NEWS I BRUCE M. WEISS Jewelers in Southfield is... Club Reverses Itself, Invites H & R Bloch Chief GOING OUT OF BUSINESS 1 MILLION DOLLARS OF MERCHANDISE MUST BE SOLD BY DECEMBER 31 ST. DIAMOND PEARLS DIAMOND GUFF 50:AT OIF 517FFF RINGS • Diamond Rings • Pearls • Ruby & Sapphire Rings • Diamond Earrings GOLD FILLED & • Wedding Bands & Rings STERLING • Diamond Pendants JEWELRY • Gold Necklaces et al 00 $ I • Gold Bracelets & Much More... From ALL FURNITURE & FIXTURES TO BE SOLD DEALERS WELCOM GENTS LADIES SAVE IN ALL CATEGORIES WATCHES UP TO VISA CHAINS 50%0FF 06EFF 26325 W. 12 Mile 353-1424 L. GOLD Hours: Mon. thru Sat. 10 am to 7:30 pm Sunday Noon to 5 pm SALE IN PROGRESS OUR VAULTS ARE BEING EMPTIED G.O.B. License No. 5 MasterCard PERFECT TIMING! Anderson Clock Works 32581 Northwestern Highway, Farmington Hills, MI 48018 (313) 737-7122 114 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1990 Sales and Service RUTH BAUM BIGUS Special to The Jewish News L eaders in Kansas City's Jewish commun- ity are generally pleas- ed that the board of directors of the Kansas City Country Club has issued a member- ship invitation to Henry Bloch. Mr. Bloch, who is co- founder, chairman and chief executive of H & R Bloch, the nationwide tax prepara- tion firm, has indicated he will join the club, becoming the first Jewish member of the nearly 100-year-old ex- clusive organization. A member of Kansas City's New Reform Temple, Mr. Bloch withdrew his membership application to the prestigious club upon learning it would not be ap- proved. Following Mr. Bloch's move, championship golfer Tom Watson resigned from the club in protest. Mr. Wat- son is not Jewish, but his wife and two children are. The incident involving Mr. Bloch put pressure on the club, both locally and na- tionally, for its discrimina- tory overtones. Eight days after the story broke in the media, the Kan- sas City Country Club's board extended an invitation to Mr. Bloch. "I'm pleased with the out- come because we have a lot of good friends over there," Mr. Bloch told the Chronicle. He declined to comment fur- ther on the matter. "It's the right beginning," said Mr. Watson in a prepared statement released through his agent's office. "I'm hopeful this will lead to more significant change." A spokesman for Mr. Wat- son said the golfer's mem- bership status had not changed since the board's action. The invitation to Mr. Bloch was welcome news for the Anti- Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, which last week was quick to condemn the KCCC for dis- criminatory membership policies. "I think this is a much wiser policy, but I would hope this is not a single ex- ception but the beginning of a policy that would remove Ruth Baum Bigus is manag- ing editor of the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle. discrimination in club mem- bership policies," said Abra- ham Foxman, the national director of the ADL. "While many Americans would like to believe that discrimination in this nation is a thing of the past, Henry Bloch's recent experience with the Kansas City Coun- try Club is yet another unpleasant reminder that this unfortunate phenom- enon is still with us," said Mr. Foxman in a letter to Mr. Watson. "We just wanted to let you know that for those of us in the trenches, your principled stance has been a source of inspiration," Mr. Foxman added. Initially, Mr. Foxman had sent a letter to the club's president, L. Chandler Smith, criticizing it for dis- criminatory membership. "In recent days your club has attracted some media at- The incident involving Mr. Bloch put pressure on the club, both locally and nationally, for its discriminatory overtones. Eight days after the story broke in the media, the Kansas City Country Club's board extended an invitation. tention you probably find unwelcome," the letter said. "We hope that in spite of this attention, or perhaps because of it, you will seri- ously reflect upon and con- sider changing the club poli- cies which prompted one of America's leading golfers, Tom Watson, to be publicly critical. "A closer examination of your club's practices may reveal that they are not only ill-advised, but also may be illegal," ADL's national di- rector said. Mr. Foxman said efforts to make changes in such dis- criminatory policies in Kan- sas City clubs would have to be made at the local level. "Some places where the Jewish community doesn't see it as a priority or doesn't want to raise the battle cry, it remains. Sometimes it takes a Mr. Watson," he said. 0