I OPINION I

Why Go To Israel

Continued from Page 7

'lb visit Israel is a mitzvah
incumbent on all of us. lb
visit Israel is a source of ex-
citement and of joy. Being
there refreshes your soul.
Go back to Israel? I could
not imagine not going back.
One of the teenagers who was
with us on the trip kept a
diary. Her diary began with
the words "I cannot imagine
why I am going here. It will
probably be dangerous and
scary. I hope things work out
all right." After travelling in
the country and getting to
know the land and its people,
her diary concludes, "I came
here with a lot of fear. I was
worried. Now that I am leav-
ing I can't wait to come back.
I have seen how wonderful
life is here. I want to visit
again soon."
Those words speak for me,
too. They speak for all of us
who went on our trip. And I
hope that they speak to all
American. Jews.
As we think of Israel, it is
not unlikely that our first im-
ages are of fear and danger.

But the knowledge that life in
Israel proceeds tranquil and
secure should encourage all of
us to go there and be part of
the experience of the land.
It is not enough to support
Israel from afar. We are call-
ed on as well to cast in our lot
with Israel. For us, there can
be no greater Jewish joy than
spending time in Israel.
If you are now making your
plans for the coming year,
perhaps for next summer, I
urge you — don't be frighten-
ed about visiting Israel. Look
for every chance you have to
go and make yourself part of
the fulfillment of the dream
we share.
lb have been in Israel and
come home, to dream of retur-
ning to Israel, is to find
special personal meaning in
the words of Psalm 122:
"Pray for the peace of
Jerusalem
"May all who love her know
peace —
"And for the sake of my kin
and my friends
"I pray for your well-being'

I NEWS I

U.S. Jews May OK
Limits On Emigration

New York (JTA) — A
reported plan by the State
and Justice departments to
radically limit the number of
Soviet Jews immigrating to
the United States as refugees
may be receiving tacit sup-
port in some Jewish organiza-
tional circles.
The plans for such limita-
tions were outlined in a
report last week the New York
Times. Citing confidential
State Department
Times
documents, the
reported that plans are
underway to grant refugee
status only to Soviet Jews
with immediate family in the
United States, who make up
only an estimated 35 percent
of applicants.
The report did not surprise
the national leadership of ma-
jor Jewish organizations,
some of whom had already
discussed the issue with the
officials formulating such
plans. -
"The handwriting has been
on the wall for a number of
months," said David Harris,
Washington representative
for the American Jewish
Committee.
He said that while Jewish
groups continue to advocate a
generous approach to the
refugee situation, they are
recognizing that, because of
the "sheer numbers" of Jews
being permitted to leave the
Soviet Union, limitations on

the numbers that can come to
the United States are
inevitable.
Harris said that the Bush
administration is hoping to
reach an accord with the
Jewish community on the
issue, and win its approval for
the new policy. Such a
strategy would prevent a bat-
tle with Congress, which is
responsive to the Jewish com-
munity, and has in the past
been extremely supportive of
the Soviet Jewry movement.
"The administration would
like to turn to congressional
leaders and say, 'We've reach-
ed an understanding with the
leadership of American
Jewish organizations; " Har-
ris said.
He called the negotiation of
such an understanding
"delicate but possible?'
The possibility for such an-
accord lies in the common
concern on the part of the
federal government and the
Jewish community over the
costs of settling the emigres
in the United States.
"The majority of federa-
tions will not fight the
government on this because
of their own financial pro-
blems," said Ben Zion
Leuchter, president of the
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Socie-
ty, which assists Soviet Jews
in immigrating to the United
States.

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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 11