4 Friday, December 14, 1984 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS THE JEWISH NEWS Serving Detroit's Metropolitan Jewish Community with distinction for four decades. Editorial and Sales offices at 17515 West Nine Mile Road, Suite 865, Southfield, Michigan 48075-4491 TELEPHONE 424-8833 EFFECTIVE DEC. 28, our new address and phone number will be: 20300 Civic Center Dr., Suite 240 Southfield, MI 48076 (313) 354-6060 PUBLISHER: Charles A. Buerger EDITOR EMERITUS: Philip Slomovitz EDITOR: Gary Rosenblatt BUSINESS MANAGER: Carmi M. Slomovitz ART DIRECTOR: Kim Muller-Thym NEWS EDITOR: Alan Hitsky LOCAL NEWS EDITOR: Heidi Press EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Tedd Schneider LOCAL COLUMNIST: Danny Raskin ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Lauri Biafore Rick Nessel Danny Raskin Seymour Schwartz OFFICE STAFF: Marlene Miller Dharlene Norris Phyllis Tyner Pauline Weiss Ellen Wolfe PRODUCTION: Donald Cheshure Cathy Ciccone Curtis Deloye Ralph Orme 1984 by The Detroit Jewish News (US PS 275-520) Second Class postage paid at Southfield, Michigan and additional mailing offices. Subscription $18 a year. CANDLELIGHTING AT 4:43 P.M. VOL. LXXXVI, NO. 16 To end apartheid It's been a while since Jews were arrested for civil disobedience on behalf of blacks. But on Tuesday, three Jewish officials of the American Jewish Congress were arrested in front of the Embassy of South Africa in Washington. Theodore Mann, president of the American Jewish Congress, Theodore Bikel, senior vice president and Henry Siegman, executive director, were protesting the apartheid policies of South Africa. They were among the more than 30 people arrested since late November in front of the embassy. The situation in South Africa is deplorable. Blacks comprise 67 percent of its population. Yet for decades and, especially, since the end of the Second World War, the white-dominated South African government has repressed this vast black majority. It has stripped blacks of civil rights and civil liberties. It has denied them due course of law. It has tried to turn them into non-people with no rights and no spirit. But the spirit of the blacks of South Africa has not been beaten. Against the oppression of their government and the brutality of the police, blacks' battle for equality and for ordinary human rights has persisted. It is a battle which Jews cannot ignore. In a statement read before the arrests on Tuesday, leaders of the American Jewish Congress and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations said, "Jewish tradition and historical experience require that we speak out against all forms of injustice. The support of the Jewish people for the struggle against racism stems not only from our heritage which tells that God created all humanity, but also from the facts that we ourselves have been the victims of racial hatred and discrimination over the centuries." The Reagan Administration's preference for "constructive engagement" — the current diplomatic euphemism for quiet negotiaions between the U.S. and South Africa — is not enough. Stronger measures — economic sanctions, a moratorium on U.S. foreign aid and arms sales — are needed. Reporters covering the arrest of the three Jewish leaders were quick to ask their opinions about Israeli dealings with South Africa. Little has been said, though, about economic contact between South Africa and black African nations. Recently, for example, South Africa imported $76.5 million in commodities from Israel. At the same time, it imported $375.3 million in commodities from 46 black African countries. To single out Israel for commerce with South Africa indicates an unfortunate double-standard. USSR evil on record In an address to the General Assembly of the United Nations during the discussion on human rights, Israel's ambassador placed on the record the distressing facts regarding the Russian policy of shutting her doors to those seeking homes elsewhere out of a desire to secure refuge from oppression. Binyamin Netanyahu cited the following important figures: In 1979, 51,000 Jews were granted exit visas from Russia. The figures dropped to 21,500 in 1980, 9,500 in 1981, 2,700 in 1982, 1,315 in 1983 and fewer than 900 will have emigrated this year. Ambassador Netanyahu thus publicized the record for the entire world to judge. He focussed attention on the Soviet policy of negating established human rights to permit people seeking refuge to choose where to settle and establish their homes. OP-ED In the aftermath of the election: Why Jews voted for Mondale BY THEODORE R. MANN Special to The Jewish News We Jews are an interesting people. On average, we are eco- nomically in the upper strata of American society. Yet, in an election in which 66 percent of white Ameri- cans voted for Ronald Reagan, 66 per- cent of Jews voted for Walter Mondale. No other white ethnic or religious group did so. Why such a disparity? The economy has turned around. If it is not booming, it is at least glow- ing. Most Americans thought that on economic issues, Reagan was better than Mondale. I suspect that most Jews thought so too. Yet most voted for Mondale. Why? Clearly the reason was not Israel, it was not Soviet Jewry, and certainly not anti-Semitism — three issues which should and do impact on Jewish voting behavior. On Israel, Reagan was viewed by most Jews as a friend, every bit as much of a friend as Mon- dale. Reagan and his Secretary of State tried as hard as President Carter did, albeit with less success, to obtain the release of Soviet Jews and to ameliorate their condition. Finally, neither President Reagan nor his Ad- ministration has been tainted with anti-Semitism. And while Mr. Mon- dale has not been either, Jews were less than happy about his handling of the anti-Semitic incidents that marred the primary campaign. Theodore Mann is national president of the American Jewish Congress and an attorney in Philadelphia. Nor did Jews support the Demo- cratic nominee simply out of habit. In the privacy of the voting booth, few Jewish voters fear that if they forget the Democratic Party, their right hand will wither or their tongue will cleave to the roof of their mouth. That kind of ethnic loyalty is simply not the factor it once was. Reagan has a habit of confusing religion with patriotism, and there is a Jewish perception that the Reagan Administration just does not care very much for the less-fortunate. So why did Jews support Mon- dale? There are two reasons, I think. One was Reagan's habit of confusing religion with patriotism, which was viewed by many in the Jewish com- munity as a mind-set that can only do Jews and all other Americans harm. The Reagan Administration has pushed for all kinds of legislation that would breach the barrier between church and state, and it was feared that he will batter that wall much harder in the next four years. A second, and more general rea- son for Jewish voter support for Mon- Continued on Page 20 Notice In order to efficiently process The Jewish News' growing subscription base, we have started to computerize our operation. However, as carefully as we have tried to be in entering and checking thousands and thousands of names, we know there are going to be some mistakes. If there is an error in your name or address on your mailing label or subscription bill, please correct it and mail it to our office at 17515 West Nine Mile Road, Suite 865, Southfield, Michigan, 48075. We appreciate your understanding and your cooperation.