R. I. Jewish Historical Association 11 , . 130 Sessions 3~ PER COPY Bruce Se/ya Accepts A Federal Local Jewish Community Angered By .Judgeship Nomination By Reagan Recent Anti-Israeli Advertisement PROVIDE:\CE - Bruce M . Selya, a An advertisement printed in the Friday, names attached, went on to quote "The Providence attorney, upon accepting the ,July 23, 1982 editions of The Prouidence Civilian Toll in Lebanon." The figures recent nomination by"President Reagan to Journal and The Euening Bulletin has printed were "1,000 Dead; 17,000 Wound­ Jill the vacant U.S. District judgeship in been successful in annoying many mem­ ed; 600,000 Homeless." Rhode island, said his goal "is to be the bers of the Jewish community in Cohen remarks, " When the figures on best judge the federal government has ever Providence and its surrounding areas. the Lebanon action first came out, they had." The half-page ad began with a quarter­ came from the Red Crescent organization, The President phoned Selya Tuesday page headline in large bold letters which run by Yasir Arafat's brother, which in it­ morning to inform him that he would sub­ read, "Should Providence's Taxes Be Used self invalidates the numbers. First of all, mit Selya's name to the Senate, which is To Kill People In Lebanon?" there's been no census taken in Lebanon responsible for confirming presidential Sub-headings in the ad quoted U.S. for 25 years, and secondly, it takes us two nominations for federal judgeships to the foreign aid figures to Israel t hat exceeded weeks to count fataliti~s in an airplane ac­ Senate. $2.2 billion this year. cident and Red Crescent was giving daily Selya was recommended to the Presi­ According to Elliot Cohen, Director of figures that the press and the media here were printing as acceptable and credible." dent by Sen. John H. Chafee, senior mem­ the Jewish Federation, the $2.2 billion ber of the congressional delegation of the figure is military credits and loans to Israel Habbi Alvan Kaunfer of Temple President's party. The Senate Judiciary which is the normal foreign aid package Emanu-El was also irritated with the press Committee will schedule hearings on the each year by the United States. fo r printing the erroneous numbers. "The nomination and will make a recommenda­ Mel Frank, Chairman of Israel Bonds, newspapers accepted an ad with totally in­ tion to the full Senate. agrees with Cohen, adding that "U.S. flated figures. But would they accept, for Selya will fill the post to be vacated this foreign policy is directed by the govern­ example, a grocery store ad that quoted month by former Chief Judge Raymond J . ment in the interest of the American peo­ obviously untrue figures? J would think not. Pettine. ple, our foreign policy being that Israel is I noticed there were no signatures on the ad, no names attached. Apparently A graduate of Harvard College and Har­ 81hJCE M. SEL YA the only democratic country in the vard Law School, Selya served a two-year Mideast and as such it is government . (Continued on page 5) clerkship with Judge Edward W. Day of England. policy to give them foreign aid." U.S. District Court in Providence. He was Called by Chafee as an "outstanding · According to Samuel Shlevin, Rhode later associated with the law firm of Gunn­ lawyer with long trial experience, es­ Island's chairman for th.e Anti­ White · House ing and LaFazia and became a principal pecially in federal courts," Selya served as Dei'amation League of B'nai B'rith, since Confident With partner in the firm of Selya ,ind lannuc­ head of Chafee's political organization in the publication of t he ad he has been cillo in 1974. various capacities. "He'll make a splendid besieged by people requesting "to know Habib's Ability The 48-year-old Selya is the son of Her­ judge in the great tradition of Pettine," the organization behind it.'' man and Betty-Selya of Providence. Her­ Chafee·said. The only information available to WASHI NGTON (JTA) - The White man Selya is founder and owner of Both Republicans and Democrats had Shlevin was that the ad had been placed House has expressed full confidence in the lsochem Resins Co. in Lincoln. praised the prospective nomination of through an advertising agency. " It's an ability of Philip Habib to continue his Selya and his wife Ellie reside on Selya during these several months when organization nobody can pin down. diplomatic mission in Lebanon despite Providence's East Side with their two Selya was viewed as the prime candidate " i will admit that it was cleverly done, disclosure that he bas been employed by daughters; Dawn, 16, who attends for the $70,300-a-year post. but any intelligent person who will