xt7ht727dj6h https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7ht727dj6h/data/mets.xml Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Kentucky Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass 1987-09 Newsletter of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, previously named the Central Kentucky Jewish Association and Central Kentucky Jewish Federation. The Federation seeks to bring Jewish community members together through holiday parties, lectures, Yiddish courses, meals, and other celebrations of Jewish heritage and culture. They also host fundraisers and provide financial assistance for Jews in need, both locally and around the world. newsletters  English Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records Jews -- Kentucky -- Lexington Jews -- History Central Kentucky Jewish Federation newsletter, September 1987, volume 10 number 6 text Central Kentucky Jewish Federation newsletter, September 1987, volume 10 number 6 1987 1987-09 2020 true xt7ht727dj6h section xt7ht727dj6h  

CK3§XJF

 

 

 

VOL. X

SHALOM
LEXINGTON

Once again CKJF coordinated “Shalom
Lexington”, a fall social event for
newcomers to the Central Kentucky Jewish
community. Co-hosted by area Jewish
organizations, this year’s "Shalom“ took
place Sunday afternoon, August 30 at
Carnahan House.

Representatives from the following
organizations were on hand with warm
greetings: B’nai B’rith, CKJF, Lexington
Chapter of Hadassah, Lexington Havurah,
Hillel, LEXTY (Temple Youth), Dhavay Zion
Synagogue and its Sisterhood, Temple Adath
Israel, its Brotherhood, Sisterhood and
Mitzvah Corps, U.K. Faculty Association on
Jewish Affairs, and Young Judaea.

Entertainment was again provided by
Larry, Harold and Marianne Sherman.

_ ‘f we" _
Xx" ”3““ F
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@omfiral
Kemfiueky
Jewlesh
Fodorafon

SEPTEMBER 1987

NO. 6

Send Rosh Hashonah
Greetings to Refwseniks

This year start the Jewish New Year off
American style -— make a new year’s
resolution! But make it a special one,
make a Rosh Hashonah resolution to begin
correspondence with a Soviet Jewish
Refusenik family.

As you continue the time honored
tradition of sending Rosh Hashonah greet-
ings to close family and friends, won’t
you consider extending this bit of warmth
to a refusenik family? Names and address-
es have appeared in the Bulletin over the
past year, and many of you, with excellent
intentions, have clipped these and put
them aside. Now is the time to start your
correspondence; now is the time for you to
resolve to take a few minutes periodically
to let a refusenik family know that your
thoughts are with them.

The following addresses have appeared
in the CKJF Bulletins over the past year.
we suggest that you choose a family or
individual for this list so that we can
concentrate our efforts.

Aleksey Magarik (male)

Rusahovskaya 87-88

Moscow 107113

RSFSR, USSR

occupation: cellist

status: prisoner of conscience & refusenik

continued ...................... on page 8

 

  

fietdsaixs continued

Valeria & Anatoly Levitin

Sumskaya 73/137

Kharkov 310083

Ukrainian SSR, USSR

occupations: Valeria—ophthalmologist
Anatoly-economist & engineer

daughter, Elena, 1?

status: refusenik since 1979

Aleksandr Lerner

Dmitry Ulanova 4-8-328
Moscow 117333

RSFSR, USSR

occupation: noted scientist
daughter, Sonya in Israel
status: refusenik since 1971

Anatoly and Alla Goldberg

Sofijskaya 48/1/37

Leningrad 196836

RSFSR, USSR

occupations: Anatoly-computer scientist
Alla—librarian

son, Boris, 1?

status: refusenik since 1979

Letter Writing Tips

* Write regularly to a refusenik family

* Number your letters and send them
registered mail

* Avoid political topics, direct mention
of Israel, and the names of Zionist
organizations

* Send greetings on Jewish holidays

* Answer return letters promptly

* Report topics of special nature to the
CKJF office (i.e., illness, arrest,
harassment, etc.) for forwarding to
activist organizations

we are especially pleased to report
that one family, Alexandra & Mark Leylnov
and daughter Naomi, who we were about to
list here, are now living in Israel.

 

 

Administrator Linda Rawin
Reports From Institute

In June, I was fortunate to have
participated in the Small Cities
Executives Institute which this year was
held in Jerusalem.

