Insight

Remember
When

II

:VIK-MvWt

On Guard?

From the pages of The Jewish News

for this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.

•

Skeptics argue that Israel is unprepared for the crush of millennium tourists.

Natan Sharansky, Soviet Jewish activist
living in Israel, was refused a visa to
"I came in time to get some things
sions of Israel. And security is just one
return to the Soviet Union for a visit.
done but there is not enough time to
AVI MACHLIS
issue on a long list of millennial mat-
Congregation B'nai Moshe
do everything necessary, such as heavy
Jewish Tele a hic A en
ters for which Israel's lack of prepared-
loaned a Torah to the new
works which should have been done
ness may cost it a huge amount of
Orthodox minyan in Huntington
two or three years ago," Noy says.
Jerusalem
potential goodwill from pilgrims.
Woods, which requires a second
"We
are
still
trying
to
do
the
best
for
hen Fonville Winans
Even without an interrogation, enter-
Torah for Chanuka services.
the tourists and make their stay in
packed a small bottle of
ing the Jewish state is not always easy.
Israel more comfortable."
Salvation Hot Sauce in
The growing numbers of tourists are
Most of the focus now is on build-
his bags while preparing
overwhelming the 24 counters for pass-
The Grand Rapids Chabad House
ing additional toilets and parking facili-
for a trip to the Holy Land earlier this
port control at Israel's Ben-Gurion
opened under the direction of
ties at poorly equipped holy sites. Yet
month, he had no idea it would label
International Airport. At peak hours,
Rabbi and Mrs. Yosef Weingarten.
the
biggest
challenge
will
be
traffic,
and
him as a security threat. He was
the wait can take more than 90 minutes.
Wesley's Quaker Maid Ice Cream
it
is
too
late
to
start
building
and
detained checking in with El Al at
Although the government will soon
Co. is now producing a kosher eggnog.
expanding roads as the pilgrims start to
Newark airport.
add another 10 counters, the airport
arrive in ever increasing numbers.
Perhaps the alert was triggered by
tOUV R Og. i. 4
remains a symbol of Israel not being
According to Israel's Central Bureau
the condiment's depiction of a preach-
ready for the millennium rush.
A military tribunal in Hebron pro-
of Statistics, 196,100 tourists
er baptizing a voluptuous woman, or
nounced a 15-year sentence on the
arrived
by
air
in
October,
a
23
per-
the slogan on the bottle — "one
17-year-old Arab who attempted to
cent
jump
compared
to
the
same
taste of this and you get saved.
murder an Israeli policeman on
month
last
year.
Total
arrivals
for
Maybe it was because
guard near the Machpelah Cave.
the month reached 282,200, a
Winans, a 28-year-old Christian
Mrs. Hattie Sloan and family
record
turnout
for
October.
painter and photographer from
planted a forest in Israel to perpetu-
In
Nazareth,
where
a
dispute
Baton Rouge, La., had had his
ate the name, life and memory of
between local Muslims and
luggage transferred directly from
Christians
has
cast
a
shadow
over
her late husband, Saul.
his.connecting flight and was
the
anticipated
tourism
boom,
checking in with just a carry-on
the narrow streets leading to the
bag and his one-way ticket.
The 100th anniversary of Dr.
main sites are becoming even
Whatever the reason, though
Ludwig L. 7nmenhof, originator of
more
congested
as
busloads
of
Winans had been to Israel three
Esperanto, was marked in New York.
pilgrims
descend
upon
the
city.
times before and was familiar with
The Ministry of Social Welfare
The
same
is
happening
in
security protocol, nothing prepared
in Jerusalem has established a spe-
Jerusalem,
especially
around
him for the two-hour grilling he
cial authority to deal with the prob-
the Old City, where the recent
experienced. It ended with Israeli
lems of the aged.
increase in tourism already has
security personnel confiscating five
Just outside the airport, cranes and
Star Scout rank was achieved by
given traffic cops a taste of millen-
cans of coffee, a tape recorder, a calcula-
bulldozers are working furiously to build
senior
patrol leader Paul Tanner of
nial traffic jams.
tor, a Hebrew-English electronic transla-
a new complex known as Ben Gurion
Boy Scout Troop 537, sponsored by
Tourist
traffic
at
the
sites
them-
tor — and the hot sauce.
2000. The plan was to have a modern
Beth Aaron Synagogue.
selves also poses a problem. Some sites
"I have been to Israel before,"
airport in place for the millennium.
reported
a
35
percent
increase
in
the
Winans says. "But this time it was dif-
iAnmg
Instead, say critics, the project should be
AWAMPOW07--, 7i441,,W r
number of visitors last month and are
ferent. They wanted to know my
renamed Ben-Gurion 2002, because
Sixty Detroit women, part of the
making special arrangements for mass-
beliefs. The fact that as a believer I
that is when it probably will be ready.
700 chapter bowlers of the Detroit
es
of
tourists.
cannot come and see the places Jesus
Even some government officials
B'nai B'rith Bowling League, entered
But the Church of the Holy
came from without a hassle really
admit that the late arrival of the air-
the second annual District Six bowl-
Sepulchre,
one
of
the
holiest
sites,
is
made me feel violated."
port is symptomatic of a larger failure
ing tournament in Chicago
particularly
problematic.
For
five
years
After months of media hype about
to prepare for the year 2000.
A new decree in Budapest noted
Israel
has
been
begging
the
three
patri-
the threats Israel may face from fringe
The problem is bureaucracy, accord-
that
religious instruction in the two
archs
from
different
denominations
doomsday millennialist cults, it is no
ing to Yossi Noy, director general of
Jewish
or other denominational
who
control
the
site
to
open
an
exit
surprise that Israel has beefed up secu-
Administration 2000. This is the gov-
schools in Hungary cannot be com-
door
that
could
double
the
capacity.
rity ahead of Christmas and the New
ernment authority coordinating $100
Without it, the church will be unable
pulsory.
Year. Israeli officials say such security
million of preparatory investments for
Dr. Martin Naimark became the
to cope with huge numbers of pil-
is a necessity and it is better to be safe
millennial tourism. Noy, the third
new president of the Detroit Chapter
grims, especially on holidays, when
than sorry.
director of an office established in
of Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity.
the church will become a fire hazard.
However, if even a fraction of the
1998, came on the job in September.
Millennium
watchers
also
shudder
— Compiled by Sy Manello,
more than two million Christian
His two predecessors quit after realizing
at the tight security measures expected
Editorial Assistant
tourists expected during the millennial
•
they could not get anything done
12/24
if Pope John Paul H visits the Holy
year get scrutinized like Winans, they
through rivaling government ministries.
1999
may return home with tainted impres-

IV

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