stop the Bechtel Group of San Francisco for the Stoneleigh Burnham School in Greenfield, Selya served · on the Rhode Island and think about it. will realize the figures past year as a consultant. Mass., and Lori Ann, 14, who attends ,Judicial Council for eight years and was were inflated. Hopefully, people will un­ Deputy Press Secretary Larry Speakes l Wheeler School in Providence. appointed to the Governor's Commission derstand that it can't possibly have any quoted President Reagan as saying this t· week that Habib was performing his task < A member of Temple Beth-El, on Crime, Criminal Justice and Juvenile merit." ., I Providence, Selya has served for many Delinquency from 1967-69. The ad. Shlevin added. "is strictly PLO "over and above the call of duty." Speakes years as a member of the Board of Direc­ Politically, Selya ran unsuccessfully as propaganda." rejected a demand by Sen. Larry Pressler tors of the Jewish Federation of Rhode the Republican candidate for State Attor­ Larry Dub of Providence adds, "The ad (R. SD) that Habib resign as U.S. special Island. He is a corporator of both Rhode ney General in , 1964 against the incum­ was definitely misleading to those who envoy on the grounds that his connection island Hospital and Butler Hospital, as bent, ,J. ,Joseph :\ ugent. may not have the facts on the situation in with ihe giant construction company com­ well as founder and a long-time member of In addition to appearing as a lecturer Lehanon. it doesn't take into considera­ promised his ability to serve as an impar­ the board of directors of the Lincoln Coun­ and panelist for the Rhode Island Bar tion contract sales or U.S. dollars which tial mediator in the Lebanese crisis. cil on the Arts. He was Rhode Island area Association, Selya has authored publica­ support the PLO. In a sense, American "The President has the utmost faith in chairman of the Anti-Defamation League tions for its ,Journal, served on the staff and tax payers' dollars are going to the PLO as his ability and his integrity . He for many years and also served as regional ad hoc committees. and held the position well." (Habib) is an honorable man. I cannot find vice president of the AOL for New (Contipued on page 5) The ad. which was unsigned and had no words enough to describe the President's feelings for Phil Habib," Speakes said. Another White House press aide, Anson Franklin, declared that "Any implication of any conflict is absurd." While confirm­ ing that the Administration was "check­ ing'' Habib's Bechtel association, he stressed that " We're confident that Am­ bassador Habib is working solely for the President and the United States Govern­ ment in the Middle East." The disclosure that Habib, a retired career diplomat, was hired by Bechtel ap­ peared Sunday in The Washington Post. It was confirmed by a Bechtel spokesman, Rick Laubscher, who said he was engaged last year by George Shultz, former presi­ dent of Bechtel and now Secretary of State, primarily as a consultant on the Pacific basin region, the main area of Habib ·s prior expertise. According to Pressler and several other members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, anyone linked to Bechtel raises suspicions with respect to impar­ tiality in the Middle East conOict because the firm has billions of dollars of contracts in the Arab world, chiefly Saudi Arabia. This was the chief objection raised to lSRAEL BOND LEADERS attend emer,ency meeting lo launch campaign lo ralH additional fund, lo bol1ter luael'1 Shultz's nomination and the subject of domestic economy. Boalon Deputy Chairman Ralph Kaplan reported on a three-day fact-Ondlng trip lo hrael and Lebanon In sharp questioning during his confirmation which he and 30 other Jewl1h community leader, fro,m North America, Latin America and Europe participated. Attending the hearings. Nevertheless, he was confirmed meeting at the home of Yvonne and Sidney Dre.. Jer, were: (Mated left lo right) Ellie Frank, Chairman; R.1. State or hrael unanimously by the Foreign Relations Bond; Bertram Bernhardt; Elaine ChenlD1ky; Leeter Macktez; Merrill Shwuta; (1tancllng left lo right) Harriet Kaplan; Committee and the full Senate two weeks Darrell Bou; Dr. ~amln Vo,el; Melvin 8. Frank, Chairman R.1. State ofbrael Bondi; Yvonne and Sidney Dret11ler; Her• ago. bertJ. ~n; Dr. Paul c....,_.,, ~Jpr.J(aplan, ,-t 1peaker1 Dr. Jollln ~; Ernnt ,'lathan and Norman D. Till•- (Continued on page 5) !"'I "_ ·l'i:n'>r .r,•,·t,~1r, ,! ·,--';,.'ffl-',('ff,f('r,'T> ,,;T;','-{T~• r""' , _, rTIT-l~ .. 1 " -..,.,.... 2 ....:. ·THE.R1-iODE"fSLiNr:>HERALIT: THURSDA.Y, JULY 29; 1982 Good Summer Fare Mixes Exotic With The Familiar by Lois D.