Held under the auspices of the Council
of Jewish Federations, the program was a
very intensive one, concentrating
primarily on the Jewish AgenCy. Bur
seminar leader was Dr. Daniel Elazar of
the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs,
which has published many of the materials
available on the Jewish Agency, its
history, functions and relationship with
both Israel and the Diaspora.

we were addressed by Howard Heisband,
Secretary General of the Board of
Governors of the Jewish Agency and had a
lunch meeting with Charles Hoffman of the
Jerusalem Post, who has been writing
controversial articles on the Jewish
Agency.

The timing of our Institute was well
arranged so that we were able to
participate in both the Pre-Assembly
Seminar and the Jewish Agency Assembly
itself, in addition to our own Institute.
The focus of the Pre-Assembly Seminar was
”Judaism in the Jewish State: The
Challenge of Religious Pluralism”.

He met with Rabbi David Hartman,
Director of the Shalom Hartman Institute
and had an animated discussion with Rabbi
Yedidya Atlas representing the office of
the Chief Rabbinate. A lunch panel was
arranged at the impressive new complex of
the World Union for Progressive Judaism.

On Shabbat we were fortunate to hear
the views of author Amos 02 on religious
pluralism. Immediately after Shabbat we
were challenged by the Views of Rabbi Zui
Hirsch representing Neturei Karta which
does not recognize Israel as the ”Jewish
State”.

I was able to visit Netanya Sela and
spent a morning seeing the facilities and
the improvements in our Project Renewal
community and having the opportunity to
speak with the neighborhood residents and
workers.

This was my first trip to Israel. It
was exhilarating, frustrating, and
extremely rewarding. I say frustrating

because my tOuring time was nonexistent.
I managed to spend 10 days in Israel and
really not see Israel at all. I have
vowed to myself and my family that the
next trip to Israel should be a family one
and in the very near future.

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Plan now for your next trip to Israel,
and be more than just a tourist. The
United Jewish Appeal has announced its
1988 schedule of Israel Missions, missions
that cater to families, students and
singles.

What are UJA Missions? Each mission
brings together a group of people for an
Israel tour that combines sightseeing with
lectures, discussions and visits to sites
well off the beaten tourist path. These
are tours for supporters of Israel who
want to see the UJA at work in Israel.

Tentative Mission Calendar

1&2

AOth Anniversary Mission II ($10,000
minimum) Sept. 9-18

40th Anniversity Mission III ($10,000
minimum) Oct. 18-88

Fall Study Mission ($1500 minimum)
Nov. 2-11

Winter Family Mission, Dec. 24-Jan. 3

1.15152

Jan. 17—85 — $2500 Minimum Outreach
Jan. 29—31 — Winter Presidents’
Feb. 1—11 — Winter Singles

Feb. 8-17 - Region V Outreach

Feb. BS—Mar. 9 - Region IV Outreach
Feb. 88-Mar. 11— UJA Allocations

Mar. 13-83 — Region III & 1 Outreach
Mar. 13-83 - Mature Singles

Apr. 17-87 - Yom Ha’atzmaut Outreach
June 19-89 - Summer Family Mission
July 10—89 - Summer Family Mission
July 3-13 - Summer Singles Mission
Aug. lA-EA - Summer Singles Mission
Oct. 16-86 - Fall Study Mission

Nov. 6-16 - Fall Study Mission

Dec. 88-Jan. 1 — Winter Family Mission
Dec. 27—Jan. A — Winter Students Mission

For information on any of the above
missions, call the CKJF office at
606-858-7682.

 

Israel Celebrates

A rededication to basic values will be
the theme of Israel’s 40th anniversary
celebrations in Israel and abroad, accord-
ing to Asher Naim, Minister of Information
of the Israeli Embassy. Festivities will
begin in September and culminate on April
21, Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence
Day.

”We have had our difficulties in the
past year, but now we must concentrate on
our sense of destiny and purpose,” said
Naim.

In Israel, schools, universities and
the media Will focus on the principles of
liberty, justice and peace as embodied in
the state’s Declaration of Independence.
A national ceremony will be held on
Independence Day in which citizens will
sign a symbolic Declaration of Indepen-
dence.

Throughout the United States, anniver-
sary committees are planning theatrical
events, marches, festivals and concerts.
According to Naim, three themes will
dominate: the meaning of Israel,
Israeli-U.S. ties and Israel-diaspora
relations.

Reprinted from Near East Re ort, July 87,
1987.

