"Why Do They Support Tikvat Yisrael So Enthusiastically? See Cover Story — Page 5 TRAVEL NEWS
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October-November 1983 "Why do they support Tikvat Yisrael so enthusiastically? see Cover Story — page 5 TRAVEL NEWS RAMAT HASHARON RESIDENTS H O M E T R A V E L S E R V I C E * Merrick Silberman will be happy visit you ai home, at a lime convenient to vou, toheip you plan your travel arranijements. No obligation — please call Merrick at 656248. * Our usual friendly telephone .service for all your rcservation.s. Ask for.Iudi or Sabrina. * I 'or courteou.s. professional, pleasant attention — try us. * Planning a Winter Ski Holiday — or Theatre Tour to London? We will gladly a.ssist you. * Note that travel tax is payable by all residents, temporary or permanent, including infants. Only tourists/diplomats exempted. FLIGHTS TO SOUTH AFRICA FARES — ROUND TRIP Group S.A.A. S 977 {closed dates) 12 payments in shekels Group EL AL SI 000 (closed dates) on ail S.A.A. tickets Excursion S.A.A./EL AL$1.279 (open dates) (P.LP.) Yth/Student S.A.A./EL ALS1,078 M E R R I C K S I L B E R M A N For emergency after hours travel service; Home: Tel. 483015 GREENTOURS TRAVEL 81, Hayarkon St., TeUAviv 63903 Tel. 03-656248 / 652565 / 652566 J 1 II 1 ) 1 ) 1 )l 1 1 II A bi-monthly journal CONTENTS f o r O l i m f r o m S o u t h A f r i c a COVER STORY 5 Aliya Blues by Allic Dubb Editorial Board: GUEST WRITER 8 Chairman. Editorial Board: Leon Charncy Avner Tavori questions the S.A. Campus. Director. SAZF: Itz Stein Director P.R. & Hasbara: Edna Kowarsky Editor: Sheila Meltzer G I L L O N ' S C O L U M N i 1 Guest Writers: Phillip Gillon. Avner Tavori The Play's the thing Printer: Otpaz Ltd.. Tel-Aviv. F O C U S 1 2 A Dog's Life by Sheila Meltzer • • • P E O P L E & E V E N T S 1 4 Telfed is published by the South African Zionist Federation, SPORT 18 Israel Office. Bet Clal, Bowls, track 5. Druyanov Street, Tel-Aviv 61114 P.O.B. 11556, Tel.: 03-290131 P R O G R A M M E O F E V E N T S 1 9 Telfed Social Centre. Haifa. Raanana. Eilat • • « W E L C O M E H O M E 2 0 A list of New Arrivals J e r u s a l e m O f fi c e : I 9, Alkalai Street, Talbieh CLASSIFIED 25 Tel.: 02-630801 H a i f a O f fi c e : 6, Nordau Street. Hadar Tel.: 04-641058 Beer-Sheva Office: iTDtii cover: Rabbi Sclwvn 1 laiiklin aiul ilic 11, Hamaccabim Street congrcgaiiun ol' "likvai Yisracl Tel.: 057-73811 |i)\ tiilK wck'otiic ihcir new arrival, a Setcr lorah liom llic I'ikcibcrg t'omnuiniiv. on Simchal lorah. See page 19 ^27ANGLO-SAXON BRANCHES AT YOUR SERVICE THROUGHOUT ISRAEL Apartments to suit your taste, prices to suit your pocket. 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The unfamilar ambience of a of the African house-party in Los Angeles had given way to Studies Institute, at the familiar "Aliya Blues" of Ra'anana and the the University of Merkazei Klita! Witwatersrand. He came with his family on Aliyah in 1978 and is now Director of the project That evening in Los Angeles opened up for me a for Jewish Educational Statistics in the Institute whole new perspective not only on my own of Contemporary Jewry at the Hebrew University Aliya but on Aliya in general. It became clear to in Jerusalem. In this article he takes a look at the me that while successful absorption in Israel "Affluent Aliya". presented special problems — ideological, material, social, cultural — there were, in fact, more basic issues affecting all immigrants. Immigration actually comprises two processes: Aliya Blues emigration and immigration. From the moment of decision until that final act of stepping into By Allie Dubb the 747, the intending emigrant goes through a process of disengagement — from job. home, Recently, some three and a half years after my friends, family, organisational involvements. Aliya. I was invited to a party in Los Angeles. He prepares himself, and those with whom he Hosts and guest — eighteen couples in all — has important relationships, tor his withdrawal had like myself, emigrated from South Africa in from all that has. until then, constituted his life. the late seventies. But that, I thought (not By the time he boards the plane, he is no longer without a little touch of envy), was probably ail a managing director, a resident of Cape Town, we had in common: certainly the luxurious an executive member ot his Shul and ot the local home, the large sleek automobiles, the lavish Zionist council a member of a sports club and a catering, the richly-gowned and bejewelled lodge, a respected and well-known member of women were evidence of a far easier absorption the community. In sociological shorthand: he than those of us who went to Israel could ever has ceased to play the roles, to occupy the hope for. Or, at any rate, so it appeared... status, to enjoy the prestige attached to them. As the evening progressed, questions about life Eight or ten or twenty hours later, emigrant in Israel were reciprocated with questions about becomes immigrant as he passes though what it was like to be a South African in immigration control at his country of California. The answers were, to say the least, destination. What happens after that is only loo quite unexpected: from one guest after another, familiar to us all: finding a job and I elicited accounts of loneliness, toreigness, accommodation, learning the language, getting family crisis, homesickness, culture shock, to know how things are done, organising disillusionment, alienation. In short, in this children at school and, of course, trying to cope with the day to day strangeness of a new sharing the same culture and value system and, environment. often, having had family and other ties in the As successful as the immigrant may be in old country — these people came together because they felt comfortable with one another dealing with the practicalities, however, we know both from our own experience in Israel and provided each other with moral and often and from what we saw in Los Angeles that this even financial support. But what was important does not necessarily mean that successful was that they provided continuity. They absorption has been achieved. Why not? The recognised who and what a person had been French say: to part is to die a little. Now while back home. Paradoxically it may be said that the French may have had something more the absorption of Jewish immigrants to the west romantic in mind, it does remind us of what was accomplished through the social ghetto of the landsmanschaft. happened to us when we left South Africa: an important part of us, the "status-set" we had Absorption and integration into Israel is not built, up over the years and which in a renouncing one's roots, cutting oneself adrift significant way defined for ourselves and for from other South Africans but. rather, finding a others who and what we were, has ceased to niche for oneself that is comfortable and exist. And for all that we may have learnt to satisfying and playing one's part as a citizen like cope with our new country (be it Israel of any other. If this is facilitated by remaining America) we frequently have a sense of being socially at least, within the familiar and " i n c o m p l e t e " , " u n f u l fi l l e d " . W h a t h a s comfortable confines of a landsmanschaft. then happened is this: although we no longer fill the not only is there no harm done but. in fact, it is a status we did in South Africa, it still remains creative and positive act. Let me take one real in our minds. It continues to define for us example. About a year ago the Tikvat Yisrael who we are, what we have achieved, what we are Congregation was founded by tenants of the capable of.