and Pale odia Palestinian woman in Jabaliya Camp, Gaza Strip. Her home was demolished by Israeli military, (p.16) (Photo: Neal Cassidy) nunTHE JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE FOR PROGRESSIVE WOMEN VOL. XV SUMMER 1990 PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Merle Hoffman MANAGING EDITOR Beverly Lowy ASSOCIATE EDITOR Eleanor J. Bader ASSISTANT EDITOR Karen Aisenberg EDITOR AT LARGE Phyllis Chester CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Charlotte Bunch Vinie Burrows Naomi Feigelson Chase Irene Davall FEATURES Above: Goats on a porch at Toi Derricotte Mandala. All animals are treated with Roberta Kalechofsky BREAKING BARRIERS: affection and respect, even the skunks. Flo Kennedy WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN (p.10) (Photo: Helen M. Stummer) Fred Pelka THE SCIENCES Cover: A single mother and her Helen M. Stummer ON THE ISSUES interviews children find permanency in a H.O.M.E.- ART DIRECTORS Paul E. Gray, President of MIT, and built home. (Photo: Helen M. Stummer) Michael Dowdy Dean of Student Affairs, Shirley M. Julia Gran McBay, on sexism and racism in A SONG SO BRAVE — ADVERTISING AND SALES academia 7 PHOTO ESSAY DIRECTOR Text By Phyllis Chesler Carolyn Handel H.O.M.E. Photos By Joan Roth ONE WOMAN'S APPROACH Phyllis Chesler and an international ON THE ISSUES: A feminist, humanist TO SOCIETY'S PROBLEMS group of feminists present a Torah to publication dedicated to promoting By Helen M. Stummer political action through awareness and the women of Jerusalem 19 education; working toward a global Visual sociologist Helen M. Stummer political consciousness; fostering a spirit profiles a unique program to combat TO PEE OR NOT TO PEE of collective responsibility for positive homelessness, poverty and By Irene Davall social change; eradicating racism, disenfranchisement 10 A humorous recollection of the "pee- sexism, ageism, speciesism; and support- in" that forced Harvard to examine its ing the struggle of historically disenfran- FROM STONES TO sexism 20 chised groups to protect and defend STATEHOOD themselves. By Eleanor J. Bader A WISH FOR CAMBODIA The intifada through the eyes of By Esty Dinur UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS All unsolicited material will be read by the editors. For American journalist Phyllis Bennis An interview with Diane Kaav, a return, enclose self-addressed, stamped envelope with and photographer Neal Cassidy 16 Cambodian refugee now working in proper postage. Articles should be not less than 10 and not more than 15 double spaced, typewritten pages on the U.S. to stop foreign aid to the women's health, social or political issues by people with WOMEN IN BLACK: WEEKLY Khmer Rouge 22 hands on experience in their fields. Professional papers VIGILS AGAINST THE ISRAELI are accepted. All editing decisions are at the discretion Df the editors. Feminist cartoons are also acceptable OCCUPATION WOMEN TRAVELERS under the same provisions. By Bill Strubbe By Willie Mae Kneupper ON THE ISSUES does not accept fiction or poetry. A chronicle of the tenacious Israeli Thirteen questions that test your Advertising is accepted at the discretion of the Jewish women who have opposed knowledge of unusual women publisher. Acceptance does not necessarily imply endorsement. their government's policies toward travelers 24 the Palestinians 18 PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The opinions expressed by contributors to our publication and by those we DEPARTMENi interview are not necessarily those of the editors. ANOTHER VIEW OF THE ON THE ISSUES is traditionally a forum for ideas MIDDLE EAST: PALESTINIAN and concepts and a place where women may have Merle Hoffman—Editorial 2 their voices heard without censure or censorship. ARABS, YES; PLO, NO Win Some*Lose Some 4 By Roberta Kalechofsky ON THE ISSUES is published as an informational A feminist Zionist argues against ne- Choice Books 25 and educational service of CHOICES Women's gotiations with the Palestine Libera- Film and Video 30 Medical Center, Inc. 97-77 Queens Boulevard Forest Hills, NY 11374-3317 ISSN 0895-6014 tion Organization 18 Feedback 37 were the children upon whose shoul- Nazi regime where the machinery, the MERLE HOFFMAN ders salvation and guilt lay. The chil- bureaucracy of the Third Reich and the ON THE ISSUES dren who had to make up to everyone final solution was played out. for everything, who lived in a particu- Behind the imposing buildings (there I am a child of the holocaust, a survi- lar paranoid reality that separated and were seven of them) white wooden vor of sorts, a kind of surrogate suf- branded them at the same time, who crosses were attached to a wire fence ferer. I have never smelled the