 

Samye and Norman Auerback
invite you to join them when their son
HICAH LOUIS
is called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah
Saturday, September 12, 1987
10:30 in the morning
at Temple Adath Israel.

Luncheon immediately following services.

Micah will symbolically share this
occasion with Roma Avadiaiev of Derbent,
Soviet Union

 

 

 

 

  

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Dear

Editor’s Note: The following letter was
recently brought to the attention of the
CKJF Community Relations Committee. He
share it with you here.

July 31, 1987

I would like to apologize to the Jewish
community and to dissociate myself and our
church from the recurring statement made
by one Bailey Smith, former president of
the Southern Baptist Convention. Several
weeks ago the Reverend Dr. Smith
reaffirmed his statement of several years
ago: ”God does not hear the prayers of
Jews“. V

It is our opinion that the Creator of
the universe will not be limited by the
Reverend Dr. Smith as to whom she/he will
hear. It is also our opinion that such
prejudice is not consistent with the
application of the Faith which we affirm.

We hope that you understand that in the
Baptist tradition, no one person speaks
for another Baptist, and certainly not for
Central Baptist Church. There are times
when some Baptists speak in words that are
repugnant and unacceptable to us. We
further plea not to be judged by the
words of Mr. Smith. Central is proud of
our past cooperation, acceptance and work
with the Jewish community. We also
acknowledge that our Faith was birthed and
is maintained in the Old Testament
scriptures and influenced by Jewish
tradition.

We believe that God heard the prayers
of Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets and
all the people of the Old Testament
period, all the prayers of the Jewish
people since then, as well as the prayers
of the Jews today. He also believe God
heard the prayers of Jesus, who was a Jew.

Ne offer to you, who share the common
expression of God in our lives and the
ultimate goal of humankind, our
affirmation of you as people of God.

We apologize for this deliberate
display of prejudice by one who happens to
be Southern Baptist. we assure you that
that statement does not speak for us and
neither do we believe it speaks for the
majority of Southern Baptists.

Sincerely,
J. Spurgeon Hays
Senior Minister

 

 

Sephardic Music
Highlight of l:‘-ues’t Recital

"I

can Clot . ‘1:

Spanish soprano Sofia Noel and guitar—
ist Redrio Elias will perform a recital of
traditional Sephardic and Spanish Songs on
Sunday afternoon, October 4 at 3:00 in the
Recital Hall of the U.K. Singletary Center
for the Arts on the corner of Rose and
Euclid.

Co—sponsored by CKJF and the U.K.
departments of Spanish and Music, this
performance is free and open to the
public.

Noel and Elias have recorded on the
Phillips, Telefunken, and RCA labels and
have given over 350 recitals in the U.S.
and abroad over the past four years.

Bring the family to this afternoon
concert of music stemming from the Jewish
tradition, and show your support of the
CKJF’s efforts to bring quality cultural
events to Lexington.

Coalition for Alternatives
in Jewish Education
Regional Conference

The Cleveland Bureau of Jewish Educa—
tion has scheduled its first mini—CAJE
Conference for the weekend of November 14
and 15. In addition to five workshop
periods, with a choice of 25 simultaneous
sessions, the conference includes a fully
staffed Teacher Resource Center and
exhibitors from many national publishers.
The keynote speaker for the conference is
Harold Himmelfarb of Ohio State Universi-
ty’s Department of Sociology. He will
address the issue of the impact of changes
in contemporary American Jewish society on
the work of the
Jewish teacher.

Schedule: Saturday, Nov. 14, B p.m. —
concert at the College of Jewish Studies;
26500 Shaker Blvd., Beachwood, Ohio;
Sunday, Nov. 15 — Orange High School 8
a.m. registration and tefillah; 9 am -
5:30 pm - workshops.

A $85 fee includes the conference,
kosher meals and a ticket to the concert.
Home hospitality will be available for
out—of—towers. Call (216) 371‘0446 for
further information or call CKJF Adminis—
trator Linda Ravvin (858-7688) to find out
about others from this area going.

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Asohkenasy to Speak at TEN‘U‘JQ

“4.1.;

Nehama Aschkenasy. noted author and
lecturer, will speak on two literary
topics in Temple Adath Israel’s fall
Keynote Speaker Program on Sunday evening,
September 13 at the Temple.

