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Page 2-THE NEWS^August 1990 THE CHARLOTTE JEWISH NEWS P.O. Box 13369, Charlotte, NC 28270 Published monthly by: Charlotte Jewish Federation .... Michael L. Minkin, Director Foundation of Charlotte Jewish Community & Jewish Community Center Barry Hantman, Director Lubavitch of N.C Rabbi Yossi Groner, Director Editor Rita Mond Advertising Asst Blanche Yarus Editorial Board Joel Goldman, Chair Phil Joffe, Marcia Simon, Dr. Selwyn Spangenthal, Ron Weiner, Barry Wohl, Barbara Ziegler Copy deadline the 10th of each month The CJN docs act aM«ne retpoasibilitv for the qoaiity or kashmth of aay prodnct or service advertised. Pabiishias of a paid political advertisemeat does aot coastitnte aa eadorseaieat of aay caadidate, political party or political positioa by this aewspaper, the Federation or aay employees. Fund-raising Bodies Will Speed Up Campaign for Immigrant Absorption Editorial Nelson Mandela — Charismatic and Contradictory By Marc H. Tanenbaum (JTA) The dramatic visit of Nelson Mandela to the United States has been nothing short of a triumph of personality over political ideology. Mandela is a natural aristocrat, with genuine charismatic power. His gifts of persuasive communica tion lifted up the justice of the anti-apartheid struggle to new levels of awareness and commitment for all of us. And that is a great and positive good. But, I regret to say, his charisma does not resolve some basic and troubling contradictions in his political ideology. Thus, Mandela’s consistent support of Colonel Moammar Gadhafi, Fidel Castro and the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Yasir Arafat is morally distressing to most Americans, I believe, as to Jews. The overwhelming support of the anti-apartheid campaign rests on its clear-cut and unambiguous moral foundations — the establishment of human rights and assurance of civil and political liberties: Gadhafi, Castro and the PLO in their extensive support of international terrorists are among the worst violators of human rights in the world today. It would be an historic tragedy if the compelling struggle to dismantle the evil apartheid system became compromised by continued association with these terrorist factories. When asked repeatedly about those radical connec tions, Mandela misleadingly said that he would not interfere in the internal affairs of those countries, nor of any other country. But without batting an eyelash, he proceeded to thrust himself into the internal affairs of Israel by proposing what her borders should be, and supporting the PLO version of the peace process. While declaring his friendship for the Jewish people, Mandela warmly acknowledged during his meeting in New York with religious leaders the support of Christian and Muslim leaders in the anti-apartheid struggle. Not a mention of Jewish support. Mandela and the African National Congress appear to be changing their views on a Marxist economy for South Africa. Perhaps that new flexibility and realism may yet lead in time to a change in positions on Israel and the Middle East realities as well. In any case. Nelson Mandela is clearly a major international personality and Jews would be wise to continue to cuhivate his understanding. Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum is international relations consultant to the American Jew ish Committee and is immediate past chairman of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations. Letters to The Editor We encourage our readers’ viewpoints. Letters should be submitted typewritten and double-spaced and signed. Please include your address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit. By Charles Hoffman JERUSALEM (JTA) — Leaders of the major fund raising organizations of world Jewry have agreed to accelerate their campaign to help Israel meet the costs of absorbing the rapidly rising tide of immigrants from the Soviet Union. Diaspora leaders who ga thered here the end of June for the Jewish Agency Assembly laid the groundwork for a $1 billion campaign over three years for the absorption of close to half a million Soviet Jews in Israel. Their decision came in re sponse to urgent appeals for more cash from the Jewish Agency, which works in partner ship with the Israeli government to transport the immigrants and absorb them in Israeli society. Last fall, the Jewish Agency asked Diaspora fund-raising bodies to raise $600 million over three years for immigrant ab sorption. The United Jewish Appeal agreed to raise $420 million in the United States and Keren Hayesod agreed to raise $180 million from other coun tries, in what became known as Operation Exodus. The campaign, which was begun early this year, set out to raise the full amount in just one year, but donors would have three years to pay out their pledged contributions. Leaders of UJA and Keren Hayesod agreed to urge their donors to pay off their Opera