in unemploy- ment — from the current 10,000 to 20,000 — as a result of civil service dismissals alone. Newspapers listed un- employment at 90,000 — a five-year high equating to 90 percent of the workforce. Fac- tory lay-offs due to the price freeze could account for addi- tional jobless, the sources said, because frozen prices will re- sult in slowed production. Modai was forced to defend the wage-price freeze package over the weekend against pub- lic figures who expressed doubts about its viability. At the same time, senior Finance Ministry officials and university economists are working on plans to hold infla- tion in check after the wage- price freeze expires in January. They predict that February will be the critical month for the economy. Sources close to Premier Shimon Peres expressed cau- tious optimism Friday that after initial confusion and administrative errors over the price freeze, the measure was finally taking hold. Jerusalem police began a crackdown on Arab money changers in East Jerusalem. They served notice that legal action would be taken against anyone who trades in dollars or other foreign currency without a license. The police are also taking action against black market money changers in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. However, high-level govern- ment sources concede that it is impossible to eliminate the black market until the overall economic situation improves. A threatened strike by municipal employees all over Israel this week was averted after the Prime Minister's Office announced that Peres would personally look into the financial plight local town councils. Municipal workers in Haifa and Tel Aviv went on strike last week and teachers walked off the job to protest non-payment of their October salaries, due Nov. 1. The municipalities, unable to meet their payrolls, blamed the Interior Ministry for delaying the disbursement of funds. Garbage is piling up in the streets. Maof, Israel's privately- owned charter airline, de- clared bankruptcy last week and stranded hundreds of tourists in Israel and abroad. LIFE IN ISRAEL Israeli program blends aspects of dig, kibbutz and yeshiva BY CARL ALPERT Special to The Jewish News Safed — They live as a group, cooking their own meals and shar- ing in the chores, but they are not a kibbutz. They are excavating old ruins, but they are not ar- cheologists, because they are re- building the ruins for present day use. They spend half a day study- ing Judaism, history, Hebrew, traditions, but they are neither a yeshiva nor a school. This is a unique program called Livnot U'lehibanot (To Build and to be Rebuilt). It is probably the most unique of all the many over- seas youth and study groups in Israel. Recently, they were hard at work on a deserted, week- ridden mound on an empty lot. A bit of poking revealed a large hol- low, and a stone wall. The group went at it with shovel and pick and a bucket brigade, and before long a ruined building emerged — an abandoned synagogue, which had apparently not been in use for almost a hundred years. They cleaned it out, shored up the walls, mixed concrete, poured a new roof, and before long they will have reclaimed still another of Safed's ancient buildings. After a hearty lunch and rest, they go at their studies. Young Jews from all over the world, al- most all of them without any prev- ious Jewish education what- soever, begin to perceive some- thing of the richness of Jewish heritage on every level. The meaning of religion is studied, but without dogma. The food is kosher, but there is neither com- pulsion nor expectation that the members observe any of the ritu- als. There is no permanent com- mitment, because the entire course lasts only three months, and at the end of that period they must move on, to make room for the next cycle. There is an intimacy induced by the fact that the group is limited to only about 20 men and women, mostly singles between 20 and 30 years old. Worried parents sometimes drop in unexpectedly to see what strange cult their offspring have wound up with. They examine the vaulted chambers (dug out of the ruins) where the students sleep; they look over the rich library of books on Jewish history, philos- ophy, Zionism. And they talk to Aharon and Miriam Botzer, who Continued on Page 22 eau in- neit)- --o.Fners mail dn u r) 6 fbrward:fiti,serving the community again. ;41 -**r• *4 fk , '19 1 :1 is artificially promoted The remarkably our store are our everyday iil'‘.'.-, you see . • prtces H EVERY PURCHASE DURING OUR GRAND OPENING • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • SHOE GALLERY • • • • • • • •• • SEMI-ANNUAL 4 ; SALE' • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11 • • • • • • 4: 1 THE TIME IS RIGHT TO PAY US A VISIT! SHOES L. FALL & WINTER & BOOTS 20% to 50% OFF ROUND THE CLOCK 30-50% SHOE GALLERY LTD., • • HANES Aft AM 11 11 11 , OFF 10 11 11 11 11 11•41 11 11 11 S • • • • West Bloomfield Plaza • • • 851-5470 Previous purchases & layaways excluded Mon.-Sat. 10-6, Thurs. 10-8 11 11 11 I I I ALL PANTY HOSE LEATHER HANDBAGS • • • • • • • • • • 15 Mile and Orchard Lake Rd. • • • Visa MasterCard 4 4 4 0 11 11 11•11 11 0 11 0 • e • • • • • • • l