xt7dfn10sc0v https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7dfn10sc0v/data/mets.xml Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Kentucky Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass 1993-10 Newspaper of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, previously named the Central Kentucky Jewish Association and Central Kentucky Jewish Federation. Published ten times annually. The Federation seeks to bring Jewish community members together through holiday parties, lectures, Yiddish courses, meals, and other celebrations of Jewish heritage and culture. They also host fundraisers and provide financial assistance for Jews in need, both locally and around the world. This collection is part of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records, 2016ms010. newsletters 2016ms010 English Central Kentucky Jewish Federation Inc  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records Jews -- Kentucky -- Lexington Jews -- History Shalom, October 1993 text image Shalom, October 1993 1993 1993-10 2025 true xt7dfn10sc0v section xt7dfn10sc0v MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER
OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL, MR.

YITZHAK RABIN, ON THE OCCASION OF
ROSH HASHANA 5754

My Dear Friends,

From our common house in Jerusalem, the eternal
capital of the State of Israel and the everlasting capital and the
spiritual home of the Jewish people, I send you my warmest
wishes for a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
Shana Tova.

Rosh llashana is a time of soul‘searching forthe Jewish
people. Therefore I would like to share with you some of my
thoughts at one of the most significant times in the history of
the Jewish State.

Let me begin by saying that the Jewish people in Israel
share the deep concern of our fellow Jews throughout the world
over the demographic future of the Jewish people. The open
pluralistic societies as well as other less fortunate ones have
given Jews opportunities to integrate; however, they have also
posed the greatest challenge to the task of preserving our
Jewish identity, the danger of assimilation

Indeed Israel follows with great anxiety the growth of

'C' “i t‘ 2: l ho: z» t‘lt‘l titism lnt oll demons of anti-

meaystahmus. Itisoursacredduty

ti; («that fHIIIlet .m. in remain alert and to carry the historic
message of our Jewish religion, a message of tolerance and
openness.

Every Jew in the world should know that the days of
wandering are well behind us. Our duty is to be the safe haven
of the Jewish people, and this mission is deeply entrenched in
our minds.

The Zionist thinker Ahad Ha'am foresaw the Jewish
State as the spiritual center for all Jews, a source of pride, and
a focus for our strongest energies. By the early decades of the
next century, we will almost certainly reach a great Zionist
milestone, and the State of Israel will become the largest Jewish
community in the world.

Israel today is a strong country. And it is from a
position of confidence that we are negotiating with our Arab
partners. Peace is the essential element of our security
doctrine. However, let there be no misunderstanding: There
will be no unilateral compromises on any front. The security of
the State of Israel and its citizens is our first and foremost

Cont. Pg. 6
See

 

CKJF
840 Romany Road
Lexington, KY 40502

 

 

 

 

 

 

lewish Feberation

OCTOBER 1993

CK$JFW

Bulletin of the Central Kentuekq

HISTORIC HANDSHAKE

Israeli Prime Minister Yitdiak Rabin (left) accepts hand of P.L.O. Chairman Yasser Arum
(right) alter signing agreanaxt at White Home a: 9/13/93.

 

ISRAEL-PLO RECOGNITION SIGNING Wm W3.
BY PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL, YITZHAK RABIN
JERUSALEM, SEPTEMBER 10, 1993 -

PRIME MINISTER
YITZHAK RABIN: Good
Morning. I welcome you, the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Norway, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Israel. I
believe that you brought a
certain letter.

N O R W E G I A N
FOREIGN MINISTER
HOLST: Yes sir, I have a
letter addressed to the Prime
Minister of Israel and signed
Yassar Arafat, the Chairman
of the Palestine Liberation
Organization, the letter in
which the PLO recognizes the
right of the Sate of Israel to
exist in peace and security,
and elaborates on the basis of
that recognition.

(PRIME MINISTER
RABIN SIGNS THE
DOCUMENT)

PRIME MINISI‘ER
RABIN: I have just received
a letter from Chairman
Arafat in the name of the
leadership of the PLO, in
which he takes commitments
to recognize Israel and its
right to exist in peace and

security, to solve the long
conflict between the
Palestinians and Israel
through negotiations in a
peaceful way. He takes
commitment to end terror
and violence, to renounce it.

