CS: - 91r3a 16 ?di:4 -1?.,‘q!1'. rr(i' Friday, December 20, 1985 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS A TRADITION SINCE 1936 OBSERVATIONS CAMP Zodiac Proved False Witness In 1985 - in Algonquin Park, Ontario Giving children a unique recreational experience in a secluded wilderness setting. TAMAKWA has openings for camper registrations for the 1986 camping season. 4 or 8 weeks, boys and girls, ages 7-15 Drama Swimming Windsurfing Computers Canoe Tripping Sailing Hiking Land Sports Waterskiing Camp Crafts Creative Arts Canoeing Music Photography Snorkling Half-Court Tennis on our new Omni Courts JUNIOR TAMAKWAN PROGRAM AVAILABLE 15% discount AGES 7, 8 & 9 (2 - 4 - 8 week sessions) WRITE OR CALL FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 1080 N. Woodward, Birmingham, Michigan 48011 (313) 644-5922 Also now accepting staff applications. VIC NORRIS, Director DAVID BALE, Director A Camping Tradition since 1936 •Aerobics • Indoor & Outdoor Pools • Nautilus & Universal Equipment • Saunas • Whirlpools • Gym • Individualized Fitness Programs • Restaurct • Lounge & More LIMITED TIME OFFER! HAMILTON Be 33 Southfield 2 8 Rd . tween 13 Mile Rds. ATHLETIC & SOCIAL CLUB CALL 646-8990 BY CARL ALPERT Special to The Jewish News Haifa — With the close of would be terrible natal disas- 1985 fast approaching, we once ters elsewhere in the world, but again take a good look at the not in Israel. The female clairvoyants had predictions made a year ago by an active year. Miriam Tamir, Israel's astrologers. Almost who claims to have foretold the everyone reads the predictions visit of Sadat to Jerusalem, the with bated breath and curiosity, war in Lebanon and the killing but few are those who preserve the stargazers' forecasts, and of Bashir Jemayel, opened her 1985 forecast with assurances check them at year's end with that Peres would prove to be a what actually transpired. The surprisingly good leader, would comparison is enlightening. First of all, let's not reject advance the cause of peace with Jordan, and would keep the na- horoscopy out of hand, for it is tional unity government to- in a great Jewish tradition. In- deed, was not Father Abraham gether. On the other hand, she did not expect Modai to last long the first star-gazer? As told in as Minister of Finance. Syria's Genesis 15:5, he heard God's Assad was supposed to have commandment: "Look now died before the end of the year, toward heaven and count the and both Arafat and Hussein stars, if thou be able to count them ..." There followed a great prediction regarding the One seer was future of the Jewish people. During Talmudic times and the confident that Middle ages, Jewish scholars American financial were divided with regard to the practice of astrology. aid to Israel would In Israel, in our own time, as- trology is seriously accepted by be halted and many respectable people. The earthquakes would publicity attendant upon the annual foretelling of events also strike in Jerusalem serves as great public relations and Safed. for the professional practitioners who command fancy fees for their advice in personal, politi- were to be subjects of assassina- cal and business matters. tion attempts. This year it has proven dif- Ruth Eli was not the only one ficult to compare predictions who anticipated a major mili- with realization. The sooth- tary action by Israel, short of sayers have been caught at so war, during the year. The air many false auguries in the past strike against Tunisia could be that they have become wary of marked up as fulfillment. How- preciseness in their prognostica- ever, she predicted Modai's res- tions. Many of them hedged. ignation, a breakdown of the na- Some gave solemn expression to tional unity government, and matters which were obvious. withdrawal of Dr. Burg from Those who dared once again to public life. She was "courage- go out on a limb, usually fell off. ous" in asserting that drastic Judge for yourself. measures would be taken to Ilan Pecker, one of the leading meet the economic crisis here. practitioners of the art, was Miriam Binyamini was confi- quite explicit last year about dent that American financial what 1985 held in store. This aid to Israel would be halted, a was the year in which Mubarak, prominent national personality Assad, Hussein, Arafat and the would die, aliyah would increase King of Saudi Arabia would all vastly, oil would be found, and lose their lives. He was also con- earthquakes would strike fident that Israel's national Jerusalem and Safed. She was unity government would not sure that Reagan would be suc- last, was doomed to collapse, ceeded in the Presidency during and would be followed by new 1985, and his replacement elections. This was because the would be less favorable to Israel. planet Saturn was exercising its Danny Befitnan avoided any baneful influence, against which predictions involving per- the government of Israel is help- sonalities because he had been less. On the other hand, he did burned too often in the past. succeed in predicting a major There is no precise information change in Israel's monetary sys- about the exact time of their tem — as did most economists birth, he said, and politicians in the country. Readers who fol- sometimes falsify their birth lowed his advice bought heavily dates just to throw astrologers into oil stocks, for he was con- off the track. vinced that this was the year for One Jerusalem Kabbalist a great oil strike in Israel. On scored 100 percent accuracy in the international front: he knew his prediction. He cautiously as- that relations with Egypt would serted that during the year Is- not improve, and might even rael would suffer no major worsen. natural catastrophe. He was His great competitor, Herzl right! Lipshitz, was more cautious, but Unconsciously, all of us at one with equal lack of success. The time or another call upon the state of the economy did not aid of the stars. The word mazel, worry him. He expected no great in HeLrew, means a. sign of,the unemployment and only a minor zodiac, and every time we wish recession. Things will really some one mazel toy, we are in pick up in 1986, he said, but effect expressing the hope that who can wait that long? There he will be favored by the stars.