“Eve’s Journey: Feminine Images of
Hebraic Literary Images” is the topic for
an informal presentation from 5:15 to 7:30
p.m. and will be accompanied by a
dairy/vegetarian potluck dinner.

To participate in this dinner, RSVP to
the Temple office (869—8979) by September
10.

A formal presentation, ”Between Victim
and Hero: Literary Images of the Jew”,
will take place from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. and
a reception will follow.

Dr. Aschkenasy is a professor of
English literature at the University of
Connecticut at Stanford and is the Direc-
tor of Program of Judaic Studies and
Middle Eastern Affairs. Her recent book.
Eve’s Journey: Feminine Images in Hebraic
Literary Images (Univ. Penn. Press. 1986),
explores the female role in literature
from ancient times to modern times and is
the topic for her informal dinner presen-
tation.

The evening of programs sponsored by
Temple Adath Israel is free of charge and
open to the public.

Central KY Jewish Singles

Alone on Rosh Hashanah? CKJS will meet at
a pm, Ned., Sept. 23 at Smitty’s Restau-
rant (in Chevy Chase) for a ore-services
dinner. Make reservations by calling Brad
Hacker at 871-4783 before

Mon., Sept. 81.

Interested in a monthly discussion group?
Contact Nancy Sethi (878—1181). Meetings
will be held at TAI the first Tuesday of
each month beginning Sept. 1 at 8 pm.
Suggested reading is "The Road Less
Traveled” by Scott Peck.

Don’t like to attend services alone? Come
the second Friday of each month to TAI and
CKJS members will be there to worship with
you. For more information call Dana
Monahan (878-9841).

 

News From Unavav Zion Sisterhood

Dhavay Zion Sisterhood will welcome all
new members to their organization on
Tuesday, September 15 at 8 p.m. at the
home of Susan Caller. Kate Fisher will
speak on ”The Art of Tapestry Making“.

DZS Sisterhood again invites all
members of the Central Kentucky Jewish
community to send their Rosh Hashonah
greetings to the entire community through
the Sisterhood’s annual greetings book.
To place an add please call Janice Brock
at 269—4030 or Rolene Berk at 866—7185.

Ohavay Zion Sisterhood Fund Raiser
Raffle grand prize, ”A Downtown Getaway",
has been announced by Sisterhood President
Sue Ezrine. The prize includes a
candlelight dinner, one night’s lodging
and breakfast (all for two) at the Gratz
Park Inn.

The drawing will take place Nov. 7.
The tax-deductable donation/ticket of $5
is available through the Synagogue office
or by calling Sue at 899-4404.

Temple Sisterhood Opens Year

Temple Adath Israel Sisterhood will
begin the year at 18:00 p.m. Wednesday,
September 16 for a luncheon at the Temple.
Dr. Mike Nichols, Director of Counseling
and Testing at U.K., will be their guest
speaker.

On Sunday, Sept. 80 TAI Sisterhood will
welcome all newcomers at a ”Nine and
Cheese” event in the Temple auditorium
beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Synagogue Dedication

Dhavay Zion Synagogue will formally
dedicate the new structure on Sunday,
Sept. 13 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at 8048
Edgewater Court. Community members who
facilitated the construction will be
honored along with a cornerstone ceremony
and dedication of the Rabbi Bernard Schwab
Education wing. There will be guest
speakers and refreshments served. All
members of the community are invited to
attend.

 

  

Good News, Bad News

Editor’s Note: The following is reprinted
from the Near East Re ort, July 80, 1987.

A soviet consular delegation arrived in
Israel last week for the first official
visit since Moscow broke relations with
Jerusalem after the 1967 Six—Day War.
Ostensibly, the purpose of the trip was to
survey Russian church property and check
on the status of Soviet passport holders
living in Israel.

However, the Finnish embassy -- which
has handled Moscow’s affairs in Israel for
the past 20 years -— could have attended

to these matters routinely. The real
reason for the visit seems to be
Gorbachev’s desire to increase
Soviet-Israeli contacts. A recently
expressed interest by Hungary in estab-
lishing a low-level diplomatic office in
Israel similar to that opened by Poland
last year is part of the pattern. Neither
Budapest nor Narsaw would have acted
without clearance from Moscow.

