Newspapers / The Charlotte Jewish News … / Dec. 1, 1983, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page 2-THE NEWS-December. 1963 Scientific Study Measures Attitudes Toward Israel A new scientific study of the attitudes of American Jews toward the State of Israel has been released by the American Jewish Committee. The study, which was conducted by E^. Steven Cohen of Queens Col lege, indicates that American Jewish support for Israel is as strong — or stronger — than ever and that “broad psychic attachment to Israel” is wide ly felt. Dr. Cohen’s technique in producing the survey was to use “distinctive Jewish names” from the telephone book. Thus, his research was not confined to those Jews who are synagogue members or givers to the United Jewish Appeal. He was able to create a fairly representative sample of American Jews — some of whom affiliate with Jewish organizations and some of whom do not. Cohen*s Findings American Jews are strongly attached to and interested in Israel; 93% “pay special atten tion to newspaper and magazine articles about Israel”; 77% agree with the statement: “If Israel were destroyed I would feel as if I had suffered one of the greatest po*sonal tragedies in my life.” One of the survey’s more surprising findings is that ful ly 40% of U.S. Jews have visited Israel at least once; 17% have visited more than once. There are also strong per sonal ties; 34% have fai^y in Israel; 35% have Mends there; 17% have “seriously con sidered” moving to Israel themselves. The report has dear political implications; candidates who are suspected of not being sup portive of Israel can write off the Jewish community; 73% of those surveyed agree that “Jews should not vote for can didates unfriendly to Isreal.” Almost a third have “in the past 12 months contributed money to a political candidate because he/she would support Israel.” Other Areas The survey delves into other areas of Jewish conunitment as well. It finds that the most popular Jewish practice is to attend a Passover seder (89% do); 77% light Chanukah candles; 59% fast on Yom Kippur. American Jews—like their brethren in Israel— are divid ed over particular Israeli politicians and policies. But over Israel’s security itself, there is consensus. Steve Cohen puts it this way: “In brief, broad psychic attach ment to Israel is still widely felt among American Jews...The findings suggest little or no erosion in the most fervent and passionate sup port for Israel. Caring for Israel still ranks with atten ding a Passover seder and lighting Chanukah candles as among the most popular and widespread contemporary ex pression of American Jewish commitment.” Comparing Coverage Dr. Rita Simon, Dean of Justice at Washington’s American University, recently completed an analysis of press coverage of two Lebanon wars: the 1975-6 civil war and the 1982 Israeli operation against the PLO. Simon’s fin dings are summarized in the Fall 1983 Middle East Review, the journal of the American Academic Assocation for Peace in the Middle East. Simon examined coverage in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, and Los Angeles Times. She found that “events in the Israel-Lebanon war were twice as likely to draw editorial at tention than were those that occurred during the dvil war; and three times as many col umnists devoted space to the events in the Israel-Lebanon conflict as they did to those in the dvil war.” Among the news magazines “the three major weeklies. Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report, were anti Israel” from the start of the 1982 war. “They disparag ed suggestions that they, and the media, generally, exag gerated the bloodiness of the Israeli attack and were biased in their coverage of the war...The New Republic on the left and the National Review on the right, along with the Wall Street Journal, were the most pro-lsrael of all 14 publications surveyed.” The Simon study confirms the findings of other analyses of Middle Est media coverage. Her conclusion is dismal. She expects, no change in the m^a’s slant and predicts that—in the future as in the past—’’...the PLO, Jordan, and ...even S}rria will be por trayed as victims or under dogs in need of U.S. support and patience.” —M.J.R. Jewisit Camps Offer Variety NEW YORK, N.Y. - It began with the grateful words of a Jewish mother: “It was just what she needed. The ‘growth’ she experienced while at camp was phenomenal and she came home wit an entire ly new outlook on life and an appreciation of her Jewishness...now she is begg ing me to let her enroll again next year.’ This from the mother of a first-timer at a Jewish com munal camp where, besides swimming, playing ball and so on, some 850 boys and girls discovered and affirmed theri identity as Jews. Jewish communal csmips, conducted by Jewish Federa tion and Jewish Community Centers, are living, creative “Jewish communities” where campers not only enjoy all the traditional activities of camp ing but, in addition, experience Jewish life on a daily basis, and thereby enhance the quali ty of Jewish life the year round. The Jewish experience at four Jewish communal camps are described in the “Jewish Camping” theme section of the just published JWB Circle, Fall, 1983 edition. “I know what an enormous impact my Jewish experiences at Camp Wise had on my life,” writes Camp Wise Director Scott Brown. “It is my aim to reach other youngsters in the same way.” Shabbat is a highlight at Camp Wise, the resident camp of the Cleveland JCC. Themes include Jewish holidays, Jewish life cycles, the Diaspora and Israel. The preparations and celebrations are described in “The Jewish Experience at Camp Wise,” a look at this country camp in Ohio. Surprise Lake Camp, at Cold Spring, N.Y., a beneficiary of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, has had a lasting impact on its campers during its 81 years of significant life. It now has more Jewish- oriented activities than ever, and the addition of its Israeli staff has been a tremendous cultural force. The camp is one of the oldest, largest and most eminent Jewish camps in America. Camps also serve as support systems for youngsters who have a hard time relating to other children or who find it Greenspon- tive on the behalf of the BBYO and Hebrew Academy. Mrs. Greenspon is the founder and first president of the Charlotte Chapter of Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. In other business, recom mendations of the Allocations committee were reviewed and final allocations of the $777,000 raised in the 1983 Campaign were determined. Sixty percent of the money was earmarked for United Jewish Appeal distribution to Jews and Jewish communities around the world and in Israel. The remaining $312,000, an all-time high, was allocated to meet the needs of local, regional and national Jewish institutions and organizations. Included were the JCC, From Page 1 Hebrew Academy, Blumen- thal Home, BBYO, Adi and Federation Sodal l^rvices. Most of the 19 members who recently returned from the five-day General Assembly of Federation held in Atlanta were at the meeting. More than 3,500 Jewish leaders from the United States and around the world attended. For Charlotte, the culmination of the intensive conference, which examined every aspect of Jewish life, came when Charlotte was presented with the WiUiam J. Schroeder Award for Community Ex cellence for the Charlotte Pro ject. Secretary of State George Schultz was in attendence for that presentation. Super Sunday- This kind of one-day drive has been a major success in communities aroimd the na tion including our neighboring From Page 1 Greensboro,” Shreibman said. “We feel it will be welcomed in Chaiiotte by those we call on.” difficult following routines or directions. “A Special Camp for Spedal Needs” tells of the success of Round Lake Camp — the newest service of the New Jersey Y Camps, located at Lake Como, Pa., in the Poconos. Hanukkah Lights Military NEW YORK, N.Y. — Hanukkah lights will be bright this year for U.S. Jewish military personnel, their families and patients in VA hospitals, thanks to the contributions received by JWB’s Women’s Organizations’ Services and the efforts of Jewish chaplains and lay leaders. In response to hundreds of requests from chaplains and lay leaders throughout the continental U.S., on ships at sea, and installations in Germany, Japan, Hawaii, England, Italy, and Korea, JWB shipped thousands of holiday gift items far enough in advance so that they would arrive in time for the Festival of the Lights. JWB carefully selected these Hanukkah gifts to help people far from where they normally live create a Jewish ambiance in their temporary homes. The selection included Hanukkah gelt, drddlach, mezuzot, menorot, candles, spiceboxes, pendants, pen sets, Israeli stationery, Jewish holiday books, alphabet blocks and other specially selected items for children. Sisterhoods, JWB Serve-a-Conunittees, Jewish Community Centers and individuals generously contributed funds to JWB’s Women’s Organizations’ Services earmarked for Hanukkah packages for Jews in the military and in VA hospitals. “When one is stationed in not only a remote country in distance but in Jewish atmosphere as well, a Jewish gift from ‘home’ means so much,” one Jewish chaplain wrote JWB, ex pressing a typical reaction of other chaplains and lay leaders to the Hanukkah gifts received. JWB is the U.S. government-accredited agency that provides religious, Jewish educational, and morale services to Jews in the armed forces, their families and hospitalized veterans on behalf of the American Jewish community. More than 4,000 Hanukkah gift items have been shipped by JWB to Jewish military personnel in the US. Armed Forces, their families and patients in VA hospitals. The gifts were made possible through JWB*s Women’s Organizations’ Services and transmitted through the JWB Commission on Jewish Chaplaincy. Assembling Hanukkah kits in JWB’s Production Department are (left to right): Rabbi David Lapp, director, JWB Commission on Jewish Chaplaincy: Michael Vecchiollo, super visor, JWB’s Production Department; Shara R. Gillman, administrative coordinator, CJQ and Ulysses Doyle, Production Department staff. JWB Photo by Camera Arts
The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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