FLACK page 19

the letter of cooperation and the
"creative ambiguity" of interpre-
tations such as Rabbi Gold-
schmidt's.
"If the word is 'consultation,'
what does that mean?" he asked.
"Rabbi Goldschmidt's comment
is new to me. And we were told
about none of this. I do not know
what the actual agreement
means in practice or what it
might ask, if not bind, either side
to do."
But Hoenlein, the Presidents
Conference executive vice presi-
dent, said the cooperation agree-
ment contained "no restrictions
and no binding commitments ...
It's a friendly gesture to an emerg-
ing organization."
Hoenlein said the conference
had similar, informal under-
standings with other Jewish bod-
ies throughout the Diaspora. But
he acknowledged the Presidents
Conference had never signed such
a written agreement with any
other Diaspora group.
Some voiced concern that the
conference was moving beyond
what they understood to be its

single mandate of acting as the
organized community's official
voice on Israel.
But Hoenlein said the Presi-
dents Conference role would be
restricted to mutual external is-
sues concerning Russia, such as
its role in Iran, nuclear prolifera-
tion or involvement with groups
such as the Islamic fundamen-
talist Taliban government in
Afghanistan.
Rabbi Staitman, the National
Conference chairman, also sought
to lessen the significance of the
accord.
"It's not an agreement," he said.
"It's really a letter of cooperation.
Basically, we envision that the
Russian Jewish Congress will
consult with the Presidents Con-
ference and really try to get an
understanding from them about
how one properly represents a
Jewish community to a govern-
ment." He characterized it as "a
mentoring relationship."
Foxman disagreed, character-
izing the agreement as "a serious
undertaking." ❑
Jewish Week

Do Not Look For
The Union Label

Sa

AVAs4iy
.. 11,

44
:p, ......st,,,;;;ac

407:77

ADAM DICKTER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

H

as the National Yiddish
Book Center read any of the
books on its shelves?
That's what Avram Lyon
wants to know. Citing the historic
bond between Yiddish culture and
the labor movement, the execu-
tive director of the Manhattan-
based Jewish Labor Committee
is outraged that the recently com-
pleted $8 million center in
Amherst, Mass., was constructed
by non-union workers.
"Have you not read and learned
the lessons in the books you col-
lected?" asks Lyon in an open let-
ter to Aaron Lansky, founder and
president of the center. 'The books
that deal with sweatshops, with
awful working conditions, child
labor and long hours?"
But Lansky responds that his
center was "used as a pawn" by

a carpenter's union in Massachu-
setts, which was involved in a dis-
pute with Tocci Building Corp.,
which built the center. Lansky
claims the union went to the Jew-
ish Labor Committee to further
its own interests by appealing to
Jewish pro-union sensitivities.
The union had its chance to win
the contract, he adds.
"Very little private construction
is done with union labor in east-
em Massachusetts," Lansky said
in an interview. "It would have
been highly unusual. However,
we were willing to work with the
union, and specifically invited
them to bid on the job. They asked
us to extend the bidding period,
which we did, which was also very
unusual. In the end, they decided
not to bid."
The center's wood architecture

Volumes await processing at the
National Yiddish Book Club.

is designed to emulate the arch of
Eastern European rooflines of old
synagogues in Russia and Poland.
Lansky said few firms are capa-
ble of such all-wood construction,
and the non-union subcontractor
that built the center paid its work-
ers $1 more per hour than the
union. ❑
Jewish Week

'97 SENTRA GXE

College Grads Save Even More!

SEMO.**Teasszewx.

OPTIONS: AUTOMAT ,
3.3L V6, air, chrome whls.,
alrm, tilt, pwr. windows,
locks, keyless entry,
cruise, stereo, CD, ABS,
luggage rack, tinted
glass, convenience pkg.,
plus more. Stk. #16798

THE DETROIT J EWIS H NE WS

,

OPTIONS: 1.6L 16V
4-CYL., AIR,
ALLOYS, ALARM,
TILT, PWR. WINDS.,
LOCKS, CRUISE,
STEREO/CASS., CD,
& MORE. STK.
#16535.

OPTIONS: AUTOMATIC, 3.0L 24 V V6, alloy whls., keyless entry, alarm, air cond., pwr.
driver seat, pwr. trunk release, alarm, tilt, pwr. winds./locks, cruise, stereo/cass. and
more. Stk #16355

$ 1000

IMPF

OPTIONS: 2.4L 16V 4-
cyl., air, alarm, tint, tilt,
pwr. windows, locks,
steering &
brakes, cruise,
stereo cass.,
15" alloy whls., •
plus more. Stk. #16993

•

OPTIONS: AUTOMATIC,
3.0L V6, 7-pass. seating,
pwr. pkg., conve-
nience pkg., privacy .
glass, keyless
entry/security sys-
tem, dual airbags,
plus more. Stk. #17237.

.

-

- •

DOWN 249 * 36 MONTHS

BILL COOK NISSAN

Mile (West of Hailed) • FARMINGTON MUG 4111111
Giand River at 10 )

■

*24 or 36-mo. leases based on approved credit. Pls tax, title, plates, doc fee, ref. security dep. (if applicable), cap cost reduction shown above. All rebates & incentives to dealer. See dealer
for colle e rad details. Prior
sales & leases excluded. Ex .ires 8/1/97
.......,......
.
. . . .
.
.
.
•
• •