75 comparative figures for dif- ferent regions of the country, but believes that if California is "ahead," the cause may be ascribed to three reasons. —Many older rabbis come to California for retirement, and while they no longer have con- gregations, still do weddings and funerals. —On the breakup of a Jewish marriage in another state, one of the partners strikes out for the fluid social scene of California. Such a person is likely to blame the "Jewishness" of the other partner for the failure of the marriage and look among gen- tiles for a new spouse. —California has been hos- pitable to religious "creativity" since the turn of the century and more open to experimentation than the Middle West or East Coast. This attitude applies to all religions, says Blau, noting that many Catholic refugees from Central America have con- verted to fundamental Pro- testantism since coming to Los Angeles. Based on his own experience, Blau also has some interesting observations on the demograph- ics of intermarriage. He points out that half of a century ago, practically all intermarriages were between Jewish men and gentile women. Now, he says, the ratio is more like 60% male and 40% female among the Jewish partners, and the gend- ers will probably draw even in another few years. By far the highest proportion of Jews "marrying out" is found among women over 40, who discover that single Jewish men of their age groups either marry younger Jewish women or gen- tiles. Because the over 40 women are past child-bearing age, they have fewer guilt pangs about taking gentile spouses. With few exceptions, Reform rabbis who officiate at mixed marriages do not like to go public with their stand or names. One cited as a reason that "the demand for mixed mar- riage ceremonies is so great, I would be overrun with re- quests" if his name were generally known. Blau, who says he maintains cordial and respectful relations with the Orthodox and Conser- vative rabbinate, puts it dif- ferently: "I have no hesitation in giving out my name," he says, but privately rather than in print. The reason, he says, is that "I don't want to encourage counter statements from the Orthodox segment, which, however well- intentioned, inevitably sound racist. I don't want to put the Orthodox in that position." Remember the 1 1 th Commandment: "And Thou Shalt be Informed" r r-N rm /Th r t•in f-1 1( Representative Retracts 'Inelegant Phrasing' Washington (JTA) — Rep. Robert Dornan (R. Calif.) last Monday indicated regret for remarks he made on the House floor last week which one major Jewish organization character- ized as "anti-Semitic slander." Dornan, a hardline conver- ative" member of the House oreign Affairs committee who known to be staunchly pro- srael, acknowledged that he ad used "inelegant phrasing" hen he attacked Radio Mos- cow commentator Validimir Posner who appeared briefly on ABC Television after President Reagan's nationally televised speech seeking public support for his military budget. Dornan, expressing outrage that the Soviet commentator was allowed air time to rebut the President, called Posner "this disloyal, betraying little Jew." Posner is Jewish on his father's side, though the family had con- verted to the RusSian Orthodox faith long before his birth. B'nai B'rith International ex- ecutive vice president Daniel Thursz demanded that Dornan apologize for "a classic anti- Semitic slander." "To call atten- tion to Posner's Jewishness in a defamatory manner is totally reprehensible," Thursz said in a statement issued. Dornan, who had called Posner's TV appearance "an af- front to decency and to Jewish people around the world," said in a Cable News Network inter- view that a pro-Israel group called him saying he had no reason to apologize for his remarks. "I disagree with that," the California Congressman said. "That was inelegant phras- ing." He did not identify the pro-IsMel group. Holocaust Writing Contest Washington — The second an- nual national writing contest for high school students has been an- nounced by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. Students may write up to 2;000 words in any category on the topic "What Does the Holocaust Mean to Me?" The contest is part of the 1986 obser- vance of "Days of Remembrance," co-ordinated by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. For information, call Marcia Feldman, (202) 653-9154. - • • • ^:.-..s;.-2:.04104.44.04.4• 410. Y You've read the five books of Moses. Isn't it time to try the Fifty-Two Issues of the Detroit Jewish News? It may not be holy, but it's weekly! And such a bargain. To order your own subscription call 354-6060.