SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
SERVING DETROIT'S JEWISH COMMUNITY
APRIL 26, 1991 / 12 IYAR 5751
Oakland County Denies
JWV Convention Grant
AMY J. MEHLER
Staff Writer
T
International maps and atlases
show little congruity when
portraying the Middle East.
he Jewish War Veter-
ans of Michigan were
denied a $5,000 grant
last week for their 50th an-
niversary state convention.
The Oakland County
Board of Commissioners de-
nied the JWV request, even
though they awarded the
same grant last year to the
Military Order of Purple
Heart.
The request failed in com-
mittee on a 7-2 vote. Only
Commissioners Lawrence R.
Pernick, (D-Southfield), and
Hubert Price, (D-Pontiac),
voted for it.
The request this year to
Oakland County was a first
for the JWV, said Irving
Keller, their national service
officer. "We weren't even
aware that such grants were
possible until last year,"
said Mr. Keller, a veteran of
World War II. "But when we
found out the Purple Heart
veterans received a $5,000
grant for their convention,
we filled out the necessary
paperwork and applied for
the same grant."
The Jewish War Veterans,
who number 1,500 in Mich-
igan, acted under a 1939
state law that stipulates if
federally chartered veterans
organizations hold state or
national conventions in
Michigan, the city or county
in which the convention is
held is allowed to provide
public money for its support.
The Jewish War Veterans
is one of 12 federally
chartered veterans groups in
Michigan.
Mr. Pernick said a state
veterans convention held in
Oakland County may apply
for up to $5,000, and a na-
tional veterans convention
in Oakland County may app-
ly for up to $25,000.
"I was surprised and
shocked that the board
didn't support it," Mr. Per-
nick said. "What we do for
one group, we should do for
others —across the board."
Mr. Pernick said that at
the same meeting last week,
the commissioners voted to
increase by 25 percent the
fees of defense attorneys who
defend indigent clients.
"This alone will cost the
county $500,000," he said.
Ely J. Katz, state corn-
mander for the Jewish War
Veterans, said the denial of
funds is forcing cancellation
of a special luncheon pro-
gram to which they planned
to invite other state com-
manders and city and state
officials.
"The Michigan Day Lun-
cheon is a special event, and
one we haven't been able to
hold in almost 10 years,"
Mr. Katz said. "We were
hoping this year, for our spe-
cial anniversary, we could
get the extra funding we
needed."
The convention, which
takes place June 21-23, will
be held at the Southfield
Marriott. Mr. Keller said he
hopes to reserve about 100
rooms. Last year, about 400
Continued on Page 18
German - Israel
Ties Called Good
AMY J. MEHLER
Staff Writer
D
r. Niels Hansen, a
former German am-
bassador to Israel,
likes to quote the Jerusalem
Post when he talks about
German-Israeli diplomatic
relations.
On Dec. 18, 1989, the Post,
Israel's only English lang-
uage newspaper, published
the following editorial
statement: "Since 1965,
when it (Germany) entered
into full diplomatic relations
with Israel, West Germany
has become this country's
closest friend after the
United States."
Dr. Hansen, ambassador to
Israel from 1981 to 1985,
told Detroit Jewish commu-
nal leaders last week that
the 1965 restoration of ties
between Germany and Israel
was crucial in helping Ger-
many and Germans confront
the Holocaust. He spoke at
the Birmingham home of the
German consul general in a
visit arranged through the
German Consulate and the
American Jewish Com-
mittee.
"Relations with Israel
didn't develop despite the
past," the 67-year-old native
of Heidelberg, Germany,
said. "We developed rela-
tions with Israel because of
the past.
"It was the first small
element reflecting a change
of mood. It was also the start
of cooperative projects in the
fields of natural science, cul-
ture and even military intel-
ligence."
Dr. Niels Hansen:
Positive signs.
In fact, January 1990
marked 30 years of scientific
cooperation between Israel's
Weizmann Institute and the
Max Planck Society of the
Federal German Republic.
Max Planck, who once work-
ed with Albert Einstein,
tried to defend Jewish scien-
tists against Hilter. When
he failed to do so, the pro-
fessor resigned as president
of the Kaiser Wilhelm Socie-
ty, predecessor of the Max
Planck Society.
Dr. Hansen, who is presi-
dent of the German Associ-
ation of the Friends of the
Weizmann Institute of
Science and has an honorary
doctorate in philosophy from
Tel Aviv University, said re-
lations between Germany
Continued on Page 18