October 19, 1984

Inside: R. I. J ewish Historical From The Editor, page 4 Association 11 Around Town, page 8 130 Sessions Street Providen ce , RI Education, page 9 02906 THE ONLY ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN R.I, AND SOUTHEAST MASS. VOLUME LXXI, NUMBER 46 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1984 30e PER COPY In Nicaragua: Accusations Of Washington Report: Anti-Semitism Unjustified U.S.-lsraeli Military Ties Strong by Paul Tick by Wolf Blitzer (JSPS) - On July 10, 1983, at a special Two Nicaraguan human rights The joint committee was established in J erusalem Post White Ho118e meeting for Jewish organizations, one pro and the other November 1983 by President Ronald Community leaders, President Reagan anti-Sandinista, state that t here have · The chief American representative in Reagan and then Prime Minister Yitzhak stated that Nicaraguan "Jews have been been no governmental policies against the U.S.-Israeli strategic cooperation talks Shamir. It has been charged with terrorized into leaving" their country and Jews. Investigation by the Organization of has publicly raised the possibility of the organizing joint military maneuvers, that the PLO was a dangeroUB influence American States, the United Nations, Pax . two countries conducting joint aerial prepositioning of U.S. military equipment on the Sandinista government. These Cristi, Americas Watch, the U.S. State "dogfight" training exercises. in Israel and joint military planning. charges stem from a May 1983 report by Department Bureau of Human Rights and "We are not in the business of The Reagan Administration has focused the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of the the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua all developing war plans between the U.S. and the talks on the broader Soviet threat to B'nai B'rith which claimed that the entire concluded that governme!Jtal Israel," said Lt. Gen. John Chain, the the region. Israel has sought to include the Jewish community of Nicaragua had been anti-Semitism in Nicaragua does not director of the State Department's threat from hostile Arab states, although driven out, Jewish property seized and the exist. Rabbi Klepfisz of Panama reported Political-Military Affairs Bureau and the Washington has been reluctant to include one synagogue desecrated. For the past to the World Jewish Congress t hat he head of the U.S. delegation to the that possibility out of fear of upsetting its year, Ronald Reagan has been repeating found no anti-Semitic activity but that U.S.-Israel Political-Military Planning friends in the Arab world. these charges as he did in a nationwide "definite anti-Israel tendencies which Committee. "But the Israeli Air Force Asked whether more joint exercises television speech on May 9, 1984. At that were repeatedly jUBtified by Israeli arms might get valuable training by dogfighting were planned beyond the military time, he further charged that " . the sales to Somoza" do exist. wit h our Navy; t he Navy might make evacuation maneuver earlier this year, Sandinistas and the PLO joined in a The Nicaraguan Jewish community had mock attacks against Israelis. Both sides Chain replied: "As time progresses other declaration of war against Israel." always been small, numbering about 150 at then could get military t raining that could things will be arranged. But both sides The report by the AD L is based on its height in the 1960's. Most left after the be used in other scenarios." want to go slow. testimony by two Jews who left Nicaragua 1972 earthquake. While a few of the Chain, who succeeded Rear Admiral "The U.S. obviously has a macro in 1979, following the overthrow of remaining Jews joined the opposition to Jonathan Howe in the key post, was interest, rather than a bilateral interest, in Anastasio Somoza, whose family had the Somoza dictatorship, many held close interviewed in Defense Week, a respected that part of t he world and we don't want to controlled the country for 50 years. One of ties to Somoza. Almost all left voluntarily military affairs journal published in do something with one country that will them, Abraham Gorn, was reported to be a by 1979, Somoza's downfall. Their reasons Washington. His on-the-record comments upset another - with Egypt, that upsets close friend of Somoza and was for leaving were becallSe of their ties to included some of the most specific details Saudi Arabia, for example, or with Saudi investigated for involvement in the sale of Somoza or because . they feared made public by an American official on Arabia that upsets Jordan. Israeli arms to Somoza. He was detained anti-Semitic outbreaks. Though the the U.S. interpretation of t he recently "The same thing goes for the Israelis. for two weeks, after which he fled the incidents mentioned earlier apparently did enhanced strategic cooperation T hey have to be careful that whatever country. The second man, Gorn's