Ex-North American Olim Reaching Out To Soviets RICHARD RUBIN Special to The Jewish News I Ceramics. First used more than 10,000 years ago. Now more popular than ever, especially for high-tech applications. Zircone-Y, one of the most remarkable of the ceramics, has been superheated and fused to form the scratchproof case and bracelet links of these Rade Anatoms. Giving you a watch of extraordinary durability and comfort. The perfect RAD° blend of past and future. Available for men and women. Switzerland 32940 Middlebelt Rd. 855-1730 (At 14 Mile Rd., in the Broadway Plaza) HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 10-6 Thurs. 10-8, Sat. 10-5 JEWELERS Custom Designed Jewelry to Your Taste FREE SPRINKLER SYSTEM ESTIMATES Oriental Rugs Today's Pleasure Tomorrow's Treasure 251 Merrill Birmingham (313) 644.7311 2915 Breton Grand Rapids (141111-1122-81MS) CALL 1-800-544-9219 Barry's Let's Rent It PARTIES EXCLUSIVELY "Over 50 Years Experience" • Tents • Tables • Chairs • China • Paper Goods Southfield Ann Arbor Madison Heights 22159 Telegraph Road 358-2994 2461 S. Industrial Hwy. 668.1070 31691 Dequindre 588.2993 28 FRIDAY, JUNE 29, '1990 4393 ORCHARD LAKE RD., N. OF LONE PINE IN CROSSWINDS 855.0480 t takes one to know one, they say, so it makes sense for former olim to use their past experiences to help recently arrived Soviet Jews adjust to their new sur- roundings. "We're trying to address every piece of anxiety they encounter," said Yoav Peck, executive director of the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel. Formed in 1951, AACI has 19,000 adult members, plus another 20,000 family mem- bers. There are 65,000 North Americans in Israel. While AACI members are offering to share their own experiences and knowledge, they are cautious not to dominate the settlement of the new arrivals, said Peck, who is also chairman of the steering committee of the Council of Olim Organiza- tions in Israel. "We know there are aspects of Russian culture we know nothing about," said Peck, who was here re- cently to gather support for the organization's efforts. "We only want to offer our experience and expertise." With most Soviet arrivals not ideologically motivated to come to Israel, Peck warns against not effectively ab- sorbing them into the coun- try. "They'll go somewhere else," Peck said, adding it is too early to tell whether the absorption has so far been successful. "I hope what we'll have is thousands and thousands of satisfied new Israelis," he said. Most North American aliyot took place in the eu- phoria immediately follow- ing Israel's 1967 victory in the Six-Day War. The cur- rent Soviet aliyah should be seen as an example by Jews still in the United States and Canada, said Peck, a native New Yorker who im- migrated to Israel in 1973. "It's a graphic demonstra- tion of what we've been say- ing to our fellow North American Jews. In Israel you don't read about history, you make history." AACI is working with former Prisoner of Zion Natan Sharansky in helping to coordinate the dozen or so Soviet Jewish organizations in Israel and to cultivate better understanding bet- ween the new arrivals and resident, mostly Sephardic, Israelis. Peck said he understands the resentment felt by many Sephardic Jews in Israel over the housing, economic and social benefits being ex- tended to recent Soviet ar- rivals. But the resentment is misdirected, Peck said. "Many of them were humiliated by Ashkenazi Jews when they came here in the 1950s and 1960s. Now, 30 years later, they see a new wave of Ashkenazim coming in and the entire country is going wild for them. "It's salt in their wounds, but the wounds were not created by the Russians," he said. Both native Israelis and Soviet immigrants can learn "It's salt in their wounds, but the wounds were not created by the Russians." Yoav Peck from the North American Jewish organization's use of volunteers, Peck said. "If Israel is going to face the crunch of shrinking resources effectively, we're going to have to muster thousands and thousands of volunteers," he said. With the arrival of thousands of Soviet immi- grants, Peck said, there has never been a greater poten- tial for unleashing volunteer resources. "Every morning there's a new phenomenon," Peck said, citing the pre-Passover phonathon in which 17,000 Soviet olim were invited in 12 hours to sedarim by Israeli families. Israelis from North America are also taking an active role in the grass-roots effort to enact election reform in the country. AACI recently delivered 40,000 letters from North Americans to the Knesset demanding election reform in Israel. "There's no such thing as accountability in the Israeli electoral system," Peck said. "There's not even a Hebrew word for it." ❑ Jewish Telegraphic Agency