P«ge2-THE NEWS-January, 1983
Editorial
Spotlighting Federation
A New Year Message
This month marks the fourth anniversary of “The
Charlotte Jewish News” as well as the beginning of a
New Year. In the past four years we have endeavored to
bring members of our Jewish community closer
together by keeping them informed not only to local
happenings but to national and international news. We
have been honored each vear by winning the CJF
Award'for Public Relations in the small-city category.
All this could not have been accomplished without
the cooperation of our sponsoring agencies: Charlotte
Jewish Federation,’ Jewish Community Center, the
Hebrew Academy and now the Foundation. We also
thank our advertisers, without whom, our undertaking
would indeed be a costly venture.
Our paper has grown through the years and hopefully
will continue to do so. However, if this is to be ac
complished, our staff must also grow. We are in dire
need of volunteers in various capacities: layout, pro
ofreading, reporting, advertising, etc. One does not
need expertise in any of the aforementioned categories;
all that is needed is the desire to help. We will be happy
to train people. The work is interesting, rewarding and
“fun”...won’t you join us?
Let us hope that 1983 is a year that will give us peace,
happiness, and good health and prosperity for all.
View From The Israeli Left
By Yitzhak Rabi
(Copyright 1982, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
In the aftermath of the war in Lebanon the Israeli left finds
itself “in deep trouble,” but it is not “altogether dead.” This
is the assessment of Dr. Meir Pa’il, one of the leaders of the
shrinking Israeli left, who was a member of the Knesset bet
ween 1974 and 1980 representing the Sheli Party.
In an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Pa’il
sharply attacked the policies of the Likud government and
what he described as “a growing wave, a dangerous and a
dirty one. a nationalism and racism in Israel directed against
the Arabs and against living in peace with them.’’
He charged that as a result of the war in Lebanon, Israel
has been caught up in “a terrible campaign of incitement’’
against the peace movement by attacking the "peaceniks” as
people "who really do not know what the Mideast is all
about.”
Pa’il, 56, is presently at New York’s Columbia University
as a visiting scholar. A military historian, Pa’il, who has the
rank of Colonel (res.) in the Israeli army, is working on a
book dealing with the character of the Israeli army military
leadership, which he hopes to complete during his one-year
research at Columbia.
Pa’il, in his interview, also charged that after the massacre
of Palestinian civilians in west Beirut by the Christian
Phalangists, the Begin government intensified its "incite
ment” by branding critics of the government as “traitors.”
He said that the attacks on the Israeli left come not only from
government sources but from the Labor Alignment as well.
The Alignment. Pa’il said, points to Sheli and the left
when it is under fire for being against the war in Lebanon.
“We are not against the war, we are not Sheli, we are only
against the massacre,” Pa’il quoted the argument which he
said the Alignment uses. "In these circumstances. Sheli
finds itself between the Likud and Labor which hit it from all
sides,’’ he said. "It is a difficult situation.”
Pa’il conceded that the Israeli left — which he identifies as
Sheli — is a tiny fraction of Israeli society. "But we are not
isolated," he asserted. “We are the most progressive element
in Israel today.” He claimed that there will be no revival of a
socialist movement in Israel as long as the Labor Party is in
tact. “They are the obstacle to the renaissance of the left in
Israel,” he said.
Asked to describe Premier Menachem Begin, Pa’il said:
“He is not a fascist, although he is a radical nationalist on
the verge of being a racist. But I would not say that he is a
racist. However, many racist people can function under his
wing.”
Continuing, Pa’il said: “Begin is the most galuti
(diaspora-minded) leader Israel ever had and by that he
breaks with the atheistic tradition of his own leader, Zeev
Jabotinsky. Begin shows clear signs of a leader of an East
European Jewish community.”
According to Pa’il, the reign of the Likud is “a passing
episode.” He warned, however, that if it proves to be other
wise, "this is the end of Zionism.’’ Asked to explain he said:
“What’s happening in Israel is that the war against the
Arabs is being perpetuated and there is an escalation in the
flight away from egalitarianism and equality. As a result
many people are going to leave Israel while the number of
olim will decrease. Finally. I expect that the galut will take
over Zionism.’’
By Richard A. Klein
Here are some popular
myths usually associated
with your Federation. See
how many you recognize —
and know the correct
responses.
1. “A large number of peo
ple owe sizeable amounts of
money to the Federation.
They pledge big and don’t
pay.”
