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Femihist Lament

Israeli visitors decry treatment of women.

DAVID ZEMAN STAFF WRITER

The women, who were host-
ed in Detroit by the Jewish Com-
munity Council, visited the
Haven domestic abuse shelter
in Pontiac, met with various
Arab and Jewish community
groups and led a discussion at
Congregation Tchiyah in down-
town Detroit.
They are in the United States
to discuss the status of women
in Israel, a subject they ad-
dressed in generally dispir-
ited terms.
Dr. Hazan, an Arab Is-
raeli, painted an especial-
ly bleak picture of Arab
women, who she said are
strongly discouraged from
building careers outside
their families and are giv-
en little child-rearing sup-
port when they do.
"There are no social ser-
vices to help women to go
to work," Dr. Hazan told
the audience.
Ms. Umanit said she has
been heavily involved in
feminist causes in Israel
since returning in 1990 af-
ter 11 years in the United
States. She is director of
hit Umanit says women must support each
the first emergency shelter
other to gain rights.
in Israel for female victims
of domestic abuse. The
men and women, Ms. Umanit country currently has eight long-
term shelters for abused women.
said.
In Ms. Umanit's view, it is up
When men were involved in
the demonstrations, the taunts to women's groups from all sec-
directed at peace activists cen- tors of Israeli society to take the
tered on the peace issue itself. initiative to raise the status of
But at the Women in Black all women in the country. She
marches, held every Friday at acknowledged that as a Jew of
noon, screams of "go back to the middle-class economic status,
kitchen" and gender-related ob- she faced an easier path than
most.
scenities filled the air.
"It is up to us, the haves, to
"It all had to do with sexism
and nothing to do with our po- help the have-nots," she said.
Ms. Umanit said the notion
litical stand," Ms. Umanit told
a luncheon held at the National that Israel extends equal status
Council of Jewish Women last to women — a perception un-
derscored by the participation of
week.
Ms. Umanit and another Is- women in the Israeli military —
raeli feminist, Dr. Hala Hazan, is largely a myth. Israeli women
addressed the gathering of 30 are routinely relegated to secre-
women. It was one in a flurry of tarial posts in the military and
events attended by the pair dur- their contributions are unap-
ing a whirlwind tour of metro preciated, she said.
Israelis "worship the warrior
Detroit's Jewish and Arab com-
— not the spiritual warrior, but
munities.
Their U.S. speaking tour, the front-line warrior," she said.
Women are restricted to tra-
which also included visits to
New York, San Francisco and ditional roles in other aspects of
St. Louis, is sponsored by the Israeli life, she said. Women on
New Israel Fund and the Na- the kibbutzim, for instance, are
tional Jewish Community Re- expected to assume the domes-
lations Advisory Council.
FEMINISTS page 10

rit Umanit of Israel said her
country's oppression of
women was brought home
vividly in recent years when
she joined other women in week-
ly peace demonstrations.
Catcalls from opponents of
the peace process took on a de-
cidedly different tone at these
"Women in Black" rallies than
at similar rolli es involving both

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Rolling In The Dough

Not the big bucks, the big buckets
cherry and prune filling.

of poppy seed,

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR

I

he caller wanted "hammerschlagers," and he baked, packaged and sent out more than 20,000
hamantashen.
wanted them now.
"All rolled, cut and filled by hand," Mrs. Salba
"Excuse me?" Marilyn Rice was confused.
She and her partner, Pam Salba, make a lot says proudly.
The planning starts early, when the two women
of tasty treats, from low-fat cookies to muffins in
dozens of flavors. But they had yet to produce a go shopping. They're on the lookout for the tastiest
ingredients — the tastiest kosher ingredients (Sun-
"hammerschlager."
"I want the hammerschlagers," the caller shine Treats has kosher supervision from the Michi-
said again. "You know, those kind of triangle cook- gan Kashruth Council).
They have apricot, cherry, raspberry, prune and
ies."
"O000h," Mrs. Rice said understanding at last. poppy-seed filling. Cherry is the most requested,
Mrs. Salba says. J a St year, Hillel Day
"The hamantashen."
School wanted all cherry-filled
The caller was a buyer
hamantashen.
from a supermarket and,
'What about the poppy seed?" Mrs.
like thousands of local
Rice says. "I think that may be more
residents who have tast-
popular."
ed the hamantashen cre-
"No, no, no." Mrs. Salba is
ated by Marilyn Rice and
adamant. "The cherry."
Pam Salba (also known
The friends and partners, who call
as Sunshine Treats in
their
taste treats "hummies" (who
Farmington Hills), he was
would want to struggle through that
hooked. His customers
"hammerschlager" conversation
were hooked.
again?), have been making haman-
It's only early February
tashen, and other baked goods, for the
— Purim was a month
past 10 years.
away — but it's never too
It all started when Mrs. Salba be-
early to get ready for the
gan planning parties, which expand-
ensuing hamantash fren-
ed to cooking from her own kitchen and
zy at Sunshine Treats.
How big is the craze? Be- Top: Pam Salba: "Each hamantash is rolled, long, long days that found her "mix-
ing, making, delivering, everything —
fore the holiday is over,
cut and filled by hand."
it was too much." She put an ad in the
Mrs. Rice, Mrs. Salba and
paper, "Bakery Assistant Wanted."
Above:
But
what
flavor
is
the
most
popular?
other workers will have
Even the chefs can't agree.
ROWNG IN DOUGH page 12
shopped for, shaped,