THE JEWISH NEWS

THIS ISSUE 60(P

SERVING DETROIT'S JEWISH COMMUNITY

'89 Campaign Opens
With $19 Million

ALAN HITSKY

Associate Editor

Calling the record total and the
record crowd a victory for Jewish uni-
ty, Detroit's Allied Jewish Campaign
leadership announced Monday that
$19,234,000 has been pledged so far
for the 1989 Campaign.
Campaign co-chairman Paul Bor-
man told 800 persons at Temple Beth
El on Monday that the total was an
increase of nearly $1.9 million over
last year. An additional $1.8 million
has been pledged for Detroit's Project
Renewal program in Yavneh.
The 1988 Campaign opened last
fall with $17.7 million and has reach-
ed $25.5 million.
Jewish Welfare Federation
leaders have been worried since the
Israeli elections Nov. 1 that the push
by some Orthodox factions to change
Israel's Law of Return would harm
Campaign contributions from Conser-
vative and Reform Jews. Campaign
co-chairman Jane Sherman told Mon-
day's audience, "We are a people
destined to build, not to destroy.
When we stand together we can turn
deserts into gardens."
The Campaign funds more than
60 Jewish institutions in Detroit, the
United States and Israel, and aids
more than 400,000 needy Jews in 34

countries through the Joint Distribu-
tion Committee.
The opening of the 1989 Cam-
paign was aided by $10 million in
pledges at the annual meeting in
September hosted by Max Fisher and
by last Sunday's Super Sunday
phonathon.
A record $1,083,855 was achieved
on Super Sunday, $150,000 more than
was pledged last January. Super Sun-
day was moved to December to reach
more Detroiters before they leave on
winter vacations. Four hundred
volunteers recorded pledges Sunday
from 3,200 contributors.
The large crowd at Monday's
opening was attributed to guest
speaker Geroge Will, nationally syn-
dicated columnist with a long history
as a staunch friend of Israel.
"Who is a Jew is an easy question
for this gentile," Will said. "The Jews
are the ones having the stones thrown
at them." That opener brought laughs
and acknowledgement from an au-
dience anxious to hear positive
statements about Israel after a year
of criticism linked to the Arab
uprising.
Will compared flaws in Israel's
democratic system to flaws in the
United States, showing that Israel did
not deserve the intense media

DECEMBER 16, 1988 / 8 TEVET 5749

World War One

A Jewish writers' conference
becomes explosive over the Middle East.

Page 42

Continued on Page 30

Local Quake Relief
Contributions Urged

STAFF REPORT

The presidents of the Jewish Com-
munity Council and the Jewish
Welfare Federation have sent letters
to leaders of Detroit's Armenian and
Jewish communities, pledging sup-
port after last week's devastating ear-
thquake in Soviet Armenia.
Paul D. Borman and Dr. Conrad
Giles sent joint letters to Rev. Vahan
lbotikian, Armenian Congregational
Church in Southfield, and to Mrs. Ar-
pinne Shrikian, co-chairman of the
ARS Earthquake Cause at the Arme-
nian Cultural Center in Dearborn.
The letters to Jewish leaders urg-
ed "support to the international relief
effort, and comfort to the many local
Armenian Americans who have been
touched by this tragedy."
They urged contributions be sent
to the American Jewish Joint

Distribution Committee/Armenian
Earthquake Relief, 711 3rd Ave., New
York, N.Y. 10017.
A former Detroiter, Dr. Nicholas
I. Sol, left for Armenia on Monday
with a medical team from Denver,
Colo. Dr. Sol is a podiatrist and ankle
specialist.
Last week, B'nai B'rith Interna-
tional donated a $2,500 check to the
Soviet Embassy in Washington for
Armenian relief.
On Sunday, two Israeli cargo
planes carrying 50 Israel Defense
Force, Hadassah Hospital and Magen
David Adorn medical specialists and
tons of relief supplies were turned
away from Armenia because of over-
crowded airspace. Two relief planes,
one Soviet and one Yugoslavian,
crashed last weekend trying to land
in Soviet Armenia. The Israelis flew
back to Armenia on Monday.

krafat failed to meet U.S. an sraeli
conditions, but his Geneva speech
had a goal of division.