He takes upon himselfto look
at he articles of the
Palestinian Covenant
inoperative and no longer
valid. I see in this
commitment on the part of
the PLO a change, a
dramatic change, that opens
the road towards
reconciliation and peace
between the Palestinians and
Israel. It is the first
agreement between
Palestinians and Israel since
the creation of the State of
Israel.

I am fully aware
about the difficulties that
face the Palestinians and
Israel in the solution of our
problems. I see in it a big
step towards the achievement
of these goals, knowing that
still it is a long way to go,
with obstacles on the road

 

9:15

that we shall have to remove,
and it is possible to remove
them.

I believe it starts a
new era, era in which we will
do our best to achieve peace
and security to Israel, and at
the same time to give the
Palestinians the right, in the
context of agreement about
interim period, to run their
afl'airs.

I believe that there is
a great opportunity of
changing not only the
relations between the
Palestinians and Israel, but
to expand it to the solution of
the conflict between Israel
and other Arab peoples.

It is an historic

Cont. Pg. 4
See WON

TEXT OF
LETTERS OF
RECOGNITION

PAGE 4

 

 I . LIB-cu

THE TORAH THIS MONTH

 

 

By Rabbi Jon Adland

Except for the first
Shabbat, 9:0be Sukkot,
the readings this month come
from the beginning of the
Torah, the book of Genesis.
The portions in October begin
with creation and conclude
with the famous story of the
Akedah, the binding of Isaac,
one of the most significant
and well-known passages in
the Torah.

SHABBAT SUKKOT
October 2/ 17 Tishri
Exodus 33:12-34:26
This special reading
includes the moment when
Moses asks to know God.
Moses, the leader of this
rebellious band of former
slaves, wants to know that
God will lead him and the
people on this arduous
journey that is still before

 

Published
ten times annually by the

Central Kentucky
Jewish Federatiai, Inc.

CKfiJF

Please send address
changes to :

340 Romany Road
Lexington, KY 40502
(606) 268-0672
fax: (606) 268-0775

III
Ellie Goldman, President

Howard L. Ross,
Executive Director

Sharyn Sharer,
Program Director

Iris Rosen-Roman,
Office Manager

Sara Chamey-Cohen,
Editor

Samye Miller,
Advertising

The appearance of any advertizing
in this puliication does not
represent a kashrut endorsement m
thehpart of CKJF or any other

am or organization.

 

 

 

them. God reassures Moses
that God will be present. At
this instant Moses asks to
see God. God won't allow
this promises to make all of
God's goodness pass before

Moses and then Moses can

see God's back.

When this moment
concludes, Moses is
commanded to again carve
the tablets of stone on the
top of Mt. Sinai. When
Moses ascends to the top,
God comes down in a cloud
and proclaims that God is
compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, kind, faithful,
and merciful. This passage
contains the 13 attributes of
God.

The portion concludes
with God commanding the
Israelites to observe the
Feast of Unleavened Bread,
Shabbat, the Feast of Weeks,
and Sukkot.

BERESHIT - October 9/ 24
’I‘ishri

Genesis 1:1-6:8

This portion begins
with the two different stories
of creation. The first one
Man and Woman are created
last and in the second Man
and Woman are created first
with Woman being created
from Man's rib. The stories
are different and teach
varying ideas about God.

Chapter 3 is known
as the "Garden of Eden"
story. As a result of eating

  
 

Store Manager

/

from the fruit of the tree of
good and bad, Man and
Woman become aware of
themselves and their bodies.
Because God specifically said
not to eat of this tree, Man
and Woman were banned
from the Garden forever.

The next chapter
gives us the story of Cain
and Abel. Cain, jealous of
his brother's relationship
with God, murders Abel and
is punished by God. Cain is
marked and sent roaming the
world forever.

A f t e r a 1 o n g
genealogy in chapter 5, the
portion concludes with
Noah's birth.

