. . . may the
New Year
be one of joy,
happiness and
prosperity
for all mankind

THE JEWISH NEWS STAFF

And Their Families

extend heartiest greetings to the entire
Jewish Community of Michigan with
gratitude for the splendid cooperation
that has enabled us to work together
for good community spirit.

Charles A. Buerger
Arthur M. Horwitz
Marianne Taylor
Brian Lawrence
Alan Hitsky
Ellizabeth. Applebaum
Phil Jacobs
Kimberly Litton
Glenn Triest
Seymour Manello
Lesley Pearl
Gail Zimmerman
Danny Raskin
Rick Nessel
Kathy Johnson

Betsy Leemon
Lisa Marshall
Art Shafer
Dharlene Norris
Marlene Miller
Leslie Kantor
Lisa Ferstenfeld
Dena Jacobs
Sylvia Stafford
Donald Cheshure
Cathy Ciccone
Curtis DeLoye
Ralph Orme
Gayle Baldi
Debbie Schultz

Carla Jean Schwartz
Burt Chassin
Bud Davis
Linda McCarthy
Ruth Littmann
Kris Morgan
Amy Opper
Mary Serra
Stephani Miller
Carolyn Stankiewicz
Ann Abrams
Patty McMurray
Susan Wachsberg
Gary Cohn
Stuart Grant

Wishing The Jewish Community

A Happy & Healthy
New Year
rur4 by leCki

181 SOUTH WOODWARD AVENUE
BIRMINGHAM, MICH. 48009

642-1690

Next to Birmingham Theatre
Adjacent Free Parking

PRESCRIPTION

page R25

political details of whether
Kupat Holim Clalit members
are also Histadrut members
is not crucial," he asserts.
"We need this bill for the sake
of the nation's health and its
health system."
Professor Penchas is more
concerned about the bill's
failure to explicitly define
what the basket of medical
services contains. This would
presently be left to the discre-
tion of the Health and
Finance Ministries.
Until now health fund
coverage has included doctors,
hospitalization and medica-
tion fees. Mr. Ramon would
also like to include dental ser-

vices and the broadest possi-
ble specialist treatment. But
budgetary limitations may
prohibit this.
Despite the opposition and
speaking in conciliatory
tones, Mr. Ramon expresses
optimism that 1993 will see
his bill passed into law. "The
country needs this law," he
states. "That alone will en-
sure its passage." Professor
Penchas echoes this senti-
ment. "The current system is
not working economically," he
says, "so it will have to be
changed. The important
thing is to make certain that
the new system is equitable
for the population at large." ❑

WZPS

Teacher Army
Promotes Arabic

JORDAN SUSMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

I

n Nissim Atzmon's office,
there's a constant buzz of
activity. The telephone
rings endlessly. Teachers
drop in to make suggestions.
Uniformed soldiers come and
go, bringing the latest data
about the campaign's suc-
cesses and shortcomings. It's
a tough job, but someone has
to promote the Arabic
language in Israel's Ministry
of Education.
A former army intelligence
colonel, Mr. Atzmon, with his
private army of Israel Defense
Forces soldiers, has spent
seven years changing the face
of Arabic in Israel's
clkassrooms. "When I first ar-
rived here," he says between
constant interruptions, "only
10 percent of high school
students were studying
Arabic, without a set pro-
gram. Teachers simply
taught what they knew, in no
organized or standardized
fashion. But all that's chang-
ed. Now over half of Israel's
high school students study
Arabic and we have greatly
improved the teaching
method."
In his Ramat Aviv office at
the Center for Educational
Technology (CET), a non-
profit computer development
center, Nissim employs a
hand-picked staff of 22
soldiers to develop educa-
tional computer programs
and books. They visit Israel's
schools, organize summer
computer camps and train
students and teachers on
their computer programs. In
addition, an elite force of 20
soldiers studies Arabic at
university level each year in
order to become full-time
teachers.

Corporal Yifat Sheleg has
just returned from a week-
long camp she ran in Migdal
HaEmek in northern Israel.
"The kids loved it. They had
never used computers before
and really enjoyed the fact
that they could work at their
own pace without the
pressure of having to keep up
with the class and without a
teacher looking over their
shoulder." In fact, this is the
basis of the CET's philosophy.
Bearing this in mind,
Seargeant Amit Marcus, who
heads the program, works
with his crew "to develop a
system of exercises, games
and tests for all kids, but
especially for those with pro-
blems understanding the
teacher."
Meir Meir, an Egyptian-
born teacher in Bat Yam,
drops into Mr. Atzmon's office
to talk about the program. He
is full of praise for the Arabic
revolution being witnessed in
the classroom. "Suddenly
everyone is taking the
language seriously —
students and teachers." But,
he complains, the programs
still lack sufficient color and
games to hold his students'
attention. Mr. Atzmon's eyes
light up. "That's what I like!
Criticism! Only that can im-
prove the program!"
At the same time, in the
same building where Mr. Atz-
mon and his army frenetical-
ly work to bring Arabic to
Israel's pupils, a group of new
immigrants are receiving
their basic training. One-
hundred-six teachers and
academics from the former
Soviet Union are learning
Hebrew, Israeli classroom eti-
quette, Jewish history and