R,I, JEWISH HISTORICAL ASSOC 130 SESSIONS ST, PROVIDENCE, RI 02906 Suppo_rt Reod By Jewish More Thon Agencies 40,000 With Your People Membe~ship_ ''"'f '/"-1' ENGLISH JfiVISH NEEKt 'r •", R I A'-.JO SOUTHEAST MAS~ VOLUME: Lxm, NUMBER 7 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1979 25• PER COPY U AH C Study· Examines Director of Israel Aliyah Jewish Converts Center to Interview at J CC Gad Flaisher, director of the Israel TORONTO (JTA) - The majority of signs" for Jewish life in the on-going conver­ Aliyah Center for the New England converts - 86 percent - taking part in a sion process which were being overlooked. Region, will be available for interviews at scientific study of conversions, were re­ He told the delegates that these included: the Jewish Community Center on Wednes­ ported to feel that it is important to give "The generally positive attitudes toward day, December 19. their children a serious continuing Jewish Jews and Judaism as evidenced by the choice education and almost all of them reported of Jewish mates by non-Jews; the tendency Mr. Flaisher will discuss job oppor­ they intended to give their children such an of converts to actively embrace synagogue tunities, the Israeli way of life, long and education. life and become practicing, observant Jews; short term programs, and opportunities for This was one of the findings of what was the infusion of new blood into a Jewish com­ settling in Israel. described as the first scientific effort to munity experiencing a decreasing birthrate; The Israel Aliyah Center also offers com­ assess the impact of the conversion ex­ the proclivity of those who have chosen to prehensive services on investments, educa, perience on the converts, on his or her born­ retain their non-Jewish identities after tion, pilot fact-finding trips, and loans. Jewish spouse and on their non-Jewish and marriage to Jews to forge tics with the Jewish To make an appointment with Mr. Jewish families. A report on the study, titled community, nevertheless." Flaisher, the Israel Aliyah Center may be "New Jews: The Dynamics of Religious (Continued on page 6) contacted at (6 I 7) 423--0868. Conversion," was released at the 55th General Assembly of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC). Nearly 3000 leaders of Reform Judaism in Rel'igious Corporation Law the United States and Canada are attending the Assembly through Dec. 11 . The study also found that converts had a Questioned in Synagogue Suit socio-economic profile and education level comparable to that of born Jews and that NEW YORK (JTA) - A lawsuit in a The 75-year-old synagogue building had meeting of the congregants to express their only 15 percent came from homes in which New York court to block the sale of an aban­ long been abandoned by its original con­ approval. religion was "very important." Many re- • doned but still usable synagogue building, gregants but> was being used for regular The worshippers who filed the suit last ported viewing their childhood religious described as the first lawsuit of its kind, may weekend worship by some 25 Jews in the September in Stecher's court were joined as backgrounds as "oppressive." stimulate inquiries to determine the validity area who contributed to the upkeep of the plaintiffs by the United Jewish Council of The study found converts become more of such transactions extending far beyond synagogue, according to Zuckerman. the East Side. They are represented by active Jews as the length of their lives as con­ New York State, accor<ling to Howard U ndcr the Religious Corporation Law, Sheldon Silver, a New York State Assem­ verts increased. Parents of converts in the Zuckerman, president of the National sale of religious property in New York State blyman from Manhattan and a COLPA study, while generaliy resenting their Jewish Commission on Law and Public Af­ requires court approval. The sellers in­ member, and by Daniel Chazin, also a children's decision to convert to Judaism, at fairs (COLPA). dicated in their application for such ap­ COLPA member, and Dennis Rapps, first, "ultimately become reconciled," es­ In response to that lawsuit, filed in State proval that the proceeds would be used to COLPA executive director, with assistance pecially if the marriage is successful. · Supreme Court in Manhattan, Judge Martin maintain the synagogue's cemetery in Ozone from Jeffrey Strashun, a recent Cardozo Positive Signs Noted Stecher ordered a trial to determine whether Park in Queens. The application was Law School graduate. ·Rabbi Sanford Seltzer, director of conditions of the sale of the Kalvarier Syn­ routinely approved in Stecher's court last In issuing his ruling, Stecher ordered that Reform Judaism's · "Task Force on Out­ agogue, also known as the Pike Street Syn­ January. the sale proceeds be placed in escrow and agogue, on Manhattan's Lower East Side, to reach," said there were many "positive Judge Rules