'Intensive' Three-Year Term Camp Jori Meeting Against All Odds
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,...,,.... _____- - Local News, pages 2-3 Opinion, page 4 I- ~ ·.O <C 0 (.!) 0-- Ll c·-.i Cl Cl 0 I 01 1.r,~(J) * t-')<C * ...J * *<C * :,f<(.J * 0:: * 0 * o,1- * 000'H-- *o:c*--cn a:: *t-"") (1) "THE ONLY ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN R.I. AND SOUTHEAST MASS. -- *-:cz .. *.,.....,(.flOW *---u L XXV, NUMBER 37 THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1988 35¢ PER COPY * :a-cnz * w c.nw * .-:iwo * O' Cf.P--< * t-'? • :> *("·~- ·=-0 * r. -.i • tr}O: New York Consul General Ends * o;:: ...... a.. 'Intensive' Three-Year Term Camp Jori Meeting by Yitzhak Rabi Ministry in I 956, admits that the compromise with the Palestinians Against All Odds NEW YORK (JTA) - When Palestinian "intifada" and, to a and who are critical of Israel's Moshe Yega r assumed his post as lesser degree, the Pollard affair tough measures in dealing with t he Israel's consul general in New have been controve rsial and have uprising. York in the summer of 1985, he brought about criticism of Israel Vega r, however, was quick to believed he would be able to from some American J ews. add: " I think, nonetheless, that co ncentrate on cultural activities "But criticism of Israel and its everybody has the ri ght to criticize. to promote Israel's cause. policies from American Jews is not Israel is an open, democratic "The time was right after the something new," Vegar asserted. society and so is the American Lebanon war, and I assumed that, ''Differences of opinion always Jewish community. as after any other Mideast war, existed. Sometimes more and " But those who criticize should several 'quiet' years were lying sometimes less." be aware that criticism can go both ahead," Yegar recalled in an He pointed out t hat American ways," he said. " Israeli citizens, interview with the Jewish Jewish leaders " had a major too, can cri ticize American Jewry Telegraphic Agency. disagreement with David and find fault in negative "But I was wrong," he said, Ben·Gurion on the issue of aliyah, developments among American puffing on a cigar at his office at since Ben·Gurion claimed that Jewry, like assimilation, t he lack the Israeli Consulate. being a Zionist means living in of Jewish education or the absence "These we re an intensive, very Israel. " of aliyah among J ews here. intensive three years," the Yegar observed that American " American Jewish leaders must 57 -year-o ld envoy said, when J ewry is not a monolithic group. realize when criticism against asked to summarize his term in "At times of tension and crisis," he Israel turns into anti. Israel office, which will conclude at the said, "the differences within the propaganda, that weakens the end of this summer. community start to surface." entire Jewish state," the outgoing Heather Posner of Queens, New York, and Julia Volinsky Using the word "intensive" was, As for criticism of Israel's policy consul general continued. "I am or apparently, Yegar's diplomatic Providence, from left. For story, see page 8. Photo by Dorothea in the territories in the last year, not going to name names, but I was Snyder. way of saying "stormy/' since the Yegar said: "To the best of my very disturbed to read in last three years were marked, in knowledge, the overwhelming newspapers t hat severaJ Yegar's own words, by "major majority of the Jews in America prominent Jews urged the in t he decision.making process are 1966 in Los Angeles," Yegar said. cri ses," most notably the J onathan support the State of Israel as she administration to cut aid to Israel more than welcome to come on He said that he never found the Pollard spy affair and the is, regardless of the different to pressure it to change its poli cies aliyah and participate in the same feeling of warmth and continued Palestinian uprising in political factions in the in the territories." democratic process of Israel. You friendship - toward him as the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. government. Limits Of Criticism cannot influence by remote representative of Israel in any The case of Pollard, who is "I also believe that those Jewish Asked to define the line between control," the consul said. other country in the world where serving a life sentence for spying leaders who support only a criticism and "anti-Israel Yegar's diplomatic position in he had served. on behalf of Israel, and the riots in particular political view in Israel propaganda," the Israeli envoy New York was not his first in "The support and solidarity of the territories, which began last are a minority," he said. "I have said: "The limit of criticism is America. He previously served for American Jews with Israel is a Dec. 9, refocused attention on the