Friday, April 26, 1985 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 19 i i K -_, and when our conversation turned to politics again — Jewish and otherwise — Zion owed that he wasn't so sure American Jews weren't caught in a limbo of their own, somewhere between ecurity and being sold down the river. < Zion has a more than healthy dose of cynicism about America's bottom-line commitment to Israel. "It's a fragile commitment," he s ays, "despite all the nice words." I tell him he sounds like he is contradicting himself. Earlier, he had said that Jews are paranoid and there is no 'need to fear anti-Semitism. Yet now, he is saying that the national commitment to Israel is tenuous. "Let me think this through," ( Zion says slowly, dead- serious now, "because I want to get it right." After a moment's silence, he responds: _"if there was a real commit- ment, why do Jews only win the exhibition games?" he asks, citing numerous in- -stances in recent years when both Jimmy Carter and Ron- _ ald Reagan were inconsistent in their support of Israel. ' "It's idolatry for Jews to have political heroes in this country," says Zion, who notes that his only American political hero is Thomas Paine, the Revolutionary 'War-period idealist whose Common Sense was "a great " book but they wiped him out Kof American history — Lin- coln was also on my list but -- I admire him less as I read him more." When it comes to 20th cen- tury politicians, Zion has kind words only for Paul O'Dwyer, a former New York City Councilman, for whom he named his 15-year-old son, Jedd O'Dwyer Zion. "He's a fine man — in fact, he's presi- dent of the TomPaine Society, the best job in the world — but he loves- Jesse Jackson too much." Zion says that the Bible and history have taught Jews not to put their trust in any politician. "I can make de- mands on them even though I don't for a • minute expect them to fulfill those demands," he says, explaining, in a way, his ability to balance his idealism and skepticism. "I can't be detached about anything," he acknowledges. "You can't lose your passion. You just gotta keep your sense of humor or you'll go nuts. It's never as bad — or as good — as it looks, but you've got to keep trying and making your point. Right now, our civil liberties are in a crisis in this country, our schools aren't educating anyone, but no one's getting mad, no ones shrying `gevalt.' " And if it's true in general, it's especially true for Jewish life, Zion believes. "The great tradition of bawling out the Jews seems to have ended with the Prophets," he says, "but Lord knows we still need it."0 Peres, Herzog Mark Israel Independence ir Jerusalem (JTA) — President Chaim Herzog last week issued a message marking Israel's 37th Independence Day on April 25. It states, in part: --, "Very close to our commemora- tion of the establishment of the `State of Israel thirty-seven years ago, the world will be marking the fortieth anniversary of the defeat I of Nazi Germany. There is much ' more than an unbreakable bond. Without the victory over Hitler, - the very existence of the Jewish . , people would have been gravely endangered; the broken survivors in the Camps would not have been rescued; we would not have been -, afforded the great, new opening r- given given us by the establishment of ,a the State of Israel. "Since then, there have been \-, many landmarks in Israel's his- tory which are all too easily taken for granted. The Magic Carpet from Yemen, the airlift of Iraqi Jewry, the arrival of North Afri- can Jewry, the absorption of tens of thousands from the Soviet Union, the Six-Day War, the -reunification of Jerusalem, the heroism of the Yom Kippur War, the rescue at Entebbe, and now the absorption of Ethiopian Jewry — all of these signify the great- ness of Israel, the new life it has breathed into Jewry, the unex- pected reservoirs of strength, ta- lent and daring it has brought forth." Premier Shimon Peres also is- sued a message marking Israel's Independence Day. "Israel's 37th Independence Day is a day of tears and of price — tears for the lives of the young people through whose courage we have renewed and maintained our independence and pride in what has been achieved, thereby changing the course of Jewish his- tory. "Vision and sorrow unify our people, and bestow upon them a uniqueness and a strength with- out equal. Our outlook is guided by victory in war, but even more by the hope of achieving peace. Tranquility is not yet ours, but the improvement of relations with Egypt shows that peace is possi- ble. and our departure from Leba- non will show that we can secure peace for Galilee from our own border. "Our strength derives from within, from the closing of our ranks, from the bravery of our sons and daughters, from the re- vitalization of old. economy . . ." TO PROTECT THE UNBORN AND THE NEWBORN March of Dimes THIS SPACE CONTRIBUTED BY THE PUBLISHER • Did Your Bank Pay You This Much Interest This Week? 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Auxiliary Jewish Home for Aged Cordially invites you to an Open House Honoring Life Members Sunday, the fifth of May From two until four o'clock Edward I. and Freda Fleischman Residence Louis C. and Edith B. Blumberg Plaza 6710 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI • Refreshments, Program and Tours at 2:30 p.m. ---------LIFE MEMBERSHIP $150.00--------- ❑ I will be happy to attend ❑ I am unable to attend, but wish to become a Life Member. Name Address City Zip Phone Please make checks payable to: Auxiliary Jewish Home for Aged Mail to: Mrs. William Tarnow, 22769 Bellbrook Rd., Southfield, MI 48034