On The Suit notified the Buddhist purchasers that they .the Eastern Buddhist Association for $180,- In response to the suit, Stecher ruled on would be making changes in the building for 000 had been made in accordance with the Nov. I 4 that the sellers did not comply with their nee~s "at risk," since the expected trial Dayan Says U.S. Misread state's Religious Corporation Law. The sale the law because, in the absence of by-laws could result in nullification of the sale. The Mideast Situation was made by three Jews - Abraham Gulker providing otherwise, congregants must ap­ purchasers have barred use of the building to and. Saul Goldstein of Brooklyn and prove a sale of real property owned by the the Jewish worshippers and it is currently NEW YORK (JTA) - Former Israeli Seymour Shyman of Manhattan -claiming congregation and the sellers did not give re­ unused. Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan, said rhat if to be trustees of the congregation. quired notice of the proposed sale or call a In addition to freezing the transaction, the United States, after exhausting all Stecher ordered the two sides to undertake diplomatic means to free its hostages in Iran, "discovery" proceedings by which lawyers decides to resort to military action, Israel (Continued on page 12) will be willing to make the Haifa .port and military airfields - "but not Israel.soldiers" - available to the Americans. British, PLO Official Buh Dayan, speaking at a press con­ 'Unscheduled' Encounter ference, sponsored by the United Jewish Ap­ peal, made it clear he is not advising the Un-· LONDON (JTA) - Britain's Deputy ited States as to whether to use the military Foreign Minister Sir Ian Gilmour and option in order to resolve the current Iranian Farouk Kaddoumi, the foreign minister of crisis. the Palestine Liberation Organization, met Dayan, who is on a speaking tour in the briefly in what the Foreign Office said was U.S. on behalf of the UJA, said that an "unscheduled" encounter at the Syrian Americans should realize that the Iranian !embassy. This is the first acknowledged situation is part of a general feeling of unrest meeting to take place in London between throughout the . Mideast and the Moslem such a senior PLO official and a British world. The events of recent weeks, in which Cabinet Minister. American embassies were attacked in Iran, The Foreign Office said that their talks Pakistan, Libya and other countries, might were without substance and that the meeting have a severe effect on American prestige, did not mark any shift in Britain's Middle Dayan warned. East policy. However, it has caused deep "It will be very bad for the Mideast, the· concern among Israeli circles and Israel Am­ West and America if you (Americans) will bassador Shlomo Argov will raise it when he lose your prestige," Dayan said, adding: accompanies visiting Knesset Speaker "It's not exactly adding to the prestige of the Yitzhak Shamir on a courtesy call to U.S. when diplomats escaped through the Gilmour's boss, Foreign Secretary Lord back door (as in Libya) or were rescued from Carrington. Despite the British disclaimers, the top of the roof (as in Pakistan)." Israeli suspicions are deepened by the Dayan said he thinks the U.S. "did not known pro-Arab sympathy of Sir Ian. read correctly the situation in the Mideast The meeting also follows 11ersistent calls . You don't read correctly the mood of by the pro-Arab lobby here for Britain to the people in the Mideast," and as a result, end its "isolation" fronl Western Europe by the U.S. ··made so.me mistals_es" in handling becoming more amenable to the PLO. the anti-American developments in the area. The Gilmour-Kaddoumi meeting took Dayan disclosed that Israel advised the U.S. AJCONGRIIS HONORS MONDALI!: Howanl M.... ■ droll (right), Pre■ldent of Ille _ plac~ at a reception given by Syrian Am­ a year in advance that the Shah might be top­ A_._. .-wllh COIIINN, pre■enll lhe cq■nlzallon'• 8tepbln WIN A..-d to Vice bassador Mohammed Omrane for delegates pled and that the Iranian army is weak. But Pr11ld1nt WIIIII' F. Mondale II I dlnw held In N• Yorlc. Vice Pre■ldent Mondale to a conference on Jerusalem organized by he refused to disclose what the American -lludedfar "dllllngul1hld wwlce lo lhen■IIOn lllcloampurlonlll ,........to Ille the Islamic Council for, Europe and the response to the Israeli warriing was. IOOlll-ofmlnorllJ~lllcl ■I .........• S..udi Arabian Information Ministry. 2-THERHODEISLANDHERALD,THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1979 Obituaries Background RepJll1 SOPHIE SIEGEL SYLVIA HOROVITZ _Iranian Community in France PROYIDENCE - Sophie Siegel, 90, of PROVIDENCE - Sylvia Horovitz. 57. of By Edwl■ Eytan slightest provocation. Political activities arc 578 Plamfield Street, a Providence resident · 15 Verndale Avenue, who retired in 1969 generally regarded by the French govcrment most of her life, died December 4.