CONTENTS
I OPINION
24
CLOSE-UP
Council Crossroads
DAVID HOLZEL
The Jewish Community Council
is studying its past and future
for its next fifty years.
40
BOOK FAIR
Reading Revelry
MONA GRIGG
The committee, the authors,
the public: All are ready
for the 36th Jewish book fair.
55
Bob Mc Keown
ISRAEL
The Public Debate Over Israel
Should Stay Within The Family
JULIUS BERMAN
ince the end of World War II Amer-
can Jews have been particularly
outspoken about the safety and
security of Jews abroad — in part out of an
effort to make sure that never again will
the world be silent in the face of Jewish suf-
fering. The U.S. Jewish community has
marched for Soviet Jewry, protested the in-
human treatment of Jews in Syria, de-
nounced anti-Semitism in Argentina and
condemned terrorist attacks against Jews
enjoying a holiday on a cruise ship in the
Mediterranean or worshipping at Sabbath
services in Istanbul.
There has been one exception to the
practice of expressing our opinions on life-
or-death issues affecting our fellow-Jews
abroad. That exception has been the
foreign policy of the State of Israel — more
particularly, the decisions of the Israeli
government having to do with the safety
of the people and the security of the nation.
The strongly-held consensus has been that
positions on such matters ought to be
adopted by the Israelis themselves, for they
are on the firing line and they and their
children might well have to pay for these
decisions with their blood.
To be sure, American Jews have not
withheld their advice. The Conference of
Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations was formed in part to ar-
ticulate the consensus of American Jews on
such issues. Representing as it does the opi-
nion of some 45 national Jewish organiza-
tions, the Presidents' Conference has not
hesitated to advise, inform and even argue
with the government of Israel on matters
of every kind. Our opinions, when express-
ed through the normal channels that have
been established between the leaders of
S
Julius Berman of New York is a former chairman of
the Conference of Presidents of Major American
Jewish Organizations.
Israel and the spokesmen for the American
Jewish community, have been listened to
with respect and interest; sometimes our
advice is taken, sometimes not.
But the dialogue has been an internal
one. If we had opinions — and there is no
shortage of them among American Jews —
we did not broadcast them, nor take adver-
tisements in the major American media to
bring them to public attention. We did not
seek to influence the government of Israel
through the pages of the New York Times,
for the result if not the intent of such ac-
tions is to influence Washington, not
Jerusalem.
Two recent events, however, indicate
that the traditional deference we have paid
to the Israelis whose lives are on the line
may be ending. In late September the
American Jewish Congress, in a well-
publicized statement, announced that it en-
dorsed the international peace conference
proposed by King Hussein and endorsed by
Foreign Minister Peres (and rejected by
Prime Minister Shamir). A week later,
Foreign Minister Peres himself, in a speech
to the Conference of Presidents, urged the
organized Jewish community to give voice
to its views with respect to his dispute with
the Prime Minister on the peace
conference.
I believe these two developments mark
an alarming retreat from sound policy.
Although continued wooden obseisance to
an old policy merely because it is in place
is not necessarily wise; there are a number
of reasons why the traditional practice of
not getting involved in Israeli security mat-
ters is a sound one and should not be
abandoned.
One reason is that long experience has
taught us support for Israel in Congress
and the White House results in no small
measure from the perception of a united,
organized Jewish community standing as
one behind the policies of the Israeli
Continued on Page 10
Why Israel
Doesn't Listen
HELEN DAVIS
Public relations aside, recent events
indicate Israelis do not care about
American Jewry's opinions.
69
ENTERTAINMENT
Fairly Artsy
HEIDI PRESS
Transplanted Michiganian Audree
Levy is final judge and jury for this
weekend's Ann Arbor Winter Art Fair.
81
FAMILY LIFE
Naturefest
A photographic
portrait
of a fine
fall day.
Audrey Kleiman
103
SINGLE LIFE
Use And Abuse
MIKE ROSENBAUM
The experts find a higher rate
of addiction among singles
than with married counterparts.
DEPARTMENTS
30
34
58
64
66
69
90
Inside Washington
Synagogues
For Women
Youth
Business
Entertainment
B'nai B'rith
92
94
99
101
102
103
134
Seniors
Engagements
Births
On Campus
B'nai Mitzvah
Single Life
Obituaries
CANDLELIGHTING
November 6, 1987 5:02 p.m.
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