UP FRONT
Separation Of Families Is
Ethiopian Jews' Main Problem
referring to the support American
Jews gave to the rescue of Ethio-
Staff Writer
pian Jewry. "You still have a lot of
While the rescue of Ethiopian things to do to join these families,"
Jews may have saved the commu- he added without elaborating.
Rabbi Hadane took the long
nity from destruction, life in Israel
has brought about profound road to his current position. Born
changes, and not all for the better, in Ethiopia, the son of a high
the first Ethiopian Jew to be or- priest, he went to Italy to study for
dained a rabbi told a Detroit audi- the rabbinate. The Marxist revolu-
tion in Ethiopia blocked his return
ence Monday night.
"Since you are in a certain and he made aliyah in 1972.
He said it took him a long time
society, you have to adapt," Rabbi
to
discover
that there are "strict
Yosefe Hadane said simply. "We
brought with us the unity of fam- religious Jewish people in Israel:"
ily, the respect of family, good be- Then-Sephardi Chief Rabbi
havior. What the father said in his Ovadiah Yosef sent him to the
Sephardi Porat Yosef Yeshivah to
home was kodesh, holy.
"Now what is happening is the study. Rabbi Yosef ordained him in
children learn the (Hebrew) lan- 1979.
Rabbi Hadane, now 37, said he
guage fast, the (Israeli) customs
fast. The old people go around like hopes to train young Ethiopians for
they are blind. The children tell the rabbinate to provide the com-
munity with a new generation of
the fathers what to do."
leaders
knowledgeable both in rab-
As chief rabbi of the Ethiopian
community in Israel, Rabbi Hadane binic Judaism and Ethiopian tradi-
sees his main task as working for tions.
Cut off from the mainstream of
the Ethiopians' complete absorption
world
Jewry since Second Temple
into Israeli life, while retaining
their unique culture and times, Ethiopian Judaism de-
enthusiasm for religion.The separa- veloped along its own course. Lack-
tion of families is the main problem ing the Talmud and other innova-
facing the community, he told his tions of rabbinic Judaism, Ethio-
listeners, gathered at the Detroit pian Jews continued to literally fol-
Chapter of the American Jewish low the laws outlined in the To-
Committee's Annual Meeting at rah.In Ethiopia, he explained, "a
Temple Beth El. It is primarily the man who touches a dead body is
young people who have made their considered impure. He is not
way to Israel, leaving the old allowed in his home or to touch an-
people behind. Those remaining in other person." He remains sepa-
Ethiopia ask for help from their rated seven days then goes to the
relatives in Israel, he said, "but river and washes himself and his
those who are in Israel cannot help clOthes. Today, he continued, ac-
them because they are new (in Is- cording to Orthodox rabbinic
Judaism, "a man who touches a
rael).
"We need everybody's help. dead body, after the funeral he goes
You have helped us a lot," he said, Continued on Page 12
Bob McKeown
DAVID HOLZEL
Helen Chorazyczewski, left, and Peter Vlcko were honored as Righteous Gentiles
Sunday at the dedication of the Benard L. Maas Garden of the Righteous at the
Holocaust Memorial Center. Pictured with them is Mrs. Georgina Vlcko.
'Special Games' Are Planned
For Developmentally Disabled
MIKE ROSENBAUM
Special to The Jewish News
The Michigan Jewish Sports Hall
of Fame, in partnership with the
Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit, announced this
week plans for staging "Special
Games," to be held on Aug. 23 at the
Center. Organizers hope that the
event, open to developmentally disabl-
ed Jews, will not only become an an-
nual affair, but could be the precur-
sor to similar games across North
America.
Current plans for the games call
for a full day of activities. The open-
ing ceremonies will be at 11 a.m. at
the Center's Stuart Sachse Field.
ROUND UP
Ads Charge
'Moral Treason'
A New York-based group call-
ing itself the American Coun-
cil for Judaism is running
advertisements in some- ten
Anglo-Jewish weeklies charg-
ing the Pollards with moral
treason.
Labeled an "open letter to
those who are defending, help-
ing, or raising money for the
Pollards," the ad goes on to say
that the actions of Jonathan
and Anne Pollard — sentenced
to prison for selling secrets to
Israel — "make it easy for
others to raise the question of
where American-Jewish sen-
timents really lie."
It requests contributions to
pay for further advertisements.
Reached by phone, Marcia
Friedman, the council's ex-
ecutive director, told The
Jewish News that the ads were
part of "a campaign that's been
a long time in coming."
Friedman said that the coun-
cil has "several thousand
members" and is a national
"educational organization" that
does research and publishing
within the U.S. Jewish com-
munity.
.
than they expected Sunday
when their vessel encountered
the royal yacht of Jordan, with
King Hussein perched high on
the flying bridge.
They waved and shouted, and
their tour guide, Meir Zamzlig,
called out an invitation for the
king to visit Israel. Hussein
waved back and replied, "I'll do
it one day, God willing."
Jewish Cadets
Hands Across •
The Water
Tel Aviv (JTA) — Israeli
sightseers on a daylight cruise
on the Gulf of Eilat saw more
New York — Twenty-five
Jewish cadets — 23 men and
two women — graduated this
month from three U.S. serv-
ice academies and were com-
missioned as officers.
Events will continue all day, and will
include a softball and a tennis ball
throw, kick ball kick, basketball
shooting, swimming, kickball,
volleyball and various track and field
events. The closing ceremony will be
in the evening, followed by a dinner-
dance for all participants at Shifman
Hall.
Organizers say they expect 75-80
local participants, and hope for 25-30
more from other areas, such as Flint,
Toronto or New York. The athletes
will range in age from 15 to 78.
Jim Grossman, director of the
Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame,
explained that the primary goal of the
games is to take a group of people,
Continued on Page 12
THE JEWISH NEWS
CONTENTS
84 Amazing Marketplace
82 Births
43 Endowing Our Future
73 Engagements
55 Entertainment
107 Obituaries
79 Single Life
35 Torah Portion
Candlelighting 8:46 P.M.
5