That is the good news. The bad news
was noted a few days earlier. Morris
Abram, chairman of the National Conference
on Soviet Jewry, called Gorbachev’s hints
that thousands of Jews would be allowed to
emigrate soon "blandishments and soft
soap” meant to cover an increasingly
repressive policy.

This spring Abram and Edgar Bronfman of
the world Jewish Congress had voiced
optimism after meetings with Russian
officials. They suggested that the
Kremlin’s lasnost, [opennessl reforms
heralded a large increase in Soviet Jewish
emigration and a.decrease in cultural and
religious repression of Jewish life inside
the Soviet Union. But now Abram says ”I
must conclude that lasnost, as far as the
Jewish population is concerned, at best
doesn’t exist and at worst is a fraud."

Although emigration is up from the
trickle of recent years, it remains well
below the record levels of the late
1970’s. While some well—know refuseniks
are being granted emigration visas (Yuli
Edelstein flew to Israel at almost the
same time as the consular delegation), the
Soviets are not accepting new applications
and would-be emigrants face tighter

 

requirements. The Kremlin, Abram said,
intends to pressure "the great majority of
Soviet Jews to give up their hopes of
leaving and accept their fate as typical
cookie~cutter Soviet men and women rather
than people with their own religious and
cultural identity.” Abram’s gloomy
assessment accords with the views ex—
pressed to Egg by several recent Soviet
emigrants in Jerusalem last month.

A restoration of diplomatic relations
with Israel and greatly increased Soviet
Jewish emigration are two standards by
which both Washington and Jerusalem have
said they will judge Moscow’s intention to
play a constructive role in Middle East
diplomacy. Specifically, they are the
price of admission if the Soviets want to
join the United States in convening a
regional peace conference.

Gorbachev has gotten a lot of mileage
out of remarks he made during a dinner for
visiting Syrian dictator Hafez Assad
several months ago. The general Secretary
pointed out that it was unnatural for his
country not to have diplomatic relations
with Israel, and that Jerusalem’s concern
for Soviet Jews was understandable. The
activities of the Soviet consular delega-
tion -- and Kremlin policies toward its
Jewish citizens -- will reveal the reality
behind the rhetoric.

UPDATE
PERES; SHEVARDNADZE TO MEET

New York (JTA) - Israeli Foreign
Minister Shimon Peres is scheduled to meet
with Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard
Shevardnadze here at the end of September,
diplomatic sources disclosed.

The two officials will meet while
attending the UN General Assembly which is
to open Sept. 21. Peres is scheduled to
arrive in New York on Sept. 28, after Rosh
Hashanah.

The Soviet Unon severed its diplomatic
relations with Israel during the 1967
Six—Day War and has not restored them
since. According to sources, Peres and
Shevardnadze will discuss Soviet—Israel
relations; an inernational conference on
Mideast peace; and the situation of Soviet
Jews.

Reprinted from American Israelite, Aug.
13, 1987.

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Aug.

N. American Jewish Leaders
Apprise Israeli Leaders of Sentiment
on "Who’s a Jew“ Issue

Over the past year, the leadership of
the Council of Jewish Federations has
discussed at length the repeated attempts
made in Israel to amend the Law of Return,
or to otherwise legally redefine ”who is a
Jew“. The following statement on reli-
gious pluralism and letter to Prime
Minister Shamir reflect the consensus of
the CJF’s General Assembly on how to
handle this issue and how to make the
opinions of North American diaspora Jews
known.

Religious Pluralism

we take note of the 1988 Report of the
CJF Committee on Religious Issues in
Israel approved by the General Assembly.
This report recommends that, because of
the lack of formal consensus at the time
and appropriateness to CJF’s agenda, CJF
take no formal position on religious
issues in Israel; at the same time the
Report underscores CJF’s responsibilities
to inform Israeli leadership of the
divisive impact any change in the Law of
Return would have on North American Jewry.
This policy has served the CJF and Federa-
tions well. Three separate governments in
Israel have had its leaders notified by
CJF of the implications in three separate
considerations of amendments to the Law of
Return. Ne reaffirm this approach.

we also support resolutions passed at
annual Jewish Agency Assemblies strength-
ening and guaranteeing respect for reli-
gious pluralism in all funded programs and
activities of the Jewish Agency. To the
extent that actions on religious issues
might impact the North American Jewish
community by being discriminatory, CJF
opposes them. we direct CJF to monitor
and report on actions in this area of
concern. In addition, we call on all Jews
everywhere to respect all streams of
Judaism.

