THIS ISSUE 60(P
SERVING DETROIT'S JEWISH COMMUNITY
Arab Dissent Delays
Mich.-Israel Venture
KIMBERLY LIFTON
Staff Writer
Hearings on a bill that would
create the first business exchange bet-
ween Michigan and Israel have been
postponed because of mounting
pressure from the American Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee,
state legislators say.
House committee members said
they will review the bill after the
November election, when they can
spend adequate time on the issue that
has become increasingly controversial
since its introduction last summer.
"It started as a bill to boost
economic development and has
become a fight for foreign policy," said
Economic Development and Energy
OCTOBER 7, 1988 / 26 TISHREI 5749
CLOSE-UP
Committee Chair Rep. Debbie
Stabenow, D-Lansing, a co-sponsor of
the bill. "If we take some time off,
maybe people will calm down and we
can get back to the real issue."
The business exchange, called the
Michigan/Israeli Commercial
Horizon (MICH), aims to solidify a
1987 agreement that formalized ongo-
ing commercial relations between
Michigan and Israel. The agreement
stemmed from efforts by State Com-
merce Director Doug Ross and Israel
Trade Commissioner David Litvak to
encourage joint business ventures.
Hearings slated for last week
before the Economic Development
and Energy Committee were delayed
after supporters received several
Continued on Page 16
Federation Planning
Statewide Outreach
ALAN HITSKY
Associate Editor
Detroit's Jewish Welfare Federa-
tion will offer itself as a central
resource for other Michigan Jewish
communities. JWF President Dr. Con-
rad Giles told the annual meeting of
Federation last week that Detroit
"must be a partner to whatever ex-
tent those communities desire."
Dr. Giles said there is a need for
better communication between
Detroit, the two other Michigan
"federated communities" — Ann Ar-
bor and Flint — the 22 other United
Jewish Appeal campaigns in the state
and the 39 communities that get UJA
mailings.
The goal, Dr. Giles told The
Jewish News this week, is better ser-
vice to Jews in Michigan and a
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stronger, unified voice in Lansing.
"I can't imagine that there will be
any objection to this," Dr. Giles said.
"The only cost will be to us — we're
offering communal resources and
social planning." As an example, he
said if Flint wanted to build com-
munity housing "they could come to
us. They have no experience in this,
and we do."
He also suggested out-state areas
could use Detroit programs such as
the camping facilities of the Fresh Air
Society if they were more aware of
these resources.
Some cooperation is already tak-
ing place in terms of sharing of UJA
campaign speakers, Giles said. In the
effort to expand cooperation, Dr. Giles
plans to meet this month with
the presidents of the Flint and Ann
Continued on Page 18
Eld g• Statesman
0 he eve of a Michigan GOP nd-raiser
featuring President Reagan, honoree Max Fisher
reflects on the major role he has played
as a Republican Jewish advocate
Story on Page 24