The truth is, there have
been only two major collec
tion problems in recent
years. A settlement was
reached several weeks ago on
one of those, providing
Federation with a means for
full payment. And a substan
tial amount of the second
debt has recently been paid.
tion. That means we send
more money to the charities
and services Federation sup
ports.
3. “I won’t support the
Federation because the
money goes toward Begin
and Israel’s occupation of
Lebanon.”
UJA money is earmarked
to humanitarian needs m
Israel and are ever-present
regardless of the political
party in power. Children
need schools and schooling.
Refugees need new houses
and jobs. Health needs are
crucial. It matters not
whether Begin or anyone else
is prime minister.
UJA money, of course,
can’t go toward any war ef
fort. UJA money is carefully
m SCALE OF penocRAicy
(mmsioN
Of I/VC^IRV
Beyond those two problems,
the Federation has only a
handful of collection cases.
They are troublesome, but
not of great financial conse
quence.
2. “The Federation (or
UJA) spends way too much
money on administration
and salaries. Moreover, they
won’t tell you the exact
breakdown.”
The Federation’s meetings
— and its books — are open.
A financial report detailing
where the money is and how
it is being allocated is always
presented. The Federation’s
books are audited.
How much is “too much”
concerning salaries is sub
ject to interpretation, but the
Federation helps hold down
costs and salaries by sharing
our executive director,
secretary, phone, office
space, etc. with the Founda-
monitored. Because it goes
toward humanitarian needs,
it is tax deductible.
4. “We shouldn’t give so
much money to Israel
because non-Jews will think
we don’t care about
American needs.”
Several U.S. Senators
have recently told Jewish au
diences that they (the
senators) wouldn’t be as in
clined to vote in favor of
Israel (grants, loans, defense
needs) if they hadn’t seen
such strong support for
Israel among the American
Jewish community. In other
words, a Federation pledge
is a vote for Israel that the
U.S. Congress respects.
Senator Chris Dodd
(Democrat, Connecticut)
most recently confirmed all
this at a Nashville UJA con
ference in late October 1982.
While no one advocates
Across The Editors* Desks
Congrats* To ^^The News**
Congratulations on winn- reciprocate by adding you to
ing the 1982 Council of
Jewish Federations
newspaper .award for ex
cellence.
I would appreciate being
on your mailing list and will
our mailing list.
Susan S. Most
Jewish Federation
Community Council of
Southern Maine
not giving to other causes,
the fact is that the non-
Jewish community —
especially those with
political clout — appreciate
and even admire how Jews
stand up for Israel and local
Jewish needs.
5. “Only the big-givers
control the Federation.”
None of the members of
the 1982 Federation’s Ex
ecutive Board was in the ma
jor gifts category. It’s not so
much that they didn’t want
to be, it’s probably because
they couldn’t afford it...at
least in 1982. The point is.
there is no elite big-money
group controlling the
Federation as some people
argue. The Federation Board
consists of individuals who
are in every gift-giving
category; men, women,
young and old.
6. “The Federation
wouldn’t want me to pledge
something I can’t pay.”
That’s a yes — and a no.
The Federation certainly
isn't asking anyone to pledge
beyond his or her means. By
the same token, a pledge
should be substantial
enough that it’s not possible
to write a check on the spot.
Theoretically, a pledge is
paid for comfortably over a
period of one year.
7. “There’s no reason for a
married woman to pledge
anything if the husband
makes and spends all the
money.”
This is a highly personal
issue, but a housewife is a
"working woman.’’ If she
wishes to make a statement
(financial commitment) on
behalf of the Federa
tion/Israel. she should.
Even a "token” pledge,
regardless of the amount, is
understood and appreciated
by the charities, services and
Israel. It, the pledge, is a
way of the individual saying
“I care.”
8. “I don’t want anyone to
solicit me personally
because I detest being
pressured.”
Most members of the
Charlotte Jewish community
would be hard put to find
any “high-pressured” cam
paigners. For the most part,
our solicitors are volunteers
anxious only to convey the
current needs and mutually
decide the proper pledge for
1983. These are decent people
taking time from work and
home who have nothing to
gain but performing the
mitzvah of serving Jews in
distress or need. They cer
tainly have nothing to gain
by “pressuring” anyone, but
they will politely discuss the
new commitment.
9. “If I increase my pledge
this year, you’ll want still
more money next year!”
Probably. This one is no
myth, but simple reality.
The needs remain. It is our
privilege to be in a position
to help others. It is our gift
from G-d to support an Israel
that lives. May we always be
in a position to do what we
are able.
For more answers to those
questions in your mind,
please call your Federation
at 366-0358.