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Fresh From Israel

AIPAC executive director to offer community
briefing and promote activism.

group in Washington for two consecu-
tive years and ranked by the New York
Times as the most important organiza-
tion affecting America's relationship
with Israel.
Asked about AIPAC-supported leg-
islation to provide sanctions on Syria,
Kohr says the bill "is moving along,

does not yet support the effort to
sanction Syria, Kohr is pleased with
the administration's support of Israel's
fight against terror.
award Kohr likes coming
"The U.S. does understand the con-
to Detroit — and why
text of what Israel is doing to protect
not?
herself," he says, calling the occasional
American admonishments of Israeli
"Detroit is just a wonderful corn-
actions a "fairly muted
munity," says Kohr, executive
response."
director of the American Israel
"The fundamental problem is
Public Affairs Committee
terrorism," insists Kohr, and he
(AIPAC).
holds [Yasser] Arafat and his
"You have a long, deep history
Palestinian Authority responsi-
of activism and involvement in
ble.
the political process. AIPAC's
"The Palestinians can stop ter-
support spans the ages, from stu-
ror" if they want to, says Kohr,
dents in Ann Arbor to folks who
pointing out that the Palestinian
have been giants in the commu-
security forces in the Gaza Strip
nity, like Max Fisher," he says.
basically have been untouched
Kohr will give what he calls
by Israeli military action.
an "emergency community brief-
"It is not about capabilities, it
ing" 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, at
is about the will to take on the
Temple Beth El in Bloomfield
terrorists in their midst. The
Township.
Israeli people and the Palestinian
Fresh from a trip to Israel, he
people will suffer until terrorism
will address the "very serious
is ended," he says.
dangers in the war on terrorism,
Well aware of the recent
the war on Saddam and the
"Palestinian solidarity confer-
Northern Border," the latter, a
ence" held at the University of
reference to the border with
Michigan, Kohr says he's proud
Lebanon where Israel faces a
of the "tremendous strides"
growing threat from Syrian- and
AIPAC has made on campuses
Iranian-supported Hezbollah
nationwide.
guerrillas. Likely, Kohr also will
"We have generated activities
address the Israeli budget crisis
on 70 campuses," he says. "We
that has brought the unity gov-
are educating and empowering
ernment led by the Likud and
Howard Kohr: 7fitndamental problem is terrorism."
pro-Israel students. We are not
Labor parties to the brink of col-
just responding; we are on the
lapse.
offensive. There is a tremendous
But Kohr won't just analyze.
with support nearing 50 percent" in
amount of activity."
He'll be working to energize and
both the U.S. House and the Senate.
Kohr says pro-Israel petitions on
organize, to fulfill AIPAC's mission of
Kohr notes that Undersecretary of
many campuses are garnering more
strengthening the U.S.-Israel strategic
State William Burns "just returned
support than the "divest from Israel"
partnership. AIPAC believes this part-
from Syria and had a very tough meet- petitions that are going around.
nership serves the economic and
ing with [Bashar] Assad," telling the
"I just learned that 500 signatures
national security interests of both
Syrian president "he needs to stop
were collected [supporting Israel] with-
countries.
hosting and supporting terrorism, stop in just two hours at Penn State," he
Under Kohr's tenure, AIPAC has
Hezbollah and stop Saddam."
says. "This is happening on campuses
been ranked by Fortune Magazine as
Though the Bush administration
across the country." ❑
the second-most influential interest

DON COHEN

Special to the Jewish News

E

From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60
years ago.

092: .'.:IL
ON!",
ggg,
Oak Park resident Eugene Kraus
files suit with the Czechoslovakian
government to reclaim his family's
land that was confiscated by the
Nazis in 1939.
The Jewish community in
Vienna, made up mostly of former
Soviet Jews, dedicates the first new
synagogue in Vienna in 68 years.

The newly appointed cantor at
Beth Abraham Hillel Moses in
West Bloomfield is Cantor Ben
Zion Lanzner.
Tourism in Israel is suffering a
decline due to the war in Lebanon.

19-
The Anti-Defamation League hon-
ors baseball great Jackie Robinson,
who died Oct. 24, for working to
abolish discrimination and
strengthen relationships between
the black and Jewish communities.

1962
The Chicago Rabbinical Council
seeks Blue Cross-Blue Shield cover-
age for circumcisions.

Meeting at the Dexter-Davison
Jewish Center, approximately 400.
representatives of local Jewish
organizations go on record in sup-
port of kashrut facilities at Sinai
Hospital of Detroit.
Detroiter William Hordes is re-
elected president of the Jewish
National Fund Council of Detroit.

Dr. Abram L. Sa jchar is guest speak-
er as B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation
at the University of Michigan dedi-
cates
at Hill and
Haven streets in Ann Arbor.
Dr. Israel Goldstein, Synagogue
Council of America president,
endorses the proposal of Dr. B.
Benedict Glazer of Temple Beth El to
form a synagogue council comprised
of all religious groups in Detroit.

— Compiled by Holly Teasdle,
archivist, the Leo M Franklin
Archives, Temple Beth El

11/1

2002

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