I NEWS I

AFTER 13 YEARS

I

BRASS BED GALLERY

IS

GOING OUT OF BUSINESS

CITY PERMIT #78775

4

SASE IS

NOW

Artwork from Newsday by Gary Viskupic. Copyright a 1989, Newsday. Distributed by Los Angetes Tunes Syndicate.

IN PROGRESS

EVERYTHING MUST BE SOLD

BRASS BEDS • IRON BEDS • DAY BEDS

BRASS BED GALLERY

ON WOODWARD 1/4 N. OF 14 MILE

BIRMINGHAM • 433 3131

-

STORE HOURS: THURS. & FRI. 10-8:30 • SAT. 10-5 • SUN. 12-4

OPEN NEW YEAR'S DAY 11-4

For the area's largest selection of watches.

Full service watch and jewelry repair.

WATCH BANDS

Keeping Detroiters
right on time since 1927

... and now watches too!

HOLIDAY HOURS: Monday thru Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

SOUTHFIELD
(Southfield & 12 Mile)
552-0080

18

MT. CLEMENS
(Canal & Garfield)
263-7700

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1989

Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

FARMINGTON HILLS
(Orchard Lk. & 13 Mile)
851-0440

Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

MADISON HEIGHTS
PONTIAC
(Voorheis & Telegraph) (12 Mile & Dequindre)
541-0808
333-2263

Panamanian Chanukah
Shows Jewish Heroism

SUSAN BIRNBAUM

Special to The Jewish News

C

hanukah has not
been a joyous.time for
the Jews of Panama,
but its very first day was a
time for heroics, in keeping
with the mood of the holiday.
Following the U.S. inva-
sion of Panama on Dec. 21,
the Jews, a majority of
whom are merchants, found
their businesses mercilessly
looted, down to the lighting
fixtures and toilet facilities.
They placed calls of despera-
tion to U.S. Jews.
As dusk approached Fri-
day afternoon, when Jews
should have been preparing
to light menorot, those liv-
ing in the swank
neighborhood of .Punta de
Patilla found themselves
about to be assaulted in
their homes. They quickly
formed their own vigilante
brigade.
An armed Jewish brigade
of about 30 men, keeping
watch, was successful in
turning away assailants and
even, in one case, capturing
armed thugs attached to
ousted military strongman
Manuel Noriega, according
to accounts pieced together

from Jewish sources in New
York who have maintained
close telephone contact with
Jews in Panama.
The two pro-Noriega men,
whom the Jews turned over
to the U.S. troops, were
bodyguards of Noriega's
mistress, said New York
businessman Mitchell
Drimmer, who handles ship-
ping for businesses in Cen-
tral America, a large
number of which are owned
by Jews.
Jews, in fact, own a
substantial share of major
businesses in Panama.
Guesses at how large a share
range from "a conservative
estimate of 70 percent" to
"over 90 percent," according
to three separate descrip-
tions.
The Jews have done well,
and now they are wiped out,
say those familiar with the
community.
Jews living in the high-
rises of Punta de Patilla
knew even before the U.S.
invasion last week that their
neighborhood would be
assaulted, said Drimmer.
Over radio telephones that
business owners there keep
to communicate with each
other, they heard specific
directions between members