good reasons to assume that they where it begins to harm Israel and three years as consul of Israel in special 20th century special and delicate ties between do not even represent the weaken her. Everyone must be his Los Angeles (1966-69) and for phenomenon," he remarked. "I do the United States and Israel, and organizations on whose behalf own judge and set his or her own three years as consul general in not believe it will ever disappear." on the sensitive and unique they speak." limits." Philadelphia (1969-72). Yegar, who is scheduled to relations between American Jews Yegar declined to name any of But, Yegar stressed, "the "I feel today, in the summer of assume the post of Israel's and Israel. these leaders, but he was national interests of Israel will be 1988, the same warmth and ambassador to Sweden this fall, Yegar, a career diplomat who apparently referring to those Jews decided only by Israeli citizens. solidarity of American Jews with said he cannot explain the fact that joined the Israeli Foreign Affairs who advocate a territorial Those Jews who want to take part Israel as I felt in the summer of (continued on page 15) · Young Hungarian Jews Discover Their Jewishness For First Time (Part 1 Of A Series) Jewishness. Asked to discuss this, indeterminate number of those Hasidic-style beard and faded word." by Susan Birnbaum most. said, "Ah, but that is a long who don't know they're Jews. jeans, brimmed with anecdotes The absolute stunner, however, story for another time." Professor Geza Komoroczy, a about Hungarian Jews and the came when a reporter asked BUDAPEST (JTA) One man who wanted to talk was professor of Near East Studies at success of the Hebrew program. Komoroczy about his personal Wherever the Emanuel Endre Rosza, a radio producer who the University of Budapest, is now His favorite incident took place story. "But I am not Jewish," he Foundation for Hungarian Culture broadcasts programs unabashedly director of the Center for Jewish in June, when he participated in said. His statement was met with delegation went. in Budapest, the ,Jewish. Studies at the university. the Scheiber Memorial Lectures at disbelief. refrain was the same: "I didn't Until recently, said Rosza, "One The center was established - in the Budapest Rabbinical Thus it has taken the strength of know I was Jewish until . ." didn't prono1Jnce the word 'Jew' a public ceremony last year - Seminary, named for its late a Christian philo-Semite to The ages varied, but the words out loud." He emulated the effect between the Hungarian Academy director, Rabbi Sandor Scheiber. inaugurate the class that will teach were the same. Their discovery twice, lowering his face, to bring of Sciences and the New As he finished speaking, an old Hungarians to converse with their was startling, unexpected. Now, home his point. "It was an York-based Memorial Foundation lady approached him, smiling. He coreligionists and learn their these people say, the recognition insecurity." for Jewish Culture. did not recognize her but noted her religion. Komoroczy, who teaches fine dress and the presence of a Most Hungarian male Jews still that they are Jewish gives them Rosza lived in Paris for several pride, a sense of responsibility and Assyrian, Arabic and cuneiform, hchai" on a chain around her neck. do not feel comfortable publicly years but decided to return because was allowed to include the study of " Do you not remember me, Dr. sporting a yarmulke - what they special feeling toward Israel. "I had something to do," namely, In Hungary, Jews are beginning classical Hebrew at the school - Komoroczy?" the woman asked. call a "Koppel" - in public. to " reaffirm that I am Hungarian the first such program in all He re-created how he looked Little David Doman, 10, son of to adjust, not only to a widely and Jewish." acknowledged acceleration of Eastern Europe, he :,aid. carefully at the woman, obviously the Jewish newspaper's editor, He said he "absolutely believe(s) a member of the upper middle looked like any religious Israeli, or freedoms that include religious in Israel. It is our gravit.ational This year the department expression. but to the mere ability offered a "trial balloon" class, "very fine. And I looked and American or French Jewish, boy in center." looked, but I couldn't place her." his knitted blue and white kippa to openly say the word "Jew." In September, Rosza began the beginners' Hebrew - to determine Laszlo Siklos, 35, a member of the demand for Hebrew classes. " Don't you know me, and his "Jerusalem" T -shirt as he Federation to Maintain Hungarian professor?" she asked again, and waited backstage at the Vigado the Goldmark Choir, Budapest's Usually, 10 students of Near Jewish Culture. The group of concert hall during the program of accompli shed ,Jewish chorus, said.