Council of Jewish Federations
General Assembly
Chicago ~ November 1986

 

 

07/07/87
Dear Prime Minister Shamir,

Once again I wish to convey to you on
behalf of our 200 member federations of
North America, which represent more than
80 percent of organized Jewish life in
this great continent of North America, our
position on the issue of The Law of
Return. This position was first passed in
November 1982 at the General Assembly of
the Council of Jewish Federations in Los
Angeles, and reaffirmed at subsequent
assemblies of the CJF and by the Council’s
Board of Directors.

The CJF Resolution instructs me to
convey the following message to you:

“The level of concern in Jewish commu-
nities in North America is both high and
widespread over the possibility of any
change by Israel in The Law of Return or
any legislation that would affect the
current definition of ”Who Is A Jew".
There is general agreement that such
action would be highly devisive both in
North American Jewish communities, as well
as between Israel and North American
Jewry.“

It is very important that you under-
stand and be fully aware of the very
strong sentiment prevalent in the North
American Jewish federated communities and
I would ask that you convey such message
to members of your government and members
of your political party.

With all good wishes and warm blessings
from North American Jewish communities for
a strong Israel, united and unfaultering
in its determination to keep our Jewish
people unified,

Sincerely;

Shoshana S. Cardin, President

Council of Jewish Federations

In recent weeks, a special leadership
delegation, representing various North
American agencies, traveled to Israel to
attempt to influence the leadership of
Israel to remove the pending legislative
proposal to indirectly amend the Law of
Return, which was to come before the
Knesset on July 29, 1987.

This group met with the spectrum of
elected officials, encouraging each to
depoliticize this sensitive issue. The
following statement clarifies the position
of this delegation.

continued ...................... on page 8

 

  

Who’s, continued

Statement made by North American leader-
ship delegation to Israeli leadership and
Israeli press in connection with the issue
of ”Who Is A Jew" — July

88 1987

We are a delegation authorized by and
representing the largest portion of North
American Jewry in organized Jewish commu—

nity life.
He include the Council of Jewish
Federations __ with 800 Federations in

North American from Vancouver to Maine and
from Ninnipeg to Florida and San Diego,
California. We include the United Jewish
Appeal, representing over 600 Jewish
communities in the United States; and the
United Israel Appeal of Canada, represent—
ing Canadian Jewry. We are also author-
ized to speak on behalf of the United
Israel Appeal of the United States and the
Chairman of the Board of Governors of the
Jewish Agency.

We wish to dispel any misconception as
to the purpose of this visit of our
delegation and the intentions of the
organizations we represent.

we are not here to impinge upon the
sovereignty of the State of Israel, nor to
interfere in its internal political
processes; nor are we here to favor any
political party within the State of
Israel. Ne do not represent any religious
movement in North American Jewry, although
adherents of all branches of North Ameri-
can Jewry are represented within our
organizations.

We are here solely on the basis of the
concept of ”Klal Yisrael” ~— the
peoplehood of Jews worldwide, Jews in the
Diaspora and the Jews of Israel. We are
committed to the centrality of Israel for
the Jewish people; we are committed to the
unity of our people and to the mutuality
of responsibility and interdependence of
the Jewish people of the State of Israel
and the Jewish people in the Diaspora. We
stress our belief in that interdependence
—— we are dependent on them; they are
dependent on us.

Because of that interdependence, we
have the right and the obligation to speak
out when there is a threat to our unity
and to the centrality of Israel.

That right and that duty which we
represent here is, in fact, the other side
of the coin by which the State of Israel

 

quite properly asserts its right and its
duty to speak and act on matters affecting
the well-being of Jews generally. It is
our assertion of the parallel right to
that which Israel quite properly assumes
when, for instance, it speaks out on the
Haldheim question and when it claims
jurisdiction to adjudicate on the guilt or
innocence of an Eichman or a Demjanjuk.
Those rights go in tandem, and we both ——
Jews of the Diaspora and Jews of Israel ——
have the obligation to act whenever and
wherever we see threats to us as a Jewish
people.

This delegation, on behalf of its
constituents, views the current legisla—
tive issues affecting the definition of
"who is a Jew”, directly or indirectly, as
a threat to those concepts of unity and
the very centrality of Israel, both of
which we have previously enunciated.

