4 Friday, August 23, 1985
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
THE JEWISH NEWS
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WOLF BLITZER
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New U.S. Envoy To Israel:
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CANDLELIGHTING AT 8:04 P.M.
VOL. LXXXVII, NO. 26
A Continuing Struggle
The results of a survey by American University Adjunct Professor
Kitty 0. Cohen, published by the Institute of Jewish Affairs in London
and reported on this week by Jewish News Washington correspondent
Wolf Blitzer, are unsettling, to say the least. Not only do they indicate
that some blacks are under the misapprehension that Jews favor
apartheid in South Africa, but they show just how poor communication is
between the two U.S. minorities.
According to Blitzer's report, five of 16 black Congressmen who were
polled by Prof. Cohen said that Jews weie not opposed to apartheid, and
seven others, who believed that Jews were opposed, said they were not
strong enough in their opposition. Three others said they were unaware
of any Jewish opposition to apartheid, and another was under the
impression that the black community did not know that Jews were
opposed to the policy.
It is all too apparent that despite continuing efforts to establish
meaningful dialogues between black and Jewish communities ignorance
and prejudice continue. And at the highest levels.
But we must persist. Just as Jews have been in the forefront of the
battle against racial injustice wherever it occurs, so they must persevere
in the struggle to establish effective points of mutual interest; to make
the black community aware that their fight against racial injustice is
analogous to the Jewish fight against religious prejudice; indeed, that the
two labors are but parts of the same striving for human rights, and that
neither can be won without the other.
Detroit In The Lead
An honor for the Allied Jewish'Campaign and its sponsoring
movement, the Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit, is a tribute to an
understanding community.
The leadership award to this community by the United Jewish
Appeal is a mark of recognition that takes into account the current
philanthropic responses to the needs of the Jewish people on a global
sphere. Accepting the Pinchas Sapir Award, as every constituent member
of Detroit Jewry does with pride, also assuredly means a continuing
interest to retain a leadership that is inspired by self-respect and a
recognition of duties never to be shunned.
Recognition of Greater Detroit Jewry's generosity, expressed so
eloquently by the United Jewish Appeal, will surely be viewed by sister
communities throughout the land as a result of proper acquaintance with
the status of Israel, a major beneficiary in all Jewish philanthropic
efforts, as well as the many related causes which receive the support
implied in the UJA award.
When an award is given to a community by a national agency it
invites attention, and related recognition, from all the constituent groups
active in the sponsoring movement. Therefore, with the award go the
implied lessons — -the constant need to keep the community fully
informed on the needs and responsibilities, and to make the causes akin
to the sponsoring awardees fully recognized In their roles in Jewish life.
There are aducational factors to be considered and it is to the credit of
Detroit Jewry that these have always had priority in communal planning,
Indeed, # total identification with world Jewry and with Israel hae
been and 01118,113$ a factor in the honor now cherished by this community,
Washington — Thomas Reeve
Pickering is not going to have an
easy time following in the footsteps
of Samuel Lewis, the former, well-
liked U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
Lewis, by virtually all accounts,
had established an extraordinarily
intimate relationship with many inf-
luential Israelis — both in and out
of government — while retaining a
very high degree of confidence back
in Washington. That was no simple
trick.
Now back in Washington, Lewis
has retired from the U.S. Foreign
Service. He will be lecturing at the
Johns Hopkins University School of
Advanced International Studies in
Washington, his alma mater, in
addition to writing a book on his ex-
periences in Israel.
But if anyone can emulate
Lewis' success in Israel, it is Picker-
ing, a smooth and astute 53-year-old
diplomat with an impressive record
of diplomatic achievement. He is a
career diplomat who has served in
some rather explosive places; his
most recent assignment was as Am-
bassador to El Salvador, where he
distinguished himself in fighting for
human rights and opposing the so-
called "death squads." In the process,
he earned the wrath of Republican
Senator Jesse Helms of North
Carolina and some other hardline
conservatives.
But on the whole, he was seen
as very effective in promoting
President Ronald Reagan's broad
policies in Central America. He had
earlier served as Ambassador to
Nigeria (1981-1983) and to Jordan
(1974-1978).
While in Jordan, he learned
some Arabic. A United Press Inter-
national reporter once wrote of Pic-
kering's performance in Jordan:
"Pickering is said to be as flexible as
the situation demands, developing a
.
solid relationship with King Husseii
but also able to talk with Bedoidi
tribesmen during his archeologica
digs in the Jordanian desert."
Pickering, in many respects, ha
a diplomatic style similar to that o
Lewis. Outgoing and friendly by na
ture yet always quite serious ant
aware of his main mission, the nevi
Thomas Picketing:
A smooth diplomat.
Ambassador to Israel is likely to usi
many of the same personal and pro
fessional techniques so successfully
used by Lewis to advance U.S. inter
eats in Israel.
For example, before leaving foi
Israel Pickering made the rounds in
Washington and New York, meeting
key American Jewish leaders. At the
invitation of Israel Ambassador Men
Rosenne, Pickering went to the Is.
raeli Embassy in Washington to ex•
change views with the senior dip
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