UP FRONT
The Arab Boycott
) Is Alive And Well
Massive investments in Israel remain the target of an effective,
worldwide boycott of the Jewish state.
\- NECHEMIA MEYERS
Special to The Jewish News
I
srael — Within a few
months, Israelis will
finally be able to drink
Pepsi-Cola.
Long dissuaded by the
Arab boycott from
marketing its products here,
Pepsi-Cola has now decided,
two decades after arch-rival
Coca-Cola, that it can sur-
vive a possible Arab
backlash.
Toyota recently made a
similar decision, which
would seem to indicate that
the Arab boycott is becoming
less effective. But this is not
so.
Truth be told, the Arabs
are much less concerned
about the sale of consumer
goods to Israel than they are
about investments by giant
overseas companies in Israel
or their supplying her with
vital know-how. And where
those matters are concerned,
the boycott remains ex-
tremely effective.
During 1990, for example,
American companies in-
vested over one billion
dollars in Ireland and nearly
two billion in New Zealand,
two countries smaller in
population than Israel. Yet
investments here were well
under $200 million, largely
because of the Arab boycott.
This is the case even
though the U.S. has a law
prohibiting compliance with
the boycott, one under which
30 firms were convicted last
year. To be sure, they were
only fined, in total, a paltry
$1 million. Yet this contrasts
The Japanese are
the worst of all
because their
government
actually advises
firms how to
observe boycott
rules.
well with the situation in
France, where, despite an
anti- boycott statute that has
been on the books for 14
years, no company has ever
been fined so much as a
franc.
The Japanese are worst of
all because their govern-
ment actually advises firms
how to observe boycott rules
down to the last letter.
While the lack of signifi-
cant foreign investments is
certainly to be regretted, Dr.
Tullio Sonnino, a leading
Israeli technical and econ-
omic consultant, believes
that this is not the most se-
rious consequence of Israel's
economic isolation. Far
graver, he says, is the fact
that this country is
prevented from developing
highly profitable service
enterprises for which it is
uniquely suited.
Dr. Sonnino offers a few
examples:
• Israel's surfeit of good
doctors mean that it could
provide Swiss-level medical
care at a fraction of Swiss
prices;
• Israel's polyglot popula-
tion qualifies it to be a world
translation center;
• Israel's accumulated
store of know-how and its
strategic location, at the
crossroads of Africa, Asia
and Europe, make it an ideal
location for carrying out ship
and plane repairs;
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• Israel's mild winters and
varied geography enable it
to become a training center
for overseas sportsmen.
Where manufacturing is
concerned, Dr. Sonnino
declares, Israel should ideal-
ly concentrate on making
key, high-value components
of a product rather than an
entire product — be it an
automobile, a bulldozer or a
computer. But here again
the political situation
creates almost insurmoun-
table obstacles.
Major companies will only
order components from an
outside supplier, Dr. Son-
nino explains, if they can be
absolutely sure that delivery
dates will be honored: a sin-
gle missing component
means a paralyzed produc-
tion line. And so long as
Israel is perceived as a
potential trouble spot, com-
panies are loath to rely on it
as a supplier.
Washington Hosts
Senior Seminars
and women age 55 and older.
Participants will meet with
government officials in-
cluding members of Con-
gress, lobbyists and public
interest groups. The sessions
will focus on current issues
like social justice, hunger
and homelessness, economic
justice, refugees and sanc-
tuary, and Israel-American
relations.
Dr. Sonnino appreciates
the efforts made by Ameri-
can Jews to fight the Arab
boycott, as the result of
which Israelis will soon be
able to drink Pepsi-Cola and
drive Toyotas: But he does
not believe that Israel's
economy will really take off
until peace brings an end to
the boycott in all its
manifestations. El
ROUND UP
Something Seedy
Is Going On Here
Now, from the absolutely
superfluous but it might
come in handy if you're ever
on` Jeopardy" files:
Do you know the connec-
tion between wild
pomegranate seeds and the
Torah?
You don't?
The Torah contains 613
mitzvot. The pomegranate is
said to contain 613 seeds.
Anyone want to count?
K
Faxon Introduces
Smoking Bill
Sen. Jack Faxon, D-
Farmington Hills, last week
introduced legislation to ban
smoking in all public
restrooms in Michigan.
Senate Bill 475 "extends
further protection to non-
smokers," Sen. Faxon said.
"Michigan's Clean Indoor
Air Act of 1986 regulates
smoking in public places.
This bill is intended to close
a loophole which has expos-
ed non-smokers to the docu-
mented hazards of secon-
dhand cigarette smoke."
Sen. Faxon has been a
longtime advocate for anti-
smoking efforts. In addition
to sponsoring the Michigan
Clean Indoor Air Act, he has
introduced legislation to in-
crease the capacity of non-
smoking sections in restau-
rants, prohibit the free
distribution of tobacco pro-
ducts in public places, and
prohibit cigarette vending
machines in Michigan.
New Booklet
Outlines Kashrut
Dannon, the nation's
largest manufacturer of
yogurt, has published a
comprehensive guide to the
laws of kashrut. Called
Dinim by Dannon, the 20-
page booklet reviews the
"DIMM
BY
DANNON"
The new Dannon guide.
basic laws of kashrut and is
"designed to help people
with any level of knowledge
about keeping kosher," said
Yosi Heber, director of
marketing for Dannon.
Mr. Heber said the pam-
phlet was published "as a
public service to the growing
number of American con-
sumers who seek out kosher
certification."
Dinim by Dannon will be
distributed to Jewish organ-
izations throughout the
United States. Synagogues
and other Jewish groups and
institutions interested in ob-
taining the booklet should
contact Barbara Ackerman,
(212) 643-1623.
Washington — A new pro-
gram offered in the nation's
capital offers Jewish seniors
the opportunity to get the
facts on public policy issues
straight from the horse's
mouth, to let politicians
know where the taxpayers
stand, and to link an ap-
preciation for Jewish values
with the problems of today.
Senior Learning Seminars
are sponsored by the Wash-
ington Tnstitute for Jewish
Leadership and Values, a
nonprofit educational forum.
The institute is headed by
Dr. Sidney Schwarz, former
executive director of the
Jewish Community Council
of Greater Washington, who
designed the seminars to
give seniors the opportunity
to examine public policy
issues from a Jewish values
perspective.
The program is for men
The seminars are four- and
five-day programs offered
five times a year. The next
session will be held in May;
registration is required by
March.
For information, contact
the Senior Learning Semi-
nars, The Washington In-
stitute for Jewish Leader-
ship and Values, 6101 Mon-
trose Road Suite 208,
Rockville, MD., 20852, or
call (301) 770-5070.
Compiled by
Elizabeth Applebaum
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
11