tion Exodus pledges over two years, thereby making $300 million a year available to the Jewish Agency, rather than $200 million. The plan is then to begin a new special drive once the cur rent one is completed. Already Talk of Exodus II “We are now in the midst of what we call Operation Exodus I. People will yet be called on for increased giving in Exodus II,” said Phil Granovsky, a United Israel Appeal leader from Canada who chairs Keren Hayesod. “When we get home,” he said, “we have to set the mood for the Pya Vi4 Sodom hdQomormh peals ' JT^© FYI: Israeli Cabinet On June 11, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir succeeded in winning approval of a new government in Israel after the unity government between Labour and Likud failed in March. The Cabinet members represent five different parties and include an Independent. The Knesset approved the coalition by a vote of 62 to 57 with one abstention, Avraham Verdiger of Agudat Yisrael. The new ministers, their departments and their parties are: Yitzhak Shamir, Prime Minister, Likud. This is the fourth term as Prime Minister for the 75-year-old Shamir. David Levy, Deputy Premier and Foreign Affairs, Likud. Moshe Nissim, Deputy Premier, Industry and Trade, Likud. Moshe Arens, Defense, Likud. This is the second shot at defense (1983) for the 65-year-old Arens. Yitzhak Modai, Finance, Likud. Modai was instrumental in economic rehabilitation in 1984. Ariel Sharon, Housing, Likud. Now in charge of Soviet resettlement. Dan Meridor, Justice, Likud. Ronni Milo, Police, Likud. David Magen, Economics and Planning, Likud. Ehud Olmert, Health, Likud. Gideon Patt, Tourism, Likud. Yitzhak Peretz, Immigrant Absorption, Independent. Former minister of Interior. Arye Deri, Interior, Shas.* Rafael Pinhasi, Communications, Shas.* Zevulun Hammer, Education and Culture, National Religious Party.* Education minister under Begin. Avner Shaki, Religious Affairs, National Religious Party.* Yuval Ne'eman, Science and Energy, Tehiya* (party founder). Rafael Eitan, Agriculture, Tsomet.* * Religious Parties Deadline for September's Issue Aug. 10 next stage of the campaign. It is urgent to prepare people for this.” He said the Jewish Agency would need $1 billion over the next three years. Agency and government lead ers agreed on a $2.3 billion plan for the aliyah and absorption of 150,000 Soviet Jews in Israel this year. It is estimated that similar numbers of Soviet Jews will be coming to Israel each year over the next three years. The agency pays transporta tion and shipping costs for the immigrants, part of an absorp tion grant they receive during their first year in Israel, and certain social services for new comers. Israeli taxpayers will be ex pected to pay most of the costs of long-term absorption, which means primarily job creation and housing. The Israeli govern ment must also build new schools and expand the infra structure to cope with the added population. The chairman of the Jewish Agency Board of Governors, Mendel Kaplan, said that be cause of the upsurge in immi gration, the agency has doubled its budget this year from $360 million to $740 million, “with most of it going for aliyah and absorption.” He lauded Diaspora leaders for contributing generously to help the Jewish Agency meet the ensuing cash shortfall. Noting that UIA-Canada had agreed to borrow $30 million to help fill the gap, Kaplan said, “Both individuals and commu nities are borrowing funds to pay campaign pledges. They are extending themselves in peace time, which is unheard of.” Government to Pay Larger Share Agency leaders admitted, however, that even if cash re ceipts from Operation Exodus rise this year from $200 million, as originally planned, to $300 million, the agency will still not be able to pay its previous share of absorption costs. Simcha Dinitz, chairman of the Jewish Agency Executive, said the agency has asked the government to pick up a larger share of the initial absorption grant provided to the immi grants. Until now, the agency and the government have split the cost evenly. The agency now wants to reduce its share to 25 percent, with the government picking up the rest. Finance Minister Yitzhak Modai urged delegates at the Jewish Agency Assembly to reduce services in their own communities, borrow funds and make cuts in other areas of agency activity, so that more Diaspora funds would be avail able for aliyah and absorption. But Kaplan said that the willingness of Diaspora leaders to launch a new phase of the Operation Exodus campaign would depend in part on pro gress made in Israel by October, when the Jewish Agency Board of Governors next convenes. “The credibility of the govern ment is linked to what happens on the ground,” Kaplan said. “If there is no housing or job creation, our task will be more difficult.”
The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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