NOAH -
Cheshvan
Genesis 6:941:32

Noah's story is well-
known to almost every adult
and child. Noah is
commanded by God to build
an ark to save himself and
his family from the
impending flood that God will
bring down on the earth.
God says that the flood will
put an end to all flesh that
had corrupted its ways on the
earth.

October 16/1

The story at this
point seems to be two
intertwined tales. In one,

Noah is commanded to take a
pair of every animal on earth
onto the ark and in the other
story Noah is commanded to
take seven pairs of clean
animals and one pair of
unclean animals.

After a long period of
rain, either 40 days in one

,.W.-;~sm.7’f75‘

344 Rom

amiad

tale or 150 days in the other,
the waters begin to subside.
With the help of a dove,
Noah determines that dry
land is once again appearing.
The ark lands on Mt. Ararat
and Noah comes out of the
ark, builds an altar and
makes an offering to God of
one of every clean animal.

God promises Noah
never to do this again to
bring a flood on the earth to
destroy humankind. God
then makes a covenant with
Noah. The rainbow serves as
the sign of the covenant.

The portion concludes
with the story of the "Tower
of Babel." This tale explains
how we were spread
throughout the world and
why we speak many
languages. People were
trying to build a tower to God
and when they got to close
God confused their speech
which ended their ability to
cooperate on the project.

The final verse of the
portion mentions the death of
Terah, Abram's father.

LECH L'CHA - October 23/ 8
Cheshvan
Genesis 12:1-l7z27
Lech L'cha begins
with the God's command to

Abram. to leave.;hiss.native,~.w.

land and father's house and
go to the land that he will
show him. God promises to
make a great nation and
great name of Abram and
God will bless him. Abram
with his wife Sarai set forth
on the journey to Canaan.
As do his son and

 
   

 

grandson and great-
grandson, Abram goes to
Egypt. He makes this
journey because of a drought
in the land of Canaan. When
entering Egypt, Abram
instructs Sarai to say that
she is his sister. If she says
that she is his wife, then the
Egyptians will kill him and
take her. Pharaoh does take
Sarai into his household, but
he is inflicted with plagues.
Pharaoh sends for Abram
and asks him what he has
done, Abram explains that
Sarai is his wife. Pharaoh
tells his men to send Abram,
Sarai and all their
possessions away from Egypt.

Another important
part of this portion is
Hagar's, Sarai's maidservant,
pregnancy by Abram.

Though it was Sarai‘s
decision for Abram and
Hagar to have a child

together, Sarai was unable to
conceive, Sarai was angry
and she treats Hagar very
harshly. Hagar runs away
from Sarai. An angel of God
finds her in the desert, orders
her to return to Sarai, but.
then says that he will
increase her offspring, that
she will have a son and name
him Ishmael, that he will be

2&8 :‘WW . _ "
that he shall dwell a ongsido ,

of all his kinsmen.
Finally, in the last

Cont. Pg. 10
See TORAH

 

 

 IIMJALLNFRVS

COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
AT WORK

 

. By Pam Allweiss and Bill Ldfler

Many members of the
Lexington Jewish community
have responded to our
question, "What is the role of
the CKJF?" with the answer
that CKJF is the vehicle for
Central Kentucky's Jewish
community to contribute to
the development of Israel.
Although true, numerous
other concerns are addressed
by committees of the Central

sun-IH—ev-iuy-u‘V‘Vp—ipuiu.

I

J

Kentucky Jewish Federation.
One of the most essential to
us all is the Community
Relations Committee, better
known as the CRC.

Your contributions to
the CKJF help maintain the
programs of the CRC as well
as the work of the National
Jewish Community Relations
Advisory Council (NJ CRAC).
NJCRAC is an information
resource dealing with issues
of concern to us as Jews. It
also serves as an advocacy
organization engaging Jewish
leaders from across the
nation in the formation of
position papers to guide

~uwwmn~m~uummuM~

 

Promotion of
interaction among all Jewish

groups (affiliated and
non-affiliated) in Central
Kentucky and t h e

promotion of a sense of unity
among these groups.

