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. mr-rrnewr illVilt11 I tn.