burn- always seemed to be excusing them- with a name or the word "anonymous". ing flesh or felt the pain of my kidneys selves for having survivors for parents. These were the martyrs to German close to bursting — my legs turned to But I was not thinking of any of these separation, those who were killed trying leadened fatigue as I stood crushed things when I stood at the Wall. I had to cross over. The last death was in against others in the trains bound for arrived in Berlin on New Year's Day May, 1989, merely months before the Auschwitz or Treblinka or Dachau. I 1990. The night before there had been falling of the Wall. I remember a con- have never eaten out of the bowl I was a massive joyous celebration—400,000 versation with a West German student forced to shit in, nor had my children people dancing, drinking, awash with who told me how surreal this separa- torn out of my arms as I stood in an the heady joy of a newfound freedom tion had become. How he had been interminable line waiting for the se- and historical imperative. But that day eating in a cafe when he heard some- lection process. Nor have I cowered in there was only the routine of new tour- one had been shot trying to escape from some corner clutching what was im- ists who had come as ritual pilgrims to the East. "You get used to it," he said portant to me, my mouth dry with look, worship, laugh, touch and de- shrugging. terror as I listened for the sound of the spise. There is a special history here, one S.S. boots outside my door, wondering It was cold, gray and icy on the Kur- not often spoken of, of the martyrs of if it was me they had finally come for. fastendaam (the main thoroughfare), a this place — of the Ghandi follower Nor have I felt the mounting panic of kind of German Champs Elysee that who was given a 13-month jail sen- the bodies surrounding me as they separated both Berlins with two great tence for merely holding a sign that struggled helplessly for air, gasping monuments on either side, the Bran- read "Freedom for the Political Prison- and gagging, tearing desperately at denburg Gate on the east and the ers." Of the Indian, T.N. Zutshi, who each other as the gas slowly entered Goddess of Peace on the west. At first it travelled to East Berlin in March 1960 the chambers. was difficult to make out the strange wearing a placard which read: "The No, I have not been there, yet it is phallic structure with its gold forms, first step toward freedom: Get rid of always with me. I am a child of the thrusting itself into the sky. Upon your fear and speak the truth!" holocaust, a survivor who was not questioning my guide I was told this According to Zutshi, "At East Berlin's personally threatened, yet cannot for- was the "Goddess of Peace" and those Alexanderplatz Station, policemen get. gold domed cylinders were to symbol- tried to wrest my poster from me. There It comes to me at odd times. I remem- ize the weapons of the enemy taken in ensued a scuffle with the police, as ber once, a magnificent evening in the war. On top of the structure was the hundreds of spectators looked on. I Islands, warm, sensuous breezes, a Goddess, a winged victory, an idealized refused to be led away, clung to my sky full of light, a smell of flowers and woman granting her powers of fertility poster and shouted my slogan." Zut- expectation, and suddenly I smelled and nurture to the power and the glory shi's action caused a sensation; he was the fires. Or, often in the midst of self- of German militarism. released after five days of custody and doubt and deep despair, I have stopped A strange parade it was that marched interrogation. His courage, along with to step out of myself and wonder at my towards the Wall that day. Families, the tradition of creative non-violence absolute gall for daring depression youths, foreigners, children sliding on expressed by others, and the sacrifice when I had survived, had escaped by the icy city streets, laughingly falling of Pastor Oskar Bruesewitz who burned the mere arbitrary factor of time and to the ground as their parents playfully himself to death in front of the Church place of birth. scooped them up in their arms. Dogs at Zeist in protest, moved me to a Strangely, I can't remember a time too, pulling their owners towards the poignant rage. when I didn't know about the holo- Wall which stood like some great frac- The story is that upon reaching the caust — I can't recall when I heard tured totem imposing and ridiculous at square in front of the church, Bruese- about it for the first time, it was just the same time. A massive concrete witz unfolded the posters he brought there — always. I do remember my Rorschach test, changing definitions along in his car and then proceeded to teacher's arm.