This Week

JAFI Chairman Visits

asser Arafat is not looking for victory on the
ground, said Sallai Meridor, chairman of the
Jewish Agency for Israel.
He said the Palestinian leader's strategy is to have
"indirect achievement" on other fronts — breaking
the spirit of the Israeli people, bringing about inter-
national pressure on Israel and forcing Israel to con-
centrate on physical defense.
"On each of these fronts, the Jewish people can
and should play a major role in showing solidarity
for Israel," said Meridor, who spoke to the Jewish
News while on a support-gathering tour of Midwest
cities last week.
"This is time for Jews to come to Israel in big
numbers. This is a time for people to make sure the
right message is sent to government representatives
throughout the world."
He believes Arafat
should be treated as a
terrorist, especially
after having broken his
1993 commitment to
the United States that
he will break away
from violence and ter-
rorism.
The Jewish people
and Israel need to con-
tinue to help those
Israelis who are most
vulnerable, he said.
"Every Jew who feels a
love for Israel should
give more to Israel,
should come to Israel
Sallai Meridor
to show solidarity, and
if they can't come to
Israel, should send let-
ters to Congress."
JAFI has processed 35,000 new immigrants to
Israel since the start of the violence in September, he
said. "There is no doubt the newcomers need special
attention."
— Harry Kirsbaum

y

Name Change For Jewfish

Early this year, the Committee on Names of Fishes
of the American Fisheries Society and the American
Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists unani-
mously agreed to recommend changing the English
common name for Epinephelus itajara from jewfish
to goliath grouper, which is an apt reference because
of the fish's size.
_ Recnns_e_common fish name,s a.r_e changed reluc-
tantly, the seven-man committee making the propos-
al did so based on its organization's Principle 9:
"Names shall not violate good taste." Imagine that.
The group already changed the squawfish to
pikeminnow because many found the name offen-
sive. Though no one complained that the name jew-
fish was being used offensively, it was still deemed
offensive, especially by a certain minority group,

Staff Notebook

according to a statement by the committee in the
May issue of Fisheries magazine.
"The time has come for a change," according to a
committee statement, which also thanked a Gary
Grossman for bringing the issue clearly to the com-
mittee's attention.
Wonder if the Anti-Defamation League fielded
any complaints, too?
— Keri Guten Cohen

a

Spreading Yiddishkeit

oing to be up north this summer? I mean
.
way up north?
Then head up to Calumet, Mich., in
mid-July for a little klezmer music.
The Calumet Theatre is hosting the Cleveland-
based Yiddishe Cup Klezmer Band on July 17.
Calumet and its 800 residents are 11 miles
northeast of Houghton and Hancock, and
about 33 miles from the tip of Michigan's
Upper Peninsula.
Hancock is home to 89-year-old Temple
Jacob, the UP's first Jewish congregation.
President Susan Burack said the temple has 15
member units and the area has 40 Jewish fami-
lies — the "Frozen Chosen," she said. In addi-
tion, Michigan Technological University in
Houghton has a Jewish students group and
some Jewish faculty.
Theatre Executive Director Richard Hazzard
said the area's Jewish population wasn't a factor
in bringing in Yiddishe Cup. "We just like the
music," he said.
The theater tries to present "different types
of music" throughout the year. "We get all
sorts of promotional materials from perform-
ers," Hazzard said. After reviewing a tape of the
Yiddishe Cup's music and humor, the theater and
the six-man group signed a $6,000 contract for the
one performance.
The century-old, 710-seat theater has several grants
and sponsors for its music series, and doesn't have to sell
out to cover the costs. It charges $14 as its top price.
And, oy vey, if you don't want to drive 550 miles to
Calumet, you can also catch the Yiddishe Cup from
2:15-3:15 p.m. on Sunday, July 15, at Detroit's
Concert of Colors in Chene Park on the Detroit River.
— Alan Hitsky

Corrections

• Regarding "Detroit Hadassah Installs
Offreeps" Chine 1, page 47}, thee of
Evelyn Levine and Renee May as co-presidents
were inadvertently omitted.

-

-

-

• Regarding "Keeping Watch" (June 8, page
124), Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring Cemetery
caretaker Sharon Mac Lean moved into her
home in May 2000 and is 53 years old.

Yiddishe Cup Klezmer Band:
"This is not some sort of high-class
classical/jazz concert," says
bandleader Bert Stratton.
"We want people to be moved
by the music, and either dance or
watch people dance. And we put
a lot of humor into the music;
we want people to laugh."

CALUMET

