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Support Jewish Read by Agencies More Than with Your 40,000 People Membership the ONLY ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY in R R. I. Jewish Historical Association 11 130 Sessions Street Providence, RI 02906 Support Jewish Read By Agencies More Than With Your 40,000 People Membership THE ONLY ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN R. /. AND SOUTHEAST MASS . VOLUME LXIX, NUMBER 4 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1981 30¢ PER COPY Members Of Community Speak Out Pell Denounces Annexation Of Golan SURVIVORS Sen. Claiborne Pell this week strongly taking the action to annex the Golan denounced Israel's decision to annex the Heights. the expansion of Jewish settle­ Golan Heights. Although a long-time sup­ ments in occupied Arab territories. and the porter of Israel, Pell, the ranking bombing of the Iraqi nuclear reactor. SUPPORT Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Rela­ "We in the U.S. will never let Israel go tions Committee, said President Reagan under, but at the same lime, we can't let was justified in responding to the annexa­ Israel be the on ly power in the area. We tion by suspending a new strategic have to find a middle ground." Pell said. cooperation agreement with Israel. " I know that if opposition leader Begin denounced the action taken by the s . (Shimon ) Peres had been elected, these United Slates to suspend the strategic things would not have happened," said cooperation agreement between the two Pell, who declined to comment on whether countries signed Nov . 30 and accused the Israelis made an error in electing Begin in­ U.S. of anti-Semitism and breaking its stead of Peres. word on the agreement. Pell, who voted against the sale of the The Rhode Island Herald conducted a AWACS planes to Saudi Arabia, called the random survey among its readers, asking ' ' annexation a " flagrant violation of inter­ their opinions on Senator Pell 's statements na tiona I law and Prime Minister and Begin ·s decision lo annex the Golan Mena chem Begin "a burr in the saddle '' for Heights. "I think the annexation of the Golan Heights was horrible, just horri­ ble. If Peres would have been elected these events would not have happened. I think President Reagan was totally justified in his decision on holding off buying nuclear arms." Mrs. Joseph Dressler, Warwick. "No it was not proper action on Begin's part. It probably still would have happened if Peres was elected. He wouldn't have been more cau­ tious. I don't agree with Pell either. " Robert Baker, Cranston. "I am concerned only as an American citizen. I believe that the Israeli people, living in Israeli are the ones that have to make the decisions. It is really too early for us to draw any conclusions on the annexation of the Golan Heights. I don't think anyone in this country can candidly make a statement for the Israeli people and the Israeli government, just as I don't believe anyone who is not an American citizen, living in America can really make a statement about the American government decisions. " Sam Shlevin, Providence. ---------------------(Continued on page 2) - RALLY FOR ETHIOPIAN JEWS: Sandi Afsai, chairman of Friends for Ethiopian Jews, organized a rally at the Jewish Community Center on Dec. 20 to alert the community of the ongoing plight of Jews in that country. Sandy is pictured here carrying one of the rally posters. Dina Mizrahi (right) joins Sandy in the cause to free the Falashas. Turn to story, page 8, 9. Jewish Agency U.S. -Israeli Relations Cancels Suffer Falasha Trip Golan Move Results The following appeared in the Nov . 27 In Cancelled Memorandum issue of the Israel daily Maariv and is translated from the Hebrew: WASHINGTON - Although the U.S. has ''The head of the department of aliya not made a statement concerning the and absorption of the Jewish Agency, length of the suspension of talks for the Yehudah Dominitz. last week suddenly first formal military cooperation agree­ cancelled an organized aulobus trip for ment with Israel. that accord seems can­ hundreds of Falashas who stood ready celled, due to Israel's annexation of the to leave Thursday for Jerusalem in or­ Golan Heights. der to observe a day of mourning, Prime Minister Menachem Begin, in a fasting and prayer in memory of thou­ strong statement issued from Jerusalem , sands of their brethren who were said "you are trying lo make Israel a destroyed in Ethiopia during the past hostage to the memorandum of un ­ five years. Dominilz did this with the derstanding. I regard your announcement observation, 'I am not prepared to sup­ of the suspension of the discussion of the memorandum of understanding as its can­ lHE TORAH PASSES - A sacred Torah scroll that once belonged to Rabbi Isaac port the demonstration of Falashas cellation . No sword of Damocles will hand Mayer Wise, a founder of Reform Judaism, is presented in Boston to Senator Edward M. against me.