In doing this we are fulfilling our
duty to act as resolutely and as firmly as
Israel acts when it perceives threats to
the Jewish people.

Amending the Law of Return, directly or
indirectly, will cause a significant
portion of our people to feel
disenfranchised —— to feel that the
essential unity which has characterized
our relationship over these past 40 years
to have been assaulted and shattered.

We know that neither the Jewish people
of Israel nor the Jews of the Diaspora can
tolerate this. We must understand the
lessons of our history; we must understand
that our futures are inextricably bound to
each other.

We urge in the strongest terms that
there be no alteration in the relationship
between Jews of the Diaspora and the State
of Israel. This relationship is essential
to all of us and we sincerely hope that no
legislative action will be taken which
will cause our relationship and our people
irreparable harm.

 

CENTRAL KENTUCKY JEWISH FEDERATION
NEHSLETTER
333 Heller Ave., Suite 5
Lexington, KY 4050#
(606)852—7522

Gail R. Cohen, President
Linda Ravvin, H.L.S., Administrator
Elissa Golin, Editor
Beth Altenkirch, Office Manager

HEHBER
Council of Jewish Federations

 

 

 

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F‘ltn‘alism Gains in the U.S.

Editor’s Note: The following is reprinted
from The Canadian Jewish News, July 16,
1987.

 

Results of the American elections to
the World Zionist Congress indicate a
substantial victory for Zionist parties
promoting religious pluralism in Israel
and losses for all traditional parties
except Friends of Labor Israel.

Two parties running on the platform of
religious pluralism -- Mercaz, the newly
formed organization for Conservative
Judaism and ARZA, the Association for
Reform Zionists of America -- made the
largest gains of seats in the American
delegation to the December 1987 quadrenni-
al Congress. Mercaz, running for the
first time, received 20 seats. ARZA won
33 seats, 19 more than it had in the
previous Congress.

Hadassah made the strongest showing in
the election, with 48 seats, but that
represented a loss of 21. Friends of
Labor Israel gained two seats to win 15.
The Zionist Organization of America
garnered 12 seats, a loss of 10, and Herut
Zionists of America won 9, a loss of 4.

Religious issues in general seemed to
dominate the voting, as more than half of
the seats before imposition of penalties
on the Orthodox Zionist slate went to the
religious parties. The Religious Zionist
Movement (Orthodox) had 56% of its ballots
disqualified for penalties, leaving it
with 14 seats, a loss of 5.

Only one of the nine slates, the newly
created Students for Israel list, failed
to gain any seats, which are granted based
on the percentage won of the total vote.
The students were assessed heavy penalties
for irregularities, and 98% of their votes
were disqualified. The other 7% of its
votes did not meet the 1,387 vote minimum
needed to gain a seat.

The Progressive Zionist list was also
assessed heavy penalties. About 74% of
its votes were disqualified, resulting in
only one seat, a loss of one from the
previous Congress. Penalties for all
other parties were minimal.

Karen Rubinstein, executive director of
the American Zionist Federation (AZF)

 

 

which administered the U.S. Zionist
elections, explained that penalties were
assessed for many voting and membership
irregularities.

Some ballots were disqualified for
technical errors such as improper markings
and codings.

To check for compliance with the
election guidelines, 2% of the membership
lists of each organization on all slates
(many of the slates are comprised of more
than one organization) were randomly
sampled by a computer. Under these
guidelines, all eligible voters must be at
least age 18, have signed the Jerusalem
Program expressing commitment to Israel
and Jewish values, and be paid members of
a Zionist organization. Penalties were
imposed for ”padding" the membership
lists, multiple ballots cast by one person
or failure to meet any one of the member-
ship requirements.

In the case of the student slate,
Rubinstein said every ballot checked in
the random sample of each student organ-
ization’s membership was found faulty and
thus disqualified.

About 28% of all the eligible voters
who are members of American Zionist
organizations voted in this year’s elec-
tion. The total number of valid ballots
cast were 210,957, and about 8,500 were
disqualified. American Zionist organiza-
tions comprise 29% of the delegates at the
Zionist Congress, or 158 seats.

”Tc-dab Rabah”

“Todah Rabah” to our now departed
Bulletin Editor, Elissa Golin. She is now
settling in as a student in Baltimore,
Maryland.

we thank her for her dedication and
wonderful work in pre