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skill. More often than ever before, our schools
need to recognize their human resources and pay
them.
What's also favorable over recent years is the
level of commitment Federation has placed into
day-school education. The numbers reprinted in
the tables inside chronicle this commitment.
We'll never write, however, that it's enough.
Schools, teachers, guidance counselors and ad-
ministrators need more.
While we appreciate and commend the levels
of funding provided by Federation, we urge what
is one of the nation's best communal organiza-
tions to find even more money.
So many of our Federation's best leadership
caryrecall religious-school experiences and ed-
ucations as an important part of their Jewish
foundation. We can't take for granted building
the Jewish foundation of our children.
We have to continue to find ways to keep the
tuition as reasonable as we can. We need to con-
tinue to make this opportunity available to any
family who wants it.

by Jordan B. Gorfinkel

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Israel's Prime Minister
Waiting For A Friend

Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu des- State Madeleine Albright has been a staunch
perately needs a friend. But while he is trying supporter of Israel, she doesn't want to seem too
hard, he seems to have lost many of his once- friendly now, lest she lose credibility among the
Arabs. She's even avoiding the region — an oth-
allies.
Earlier this week, Palestinian leader Yassir erwise peculiar move considering her recent
Arafat rejected the Israeli's proposal to withdraw world tour of areas of U.S. interest.
Then there's Egyptian President Hosni
from 9 percent of the West Bank as insufficient.
Even though operating within the Oslo agree- Mubarak. In Washington earlier this week, he
ments, Mr. Netanyahu should have first con- jumped at the chance to criticize Mr. Netanyahu.
sulted with Mr. Arafat to avoid this latest public The Arab leader can afford to rise above the sil-
ly games but has chosen the traditional hard-
relations debacle.
Even more disheartening for Mr. Netanyahu line Arab path. You would think that Mr.
had to be the struggle to convince his Cabinet to Mubarak, whose state has been at peace with Is-
give up 2 percent of the West Bank — the oth- rael for 18 years, would find a way to help, if only
er 7 percent was already under joint Palestin- for the good of the Palestinians.
Mr. Netanyahu cannot even count on many in
ian-Israeli control.
Mr. Arafat thought he was being a friend re- his own party. They are disillusioned with what
cently by squelching protests over the proposed they call an abandonment of campaign promis-
building of Jewish neighborhoods in east es. Not even Labor leader Shimon Peres, who
Jerusalem — another move Mr. Netanyahu has spoke of a unity government since losing last
made without consultation. But when Mr. Arafat May's elections, will come to the rescue. He says
realized that in return he would get substantially the offer is off until the police finish investigat-
less land than the desired 10 to 30 percent of the ing the Bar-On affair, in which key government
area, he was no longer in a giving mood. Mr. figures allegedly traded favors for votes.
Mr. Netanyahu can still win the friendly af-
Arafat should know that the prime minister can-
not bring the plan back to the testy Cabinet for fections of the vast majority of Israelis. He must
not let political obstacles, even ones that he has
a re-vote on more land.
For the moment, Mr. Netanyahu cannot even created, keep him from pursuing his campaign
look to President Bill Clinton for help. The Amer- pledge of seeking peace with security. That needs
ican leader joined Mr. Arafat in condemning the to be done in a more thoughtful way than in re-
Jerusalem building plans. While Secretary of cent weeks.

el ill.
BECCA BETH BERNIE
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E-MAIL >TPL@JEWISHCARTOON. COM<

In this week's Jewish News, staff writer Jill
Davidson Sklar takes a look at day-school tu-
ition. This upcoming year, the increases in tu-
ition costs are rather modest.
While there are still concerns that the cost of
educating those children whose families choose
day schools is in danger of pricing some out of
these schools, there is a great deal of positive that
can be noted.
Detroit's day schools all reach out to families
in need of scholarships. Detroit's day schools
all do a fine job of educating our children Jew-
ishly. There are so many examples of these stu-
dents moving on to universities and seminaries
here in Michigan, and at other points in the Unit-
ed States and Israel.
What is also significant is the seemingly unan-
nounced change in the perception of the day-
school educator and administrator. We have seen,
in a short period of time, a real sense that teach-
ers, principals and other staffers are highly
skilled professionals. They deserve the pay and
financial security that come with their levels of

THE CONTINUING STORY OF JEWISH LIFE IN THE DIASPORA

0 1997 BY JORDAN B. GORFINK EL. ALL RIGH TS RESE RVED.

Day School Lot Improving,
But Resources Still Needed

THE PROMISED LAND

Letters

Information
Was Needed

What's Killing
Kosher Business?

You must have had many com-
plaints about your decision to
discuss hygiene in kosher es-
tablishments ("Cleanliness Next
To Godliness?" Feb 21). Our
community can take pride in
much of our Jewish life, but reg-
ulating hygiene in kosher es-
tablishments can clearly be
difficult.
I agree with Cherna Kowal-
sky that The Jewish News cov-
erage might have pointed out —
somehow — that this problem is
confined neither to Detroit nor
to its kosher food suppliers.
However, I think you were
right to provide the information.
It's better for us to examine and
correct our own failings than to
wait until they reach a wider fo-
rum. I wanted to offer you a lit-
tle support because I think you
did the right thing.

The article on the vanishing
butchers trade in the March 7 is-
sue ("Last Of A Dying Breed")
suggests one reason for the de-
cline is a rule by the Vaad
Harabonim that butchers be per-
sonally observant to receive su-
pervision.
The companion article on
restaurants quotes the late Al
Rosenberg as saying that while
the Vaad supervised his restau-
rant in the '60s, not one of its
members would patronize it or
recommend it to others.
Morris Goodman claims circu-
lation of a letter that "labeled his
place as unsuitable for anyone
who kept kosher," after he
switched from one supplier to an-
other, accelerated the closing of
Sara's.
I'm not blind. I know Sara's
was losing money from day one
and would have eventually closed

Joseph Weiss

Oak Park

KOSHER page 28

C