I UP FRONT Labor Continued from preceding page jected a clause that would make negotiations with the organization possible," wrote another in Ha'aretz. Stung, perhaps, by the harsh reaction in the press, the Laborites plunged into a second round of negotiations and modified their stand on the key issues by removing the explicit prohibition on talks with the PLO, recognizing the "national rights" of the Palestinian inhabitants of the ter- ritories, and allowing for a territorial compromise on the Golan Heights that is linked with peace. Still, both sides emerged from the compromise un- satisfied and pledged to resume their battle on the convention floor. Yet the political plank is not the only source of con- tention in the party. Parallel to the stand of the doves is that of the so-called reformers who want to strip Labor of outmoded socialist baggage, and not just such symbols as the red flag and the singing the "Interna- tional" at official events. The sorest point is the reformers' attack on the burden posed by the Histadrut, or National Fed- eration of Labor. Were that institution only a trade union, matters would be different. But the Histadrut is an economic empire embracing the coun- try's largest sick fund (in- cluding clinics and hospitals), pensions funds, agricultural and marketing cooperatives, industries col- lectively owned by the Hevrat Ovdim (or Workers' Company), companies held by the conglomerate Koor, TRADITION. Isn't there one more worth carrying on? Friday night. The end of the week. The beginning of Shabbat. A time to relax, reflect and renew. And as much a part of this tradition as the candles and the challah was knowing the weekly Jewish News had also arrived. It brought news about the community, the nation and the world. Today, that tradition hasn't changed. In fact, it's gotten better. Each week award-winning journalists combine the warmth of community with world issues using candor and compassion to strengthen Jewish identity and...tradition. Keep the tradition alive. Give a Jewish News subscription to a friend, a relative, as a special gift. If you don't subscribe, (and you find yourself always reading someone else's copy) maybe it's time to start your own tradition. The Jewish News. It's a tradition worth keeping. NEWS THE JEWISH NEWS Israel Eases Currency Rules No Other Publication Has More Faith r Save 40% over the newsstand price. Receive 52 award winning weekly issues plus five separate Style magazine supplements for only $31.00 (out-of-state $41.00). ❑ Why should I be the only one to enjoy? I'd like to 111 Yes! I want to be a faithful reader of the Jewish send a gift subscription. News, I'd like to order my own subscription. Send my thoughtful gift to: My Name Name My Address Address City State Zip City State Gift card to read Please send all payments along with this coupon to: Jewish News, 27676 Franklin Road, Southfield, MI 48034 Or call (313) 354-6060 and charge your order to Mastercard or Visa. 12 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1991 even a major bank and chain of department stores. Conceived and built dur- ing the pre-state days, it is an economic dinosaur that carries a huge bureaucracy on its back. Koor is deeply in debt to foreign banks. The sick fund is itself ailing and requires periodic infusions of state funds. But perhaps the greatest problem faced by the Histadrut is a kind of economic schizophrenia: as employer and trade union combined, it is a house divided against itself. What the reformers pro- pose is to is divorce the Labor Party from the Histadrut and transform the Histadrut into a true trade union by divesting it of its services, cooperatives, and companies. The intimate re- lationship between the two, they claim, has repeatedly forced the party to sell its principles down the river to keep the Histadrut afloat. On the face of it, the chances of passing major so- cial and economic reforms at the conference seem neg- ligible, especially as the par- ty's Social and Economic Committee rejected the reformers' ideas by a mas- sive majority. Then again, what makes the upcoming conference so intriguing is that due to the makeup of its delegates, even veteran observers aren't sure what to expect. Forty percent of the dele- gates are new members of the Labor Party. There is great curiosity about who these new people are, what they think, and whether they can reverse the sinking fortunes of the Israeli Labor Party. ❑ Zip Jerusalem (JTA) — Israel's tough foreign currency regulations will be eased somewhat to facilitate the inflow of foreign currency and stimulate foreign in- vestments, the governor of the Bank of Israel announc- ed at a news conference last week. The proposed changes, sub- ject to Cabinet and Knesset approval, will take effect "in the near future," said Jacob Frenkel, the head of Israel's central bank. His announcement was received favorably by local investors, but sent prices down on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Especially hard hit were issues traded overseas. Under the revised rules, Israeli citizens will be allow- ed to hold foreign currency in Israeli banks and use it to buy and sell shares on overseas stock exchanges. There will be no limit on the amount of foreign cur- rency that may be held in Israeli banks. But it will have to be purchased with foreign currency, not shekels. One source, Mr. Frenkel said, might be foreign cur- rency left over from the allowance granted for travel.