WHATEVER THE OTHER DEALERS CHARGE ... MEL PARR WILL SELL POP LESS! "THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS!" Jewish groups may have played a major role in last week's stunning rejection of the nomination of Judge Kenneth Ryskamp to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Florida. A critical turning point came several days earlier, when Sen. Bob Graham (D- Fla.) indicated that he would not support the nomination. Jewish groups which had opposed the nomination be- cause of Judge Ryskamp's civil rights record, and his longstanding membership in a country club that re- portedly discriminated against Jews and blacks, had made Mr. Graham a special focus of their anti- Ryskamp lobbying. Several Jewish organiza- tions testified in opposition to the nomination during re- cent hearings of the Judiciary Committee. But it was the grass-roots effort by a broad coalition of groups, along with Mr. Ryskamp's own damaging testimony, that turned the tide in the Judiciary Committee. And Jewish groups played a significant role in that coali- tion. Baltimorean Helps Push Against 'Peyote' Ruling When the -Religious Freedom Restoration Act is introduced in Congress, the legislation will be backed up by a classic grass-roots cam- paign in Jewish com- munities around the coun- try. In Baltimore, Aron Raskas, a member of the Law and Legislation Com- mission of the Union of Or- thodox Jewish Congrega- tions, has been leading the charge for the bill, which seeks to overturn a Supreme Court decision in the so- called "peyote" case. "I don't think people rec- ognize the implications of this decision," Mr. Raskas said. "If people really understood the implications of this decision, they would make a massive effort to make sure the Religious Freedom Restoration Act is passed. This decision is just the thin end of a wedge that's capable of proscribing a variety of religious prac- tices." Activists in Baltimore and most other cities are meeting with newspaper editorial boards, community leaders and members of Congress in an effort to give the measure a good start in Congress. Mr. Raskas is also part of a group planning a May 13 program in Baltimore to line the community up behind the bill. Tax Tsores Afflicts Jewish Organizations Few things in life are as complicated or as unplea- sant as the U.S. tax code — a fact that can have very real consequences for Jewish organizations. A provision in the tax reform act of 1986 ruled that gifts of appreciated property — everything from stocks and bonds to jewelry and ex- pensive art — are no longer fully deductible. This had an obvious im- pact on art galleries, but it also hurt Jewish organiza- tions, which depend on big donations for their survival — including the occasional Chagal. Last year, Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.) slipped language into the budget reconciliation pro- cess that restored full deduc- tibility for some things — like works of art. The result was a very good year for a number of museums around the country, as well as some Jewish organizations. But now, groups like the Council of Jewish Federa- tions are supporting a bill by Rep. Thomas Downey (D-N.Y.) that would make gifts of appreciated property — including stocks, bonds and real estate, as well as art and jewelry — fully deductible, without restor- ing the gigantic tax loopholes of the pre-1986 tax code. ❑ WE'RE #1 Y- cA2) L IN NEW CAR SALES OUR BUSINESS IS t UP 50% OVER LAST YEAR! FORD 24750 Greenfield Rd. Oak Park, MI 48237 GREE NFIELD Jewish Groups Helped Defeat Judge Ryskamp 0 4. Mel Farr Ford OAK PARK 967,3700 MEL FARR FORD MIKE SCHNEIDER DENNIS GOULD 10 MILE RD. All new design! NEW '92 CROWN VICTORIA . BUY $18,266 LEASE $430/mo. Stk. #120663 48 mos. S450 sec. dep. NEW '91 TAURUS BUY $11 , 870 LEASE $ 277.30/mo. Stk. #1535 36 mos. S300 sec. dep Mel Farr Toyota 333,3300 TOYOTA 1951 S. Telegraph Rd. Bloomfield Hills, MI 48013 JAY PUZIO OUR BUSINESS IS T UP 38%! NEW '91 CELICA ST BUY $11,990 15 at similar savings LEASE $ 210/mo. Stk. #1649 60 mos. S225 sec. dep. , :::: : ff;;ii •• - • ••• • NEW '91 CAMRY "DELUXE" ......... Buy$11,539 similar savings LEASE $167/mo. Stk. #1565 60 mo. S175 sec. dep. MEL FARR MERCURYILINCOLN LI NCOLN 4178 Highland Road (M.59 near Pontiac Lake Road) WATERFORD OUR BUSINESS IS T UP 35%! . . ..... . , . .. Mel Farr Lincoln Mercury WATERFORD MERCURY • 683,9500 M.59 LOU GORDON OR RON KLARIN All new design! e ••••- . • NEW '92 GRAND MARQUIS BUY $ 18,342 LEASE $422.51/mo. Stk. #20016 36 mos. S450 sec. dep. "Executive Series" NEW '91 CONTINENTAL sir BUY $ 26,094 Stk. #0810 36 mos. S525 sec. dep. LEASE $493.35/mo. All vehicles plus tax, Title, Lic. & Destination. All leases 15,000 mile/yr. limit. CLOSED END LEASE. 11' PER MILE EXCESS. TO GET TOTAL AMT. OF PYMTS. MULTIPLY PYMT. BY # MONTHS. WITH APPROVED CREDIT. PRIOR SALES EXCLUDED SALE ENDS 6 PM FRIDAY APRIL 26, 1991. PHOTOS MAY NOT REPRESENT ACTUAL VEHICLES ON SALE AT ADVERTISED PRICES. FORD MOTOR CO. ranked Mel Farr Ford #1 during 2nd half of 1990. All prices subject to change based on company incentive plans. THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 35