NEWS
TIFFANY & CO.
3 Issues Dominate
Agency Assembly
DAVID HOLZEL
Israel Correspondent
erusalem — It was, in
the words of one parti-
cipant, a tachlis
Assembly. "There was a great
deal of very healthy participa-
tion," said another, Max
Fisher.
Three
main
issues
dominated this week's Jewish
Agency Assembly: Jewish
education, relations between
the Agency and the World
Zionist Organization, and the
hottest topic, aliyah and
klitah (immigration and
absorption).
"The main thrust without
any question relates to the
Russian immigration oppor-
tunity,"said Jewish Welfare
Federation President Dr. Con-
rad Giles. "Our concern is the
inability of the Israeli govern-
ment to properly absorb the
thousands who have come
and the thousands still to
come. It is an economic strain
not only on Israel but on Jews
of the Diaspora."
"There's been a lot of
frustration and anxiety with
the current absorption pro-
cess," said Detroiter Mandell
Berman, president of the
Council of Jewish Federations
and a member of the Agency
board of governors. "In my
opinion, the Israeli govern-
ment has accepted klitah as
a high priority and is
prepared to act in concert
with the Jewish Agency and
the Diaspora communities
who will have to do their
share in funding."
The evolving relationship
between the World Zionist
Organization and the federa-
tion/fund-raising establish-
ment is undergoing continual
scrutiny, according to Giles.
The relationship is getting
stronger, said Jane Sherman.
"I don't believe there should
be a split between the WZO
and the Agency as some are
suggesting," she said. "The
Zionist organizations have a
lot to add. They built this
country. But they have to
come around to dealing with
the 21st century. There's a
greater understanding in my
generation."
One example of coordina-
tion between the Agency and
the WZO is the Jewish
Education Commission, ac-
cording to Sherman. The corn-
mission would end the
overlapping of educational
services provided by the two
organizations. "Regretfully,
there's been no agreement
yet," she said. "Everyone
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agrees that there has to be
one authority, but no one
wants to give up their little
fiefdoms."
The lack of swift progress is
due to differing political
cultures, Berman said. "The
WZO wants to educate for
aliyah. The Agency also
wants to improve the quality
of Jewish identity, to make
Jews feel better about
themselves?'
Sherman, in addition to be-
ing a member of the Agency
board of governors, is chair-
Education, turf
battles and
immigration are
the main thrust.
man of the Assembly's Youth
Aliyah committee. She said
Youth Aliyah, which educates
youth from distressed coun-
tries who have come to Israel
without their parents and
assists Israeli youth from
disadvantaged families, is
helping fewer kids today
because of budget cuts. Once,
Youth Aliyah involved 20,000
children in its residential and
day-care education programs,
Sherman said. lbday, only
12,300 students are being
served "At a time when the
Israeli educational system is
having problems."
The solution is a greater
percentage of funds raised in
the Diaspora being sent to
Israel, she said. "People
aren't aware that the pro-
blems here are as severe as
they are in Detroit, if now
more severe. We're dealing
with the very fabric of the
society," Sherman said.
Sherman also discussed the
proposed mortgage fund for
Detroit olim. Such a fund,
already adopted by several
U.S. communities, is con-
sidered by olim organizations
as one of the best ways of
helping immigrants stay in
Israel. The concept has been
approved by the Federation's
Israel and overseas commit-
tee. "Now we have to go to the
Federation and request funds
from United Jewish
Charities."
The committee is waiting
until it can present a number
of proposals, she said. "The
mortgage fund is very impor-
tant if we want to encourage
olim. At the moment, it's
more important to support
the high school in Israel pro-
gram and people who want to
come over on scholarships."
Detroiter Sidney Silver-
man, associate chairman of