44
EDITORIAL
4
Where Shall Soviet Jews Go?
A New York Times headline this week, "Israel Asking U.S. to Bar
Soviet Jews," was a shocking way to describe the debate now going on
among Jerusalem and Washington and American Jewish leaders over
resettling Soviet Jews.
The debate is not a new one. Eight or nine years ago there was a good
deal of passionate discussion and disagreement, with Israel asserting that
since, bottom line, there was a desperate need for more Jews to live in
Israel, all efforts should be made to insure that the majority of Jews
emigrating from the USSR come to the Jewish state. American Jewish
organizations, though, felt that all Jews should be given the freedom to
choose where they wished to live.
The practical result was that since 1979 as many as 80 percent of the
Jewish emigres have chosen the U.S. rather than Israel.
The issue has been moot in recent years, however, because the flow of
Jewish emigration has virtually stopped, from a peak of 51,320 in 1979 to
914 in 1986.
In recent days the debate was renewed when Israeli Prime Minister
Shamir, during his U.S. visit, asked Secretary of State Shultz. to stop
offering special refugee status to Soviet Jews. It is an issue that Israeli
leadership, Likud and Labor, agree on, asserting that the emigres are not
"refugees" because they leave Russia with visas for Israel and have a
homeland to which to go.
American Jewish leaders have reportedly suggested a compromise
whereby the emigres could come to Israel and have six months to decide
whether they wish to remain there or go to the U.S. According to this plan,
if the emigrants than choose to come to America they would still have the
benefits of "political refugee" status, but this would require a change in
American policy. A similar plan was reportedly suggested by Israeli
President Chaim Herzog but was dismissed by other Israeli leaders. An-
other proposal would have the Soviet Jews flown to Israel via Bucharest,
rather than Vienna, where the dropout rate is as high as 90 percent, but
such a solution is dependent on a change in Soviet policy.
Both sides in this dispute have strong logic and are seeking to do the
best for the Jewish people. Israel is taking the pragmatic approach, saying
they simply need more Jews in Israel. American Jews are taking a moral
view, saying each person should have the right to determine where he
chooses to live. The compromise proposed seems like the right direction to
pursue, with the underlying hope of all concerned that more and more
Soviet Jews will be permitted to leave the USSR and live in freedom as
Jews.
LETTERS
Albania Slur?
Your article "Israel's Chang-
ing Economy: Will The Model
Be America Or Albania?" (Feb.
13) — as far as I can tell, you do
not again refer to nor explain
your reference to Albania in
your article! Thus, your title
indicates you only meant to
"fun" Albania, as Poland
was/is "funned" at?
But you may want to look
into Albania's economy. At
least one thing is certain: Al-
bania does not owe you nor me,
as Ameican tax payers, one
single penny! Nor does she owe
any other nation. She trades
only — her constitution pr-
ohibits credit of any kind with
other nations.
If certain other nations fol-
lowed Albania's economy po-
licies, they would not be
"bankrupt" or nearly so at our
expense.
Victor Chacho
West Bloomfield
`Single Life'
Section Praised
Your "Single Life" section
has filled a great void in our
Jewish community. It is in-
formative, interesting, pr-
ovocative and above all relates
a true view of every singles
6
Friday, March 6, 1987
group that you have spotligh-
ted. That is so because you
have jouralists like Heidi Press
who devote time and energy
and editorial adeptness to pre-
sent clearly written and truly
documented information about
organizations like our Singles
Extension Group at Temple Is-
rael.
You have played an impo-
rtant part in the rapid growth
of our group to a membership of
250 since our inception in the
summer of '86.
Fraida Joy Stillwater
Southfield
The Ungrateful
ORT Graduate
I read David Holzel's article
"Down to Goshen" (Feb.6) with
great interest. I took exception
to the quotes and references to
ORT in this article (page 17).
Shalom Lev describes the "pr-
evailing attitude in Israel for
Diaspora fundraisers" by cal-
ling them "shnorrer (begging)"
activities.
How wonderful that Mr. Lev
was able to attend an ORT
school and avail himself of a
superior education made po-
ssible by the worldwide net-
work of ORT volunteers and
benefactors. These people give
of their time and money so that
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
individuals like Mr. Lev and
over 58,000 other ORT stu-
dents in 106 schools in Israel
may learn, grow and prosper.
Imagine my dismay in read-
ing non-factual and derogatory
statements from a man who is
ORT educated, printed in The
Jewish News for the entire
community to see!
Mr. Lev, with his comments,
discourages philanthropy and
volunteerism in a day and age
when they are all so urgently
needed. Our whole democratic
system and the greater Jewish
community would suffer se-
verely without volunteers.
Bravo for each and every one of
them.
Ruth Rosenfeld
President, Michigan Region
Women's American ORT
Hadassah 'Article
We in Hadassah are very
proud of the accomplishments
of the last 75 years. Henrietta
Szold was a remarkable
woman with insight into what
was needed at the time and
with a vision to the future.
Thank you for the inform-
ative article about Hadassah's
75th anniversary (Feb. 20) and
for all of your support. It is with
this kind of support that we
will be able to continue the he-
I
aling, teaching and research
for Israel and all mankind.
Susan Yorke
President, Greater Detroit Chapter
Zionist Election
Criticism Rebutted
With reference to the letter
by Sidney Silverman (Jan. 9)
criticizing the material sent
out by the Friends of Labor Is-
rael, I wish to respond as fol-
lows:
1. The friends of Labor Israel
has been in existence for more
than ten years.
2. It appeared on the last bal-
lot for the election to the
Zionist Congress.
3. Mr. Peres's letter was a
general call to register for the
election — certainly a proper
thing for an Israel prime
minister to do.
4. General Narkis is in
charge of election campaign of
the Labor Zionist movement
and certainly has the right to
urge voters to vote Labor
Zionist.
5. There is nothing cheap
about the Friends of Labor Is-
rael. While minimal member-
ships are $5, most members
sent in checks which were in
two and three digit figures.
Under Theodor Herzl the
World Zionist Organization in-
troduced the shekel which
could be purchased by any Jew.
Until the shekel was discon-
tinued its price was $.50.
Surely as a good Zionist Mr.
Silverman ought to be in favor
of encouraging all Jews to pa-
rticipate in the Congress elec-
tions, even those who cannot
afford to pay the much higher
dues paid by more activist
Zionists.
Ezra Spicehandler
National president, Labor Zionist
Alliance New York
`Don't Visit Poland'
Was Unjust
I have read Alden M. Leib's
op-ed article, "A recent Jewish
Visitor Says: 'Don't Visit Po-
land.' " (Jan. 23) He says this
because he found no Jewish life
or culture in Poland, and he
blames the Poles. Only in one
sentence does he mention the
Germans, a reference to Ger-
man efficiency.
A test in law for affixing re-
sponsibility is "but for" — but
for this would that have hap-
pened? Is it "but for" the Ger-
mans, or "but for" the Poles,
that the Holocaust would -
have happened?
with relief '-
periodonti-'
Continued