heads of the Israeli political parties. "At that time, we will make a recommendation, but we have made no such decision," said Mr. Kaplan. Mr. Kaplan acknowledged damage had been done to the Jewish Agency's reputation over the affair, though he became outraged when a reporter suggested it now had a corrupt image in the minds of Israelis. He said a lot of harm had been done by inaccurate media reports and that the Jewish Agency was con- sidering what he implied would be legal action in re- sponse. He also criticized the Israeli system that compels the police to open a file based on a complaint, regardless of its source or legitimacy. What the consequent in- vestigation "does to an in- dividual and organization is terrifying," he said. Mr. Kaplan denied that the serious strains over the affair meant that the Israel- Diaspora relationship was a "shaky" one. He pointed out that the differences of opi- nion were not neatly broken down along Israel-Diaspora lines, since many Diaspora Zionists backed Mr. Dinitz. But in the internal letter of announcement, he characterized the affair as "the most difficult (of) prob- lems we have ever en- countered." In New York, Seymour Reich, who as president of the American Zionist Movement has been one of Mr. Dinitz's loudest sup- porters, described the latest decision as "a sad conclusion to a lamentable episode. "It's time to move on and get it behind us, and for the Zionist community and the fund-raising community to engage in a healing process, so we can do what we're supposed to do, which is im- migration and absorption in Israel," he said. An opinion not all that different was given by a representative of the fund- raisers who has been a dele- gate to the Jewish Agency Assembly and spoke on con- dition of anonymity. "I just think the whole thing is sad," he said. "That we got into the this mess, that we didn't get out of it earlier, that it was allowed to drag on and hurt the credibility of both the person and the institution." Mr. Kaplan said the Jew- ish Agency would have to contain the damage done and work to win back trust that may have eroded. ❑ A Healthy, Happy and Prosperous NEW YEAR To All Our Clients & Their Families With Warmest Wishes FROM MAXINE WEINBERG And All The Staff At mh-Nomi-b travel, Sharon Block Jodi Denenberg Bede Epstein Eve Ezmerlian Steven Fish Linda Gershenson Judy Goldfaden Judy Goldman Hannah Hall Suzanne Kirschner Rose Laudicina Lynn Levine Yona Nivy Stephanie Rudolph Peggy Sanders Barri Schatten Kathy Wendell * * **** * ** * ** * * * ** * ** * ** * **** * ** * ** * * * ** * ** * ** * * * * •• • • • • • • • • • • • • Wish Our Wonderful • • • • We Friends • and Clients • and Prosperous • A Very Healthy • NEW YEAR • • • •• • • GOLDSTEIN-TRAVEL 27080 Evergreen Rd. Lathrup Village, MI 48076 559-2770 • • •• • • • • • • • • • •• WW1 =to rink TO MEMBERS AND FRIENDS HAPPY NEW YEAR, BILLY BE RRIS IE-LAUR A B LSKI- LEE CA AM ARO-TERRY