I OPINION
I
CONTENTS
A Proposal To Attract
Soviet Jews To Israel
Jews who do not meet Israeli
job requirements. Many
Soviet Jews who want to work
he U.S. government
in
skilled professions will not
has imposed certain
be able to practice in Israel
limitations on the
without retraining. Programs
number of Soviet Jews that
must be set up immediately
will be able to enter the coun-
to help immigrants meet the
try as refugees. These new
job requirements of their
regulations should motivate
Israeli employers.
those Soviet Jews who cannot
• Soviet Jews must be train-
obtain U.S. visas to opt for
ed
and offered job previously
Israel. This they will do —
held by Palestinians and il-
provided they have positive
legal foreign workers
feeling about their future in
employed in Israel. The
Israel.
strikes called by the Palesti-
Having spent five days in
nians on the West Bank and
Ladispoli, Italy, attempting to
Gaza, as well as the restric-
persuade many Soviet Jews to
tions imposed by the Israeli
take jobs with Israeli high-
government ; have substan-
tech companies, I learned at
tially reduced the number of
first-hand their objections to
Palestinians
formerly
resettling in Israel. Their
employed in Israel. Many of
primary concerns are getting
these jobs can be performed
a good job . and finding ade-
by Soviet Jews with minimal
quate housing.
retraining.
Their concerns can be met,
Some 10,000 Polish,
I believe, through the joint ef-
Filipino
and Portuguese
forts of Israelis and Diaspora
workers are illegally
employed in Israel. If they are
Soviet Jews must
sent home, many of the jobs
they vacate can be filled by
be offered jobs
Soviet Jews.
previously held by
• Low-rent, subsidized
Palestinians and
housing must be made
illegal foreign
available immediately to
Soviet Jews who emigrate to
workers in Israel.
Israel. Soviet Jews are willing
to accept modest apartments
Jews. Tb interest Soviet Jews
— their accommodations in
in deciding on Israel as their
Russia are hardly luxurious
future home, solutions are
— provided they are located
needed:
close to their place of employ-
• Good paying jobs — with
ment. The Israeli government
opportunity for advancement
must stop building apart-
— must be made available. to
ments where there are no jobs
Soviet Jews as soon as possi-
simply to populate the area.
ble after their arrival in
Good jobs and adjacent hous-
Israel. Soviet Jews are con-
ing go hand-in-hand.
cerned that they will not be
• American companies
able to get jobs when they
should be encouraged to build
resettle in Israel because of
rental housing units in Israel
the country's high (10 per-
to accommodate Soviet Jews.
cent) unemployment rate.
There is an urgent need for
They need assurance that
many additional apartments
they will be able to find work
for rental at low cost, with op-
in their chosen fields, with op-
tions to buy under favorable
portunities to advance into
mortgage terms.
higher positions.
• A loan fund should be
Half of the adults who will
established in Israel for
arrive from the Soviet Union
Soviet Jews wishing to open
will be academicians. The
their own businesses. This
Committee for Economic
will provide much-needed ad-
Growth of Israel has
ditional employment, not on-
established a pilot program in
ly for Soviet Jews, but also for
Ladispoli matching skilled
Israelis completing their
Soviet Jews with job openings
military service.
in high-tech companies in
• Israeli policies that re-
Israel. If this experiment
quire Soviet Jews to go into
proves successful, the pro-
an ulpan upon arrival in
gram will be expanded.
Israel should be revised.
• Retraining facilities must
Many Soviet Jews are hesi-
be provided for those Soviet
tant about making aliyah
because of negative impres-
sions about Ulpan re-
Elmer Winter of Milwaukee is
quiremens and the need to
chairman of the Committee
live in absorption centers and
for the Economic Growth of
Continued on Page 10
CLOSE-UP
24
The Dalai Lama
Discovers Judaism
ELMER L. WINTER
T
ARTHUR J. MAGIDA
The Tibetan leader and Jewish
clergy each learn something.
BACKGROUND
Breaking Anne Pollard
40
RUTH MASON
58
Jonathan Pollard's wife
accuses Federal prison officials.
SYNAGOGUES
The Traditionalists
46
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
A few Detroit Conservative rabbis
have joined a new movement.
HOLIDAY
58
Sukkot Puzzle
HUGH ORGEL
How do you build a sukka
in an Israeli apartment?
ENTERTAINMENT
Something's Coming
67
STEVEN HARTZ
Nancy Gurwin sees 'West Side
Story' as something special.
LIFESTYLES
67
82
Medical Dean
CARLA JEAN SCHWARTZ
Robert Sokol has a full schedule
at Wayne State's School of Medicine.
SINGLE LIFE
Break Dancing
93
RICHARD PEARL
Nourishing nibbles and fast
dancing broke the fast.
DEPARTMENTS
32
34
45
52
58
64
Inside Washington
Insight
Community
Sports
Holiday
Cooking
78
80
84
86
88
130
Fine Arts
Teens, Business
Engagements
For Seniors
Births
Obituaries
CANDLELIGHTING
93
Friday, October 20, 1989
6:26 p.m.
Simhat Torah ends Sunday, Oct. 22 7:24 p.m.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
7