The United Front North American Jewish leaders head to Israel for annual convention. JULIA GOLDMAN Special to The Jewish News New York A It's a blessing your children You're a have given you grand- children. But you've got big responsibilities. Here's one: Give the parents a subscription to The Detroit Jewish News. They'll find lots of useful new ideas about raising children in a Jewish or interfaith household. The Jewish News is a "Book of Why" about the holidays, our heritage and the world we live in. The information a parent needs. Provide your kids with a great tool for life in the Jewish community. Give them a subscription to The Jewish News by mailing in the coupon below or by calling (248) 354-6620 today. See? Being a good grandparent is easy! sy • I'd like to send a 52-week Jewish News gift subscription Plus 5 free issues of Style Magazine Plus a five JN SourceBook - a $12 value Please bill me Payment Enclosed Visa MasterCard Your Name Your Address Your City State Zip Phone Gift Card Message: Send the Gift Subscription to: Name Address City State Zip fter forging a partnership this summer with the United Jewish Appeal and the United Israel Appeal, the Council of Jewish Federations, North American Jewry's main coordinating and service organization, is making similar overtures to the people of Israel. The CJF's constituents from more than 200 autonomous local federa- tions are converging on Jerusalem this weekend for its 67th General Assembly and the first one held out- side of North America. The four-day conference, the largest annual gather- ing of leadership in North American Jewish communal life, kicks off Nov. 16 with an address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Orchestrated to celebrate Israel's 50th anniversary, the G.A., as the annual gathering is popularly known, will focus on the intersection of Israeli and North American Jewish life. Presided over by "mega-donor" and federation activist Charles Bronfman, this is also the first convention of fed- erations to take place under the part- nership's new banner, UJA Federations of North America. But discussions of the merger and informational sessions on fund raising, professional development or govern- ment regulations — a mainstay of past G.A. programming — will take a backseat this year to an examination of Israel-Diaspora affairs. "In terms of issues," said UJA President Richard Wexler, the G.A. "deals with much broader, issues, the real relationship for the 21st century for North American Jewry and the Jews of Israel." That relationship "is the keynote of the entire federation system," said CJF Executive Vice President Jay Yoskowitz. "As the relationship changes, it becomes something very different, very positive. We'll be strengthening that relationship and making it more of a partnership," Yoskowitz said. Phone Mail to: Detroit Jewish News P.O. Box 2267, Southfield, MI 48037-2267 (248) 354-6620 or Fax (248) 354-1210 11/13 Allow 2-3 weeks delivery of The Jewish News and 4-6 weeks delivery of the JN SourceBook. TRP998 1998 18 Detroit Jewish News Julia Goldman is a.writer for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. The union will be codified at the final event of the intercontinental gathering when Knesset members and North American Jewish leaders meet to discuss issues that have strained American Jewish-Israeli relations over the last few years. At the conclusion of this "Parliament of the Jewish People," each of the 3,400 participants from North America and Israel expected at the G.A. will sign a covenant stating the communities' intention to fortify and maintain Jewish unity worldwide. Jews worldwide will be able to sign the document via the Internet at www.ga98.org . The convention's cen- terpiece will be Nov. 18, as every G.A. participant embarks on one of 38 "seminars on wheels" — field trips throughout Israel. They will provide a first-hand experience of critical issues defining the American Jewish-Israeli relationship today. Tops on that list, according to Wexler, are the need for Jewish education in America and a deeper understanding of tolerance and democracy in Israel; the effects of the global economy on Jewish communities in the former Soviet Union and the subsequent potential for mass aliyah; and the hope for Israel to achieve peace with its neighbors. The subject of Ethiopian Jews' aliyah and absorption into Israeli soci- ety and the status of the Falash Mura in Ethiopia may also prove to be a flashpoint at this year's meeting. During the Jerusalem meetings, top partnership brass and local federation leaders, together with the heads of the Jewish Agency for Israel and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, are expected to meet behind closed doors for nuts-and-bolts discussions of the new entity's mission and leadership. Plans for the systematic overhaul are ongoing, including a major restructuring of the new entity's gov- erning bodies that will give local fed- erations a majority voice in deciding how the money collected in UJA cam- paigns is allocated overseas. One underlying purpose of this year's G.A. is to generate enthusiasm for the work of the partnership and its connection to Israel. ❑