relative, occur, no governmental oppression did. arrangement with Israel. they do doesn't upset their Arab neighbors Chain, a fo rmer fighter pilot with 4,000 Issac Stavishky, was a large factory owner Some of the Jews who left Nicaragua as they try to establish themselves in a in Nicaragua l;,efore fleeing to the U.S. He retained bUBinesses and property there flying hours and 66 parachute jumps - peaceful situation. They don't want to many during the war in Vietnam - cited anti-Jewish graffiti, threatening and today travel freely in and out of the create more animosity than already exists participated in t he last full-scale plenary phone calls and the bombing of the country. On my recent trip to Nicaragua, t here. Both sides are moving very session of the strategic talks with Israel in synagogue and its later confiscation as one Nicaraguan Jew told me that there prudently, maturely. We are trying to June. At t hat time, Howe still headed the reasons Jews should fear the Sandinistas. were never any problems for Jews either avoid any political fallout upon eit her U.S. delegation. The few Jews who remain in Nicaragua during Somoza's time or presently under side." "The dialogue, the mutual warmth, the today claim that while there may have the Sandinistas. Another Nicaraguan Jew Israel officials said Prime Minister friendly relations and the substantial been some isolated anti-Semitic acts, told me in jest that the problem he faces Shimon Peres and Defense Minister discussions indicate that both countries there has been no persecution of Jews and today, as a Jew in Nicaragua, is that he Yitzhak Rabin are likely to urge the are recognizing their limitations and how · no governmental discrimination. When cannot get any gefilte fish or Administration to redirect the thrust' of far they want to go in a relationship," he property was taken from Jews, it was Manischewitz wine. (c·ontinuf'd on pagr GI said. "It must serve both countries." because of their involvement with Between AugUBt 12 and AugUBt 17 of Somoza, not because of their religion. The 1984, a delegation of thirteen Jewish synagogue, which is now in the possession human rights activists visited Nicaragua JCC Exhibit "Parnosseh" of the government, was taken because it in an attempt to "critically examine and, if was registred in Gorn's name when he was possible, resolve" the question of president of the congregation. It was anti-Semitism in Nicaragua. The Opens Oct. 28 confiscated under Decree 38 which delegation was organized by the New "History is what happens to all of us - construct could be called "viewer authorizes the government to take Jewish Agenda, an organization of not just the prominent few." T hat, accord friendly." "My panels talk to the viewer," property belonging to those with links to progressive Jewish Americans. Among the ing to historian Bartholomew Schiavo, is he says. Like the project itself, the design Somoza and his regime. This law has been participants in this delegation· were New the esstential theme of Parnosseh, the ex is not static or fixed; it travels easily and applied to Jews and non-Jews alike. The Jewish Agenda members and hibit on turn-of-the-century Jewish life in will expand to incorporate new elements. Sandinistas have offered to return the nonmembers, including Rabbi Marshall T. Rhode Island t hat opens Sunday, October Parnosseh is a major collaborative effort synagogue to the Jewish community; Meyer and Hector Timmerman, who are 28, at the Jewish Community Center of involving many individuals and organiza however, the Jewish community is now so internationally recognized for their work Rhode Island. tions. Chairperson Rachel Kaufman and small (approximately five people) that in anti-Semitism in Argentina. Parnosseh, sponsored jointly by the the project's consultants - who include they feel they could not support it. (Continued on page 7) JCC and the Rhode Island Jewish Histori archivist Eleanor Horvitz of the RIJHA, cal Association, focuses on the years from Debra Samdperil (audio-visual), and Max 1880-1920 when Jewish immigration to Riter (photography), as well as Schiavo, Rhode Island reached its peak. T he Bell, and Chapman - have spent over two refugees who rode that wave of immigra years researching and organizing the pro tion not only struggled to survive and ject. Major funding for Parnosseh was pro make a new life fo r themselves, but to es vided by the Rhode Island Committee for tablish a community. Their stories, gath the Humanities, as well as the Jewish Fed ered through archives, mementos, and per eration of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island sonal interviews, are the framework for Foundation, the Rhode Island Heritage this innovative multi-media exhibit. Folk Commission, the National Foundation for lorist Michael Bell, who serves as the oral Jewish Culture, and private donors.

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