· over our head . We lake note of the fact that Kennedy (left), as a gift to the Kennedy Library by Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, " About 500 Falashas were ready lo you have cancelled the memorandum of un ­ president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. leave today for Jerusalem in order to Rabbi Schindler noted that the Torah scroll had originally been presented to the observe their old festival from the days derstanding. The people of Israel have lived 3.700 years without a memorandum of Senator's brother, President John F. Kennedy, in 1962. After President Kennedy was of Ezra and Nehemiah. They a nnounced slain, the Torah was kept in the UAHC's Religious Action Center in Washington, D.C. that they would express their sorrow understanding with America, and will con­ The presentation was made before 4,000 delegates to the concurrent conventions of and di stress over the 'handling by the tinue lo live without it another 3.700 years." the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the central body of Reform Judaism in (Continued on page 8) IConti nued on page 2) America, and its sister organization, the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods. -- - -- - - -a,, 2 - THE RHODE ISLAND HERALD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1981 Members of Community Speak Out U.S.-lsraeli Relations Suffer From continued from page I Golan Move, Memorandum Cancelled "I don't think Reagan's decision was a good one. I agree with Begin's con tinued from page I the Israelis took the move to annex the decisions." Name Withheld. Despite the fact that relations between Golan Heights and violated the spirit of the the two countries are the most tense in military cooperation which requires the "Reagan is wrong, but I don't agree with Begin's decision. I don 't years, U.S. officials hope that the Israeli two nations to consider " the broad policy believe in nuclear war, I don't like war." Agnes Bagley, Providence. reaction is an emotional one and intented concerns of the other" before acting. for internal Israeli consumption. However, U.S. retaliation is felt to be unjust by the "I feel it is awful what happened. I don't think events would have there is uncertainty among officials in Israelis, including Israeli ambassador happened if Peres was elected. He is a decent, honest man. I think Washington. Ephraim Evron, who said the U.S. retalia­ Reagan's decision was right, since I don't feel he had any real choice In order to alleviate the tension, three tion would bolster Syria, which he said was but to suspend the arms. As far as 'Begin is concerned, I don't agree on senior officials in Washington, Secretary of a " surrogate of the Soviet Union." Israel contends that the Golan Heights were used any decisions he makes." Name Withheld. State Alexander Haig, Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and White House coun­ for heavy shelling when Syria occupied the selor Edwin Meese insisted, on CBS-TV 's territory. "I'm against the Golan Heights annexation. I guess Reagan's decision " Face the Nation," that Israel and the U.S. was proper. I think Peres is a good man. the events wouldn't have hap­ will remain strong allies. pened if he was elected." Bessie Blumenthal, Providence. , Haig said he was optimistic that the two Israel May Keep nations will remain close friends and that "I have split decisions on the Golan Heights. Reagan's decision was he believes Israel will abide by the Camp Inflation Down not proper." Mrs. Howard Lovett, Warwick. David accord. To Two Digits U.S. displeasure with the Israeli move "I feel they have to protect themselves from the Syrians." Name With­ was evident as Meese urged Israel to re­ JERUSALEM (JTA ) - Israel might - held. scind the annexation and Weinberger, who with luck - be able to keep its inflation rate spoke on ABC-TV 's " This Week With David for calendar year 1981 down to two digits, Brinkley" wouldn 't rule out the possibility "I do approve of the annexation of the Golan Heights. I do not agree economic experts said last week after of the U.S. voting in the United Nations with Reagan. I ·don't think Peres would have been more cautious. " Name publication of official inflation figures for next month to impose sanctions on Israel. November. Withheld. In addition to postponing the talks, the The November figure was 5.8 percent, U.S. will delay purchasing military goods bringing the 12-month total for November­ "I feel the annexation of the Golan Heights is dreadful. I'm definitely and services in Israel, designed to funnel to-November to 103.6 percent. But the for Reagan's decision. I really can 't say that if Peres was elected these more money into Israel to bolster its December-to-December figure may be events would not have happened, it is impossible to know." Name With­ defense industry.
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