The education of the
community on local and

national issues.
F o s t e r i n g
understanding between the

Jewish community
and other religious, racial
and ethnic communities.

Represent the views
of the Jewish Community at

international issues. activities
The CRC of the Activities planned by
Central Kentucky Jewish the CRC include:

Federation has some of the
following goals:

RESETFIEMENT NEEDS UPDATE

New Americans continue to arrive in Lexington, and
are we ever gratified to be able to have the mitzvah of helping
other Jews become self-sufficient and self-reliant. But the
reality is that in order to continue our assistance we must have
ongoing support from the members of the Jewish community
of Central Kentucky.

‘Please call Sharyn Sharer at 268-0672 or Evelyn Geller at
272-8972 if you have the time or talent or facilities for any of
the following:

1. We need people who have trucks or vans and can
transport household furnishing to storage or to apartments.

2. Drivers are always appreciated. New Americans
need to be taken to job interviews, doctors' offices, agency
appointments, etc.

3. Because job procurement is vital, we need people
who can go through the want ads for appropriate jobs (basic
work which would help the new Americans develop spoken
English skills) or who can contact business associates to solicit
jobs.

--A mayoral forum held last
spring. At this forum,

 

4. There is a vital need for two people who can act as
Co-coordinators of Volunteers. These people would maintain
lists of drivers, translators etc. and arrange for new Americans
to get to "official" appointments.

There are other jobs to be done as well. If you have a
skill you believe wold help the new Americans in the
acculturation efforts, please call Evelyn Geller. Community
participation is essential to the success of our resettlement

program.

 

various issues were raised
including the use of county
dollars for Christmas
religious festivals. The forum
was effective; at a candidates'
night, held this past month,
Mayor Miller outlined the
items to be cut from next
year's budget; the Christmas
funding is removed from
taxpayer expense.

--The community presented
its concerns and questions to
the two candidates for Mayor
at a Mayoral Candidates
Forum,

--A seminar for clergy from
all faiths introducing them to
the customs and practices of
Judaism.

--A meeting with the search
committeeforSuperintendent
of Schools. This meeting, an
opportunity for the Jewish
community to express its
concerns with issues such as
testing on the High Holy
Days, penalizing Jewish
students and teachers
because of their religious

practices, proved to those in-

attendance that this type of
interaction must continue on

an annual basis.

Future plans include:

--Recognition of members of
the community who have
given of themselves in
community service.
--Development of a census of
affiliated Jews so that
program planning by and for
all organizations can be more
effective.
--Development of seminars to
involve the entire community
on issues such as Christian
religious practices in the
schools which offend our
children and ourselves.

The CRC is a
representative committee.
Representatives from each of
the organizations in the
Jewish community are
invited to join in the
deliberations. Input from the
widest possible range of the
community is essential if
each point of view is to be
represented.

If you are interested
in becoming involved in the
work of the CRC, please
phone the CKJF office and
express your interest.

 

CRC MEETS WITH SEARCH
COMMITTEE

Pam Allweiss and Bill

Committee of CKJF, recently
met with a committee of the
Fayette

seeking public input and
concern about the
qualifications of the new

Superintendent of Schools, as
well as issues with which this

person will deal.

Community ”Relations

County Public
Schools. The Committee is

Among the concerns

   
      

e needfiibr t 9 new
Superintendent to be more
attuned to the increasing
cultural diversity of
Lexington, to find ways of

decreasing violence in our

schools and promote conflict
resolution in a peaceable
fashion; a willingness to
confront difficult problems
openly, increased community

 

Pages

VOLUNTEER OF
THE MONTH

 

T h i 3
Volunteer of the Month is
Zachary Jon Chamey-Cohen.
Zack volunteers to help with
our CKJF Bulletin each

month's

month, cheerfully inserting
flyers, applying address
labels, sorting by ZIP Code
for bulk mail and any other
task requested. He is also

polishing up his not
inconsiderable computer
skills. Zack brings his

special touch and incredible
charm to each task and
constantly displays the true
spirit of tzedakah through
volunteering.

 

gm the commgtee _
were t

input into the functioning of
the schools and better
coordination with Metro
Government -the latter a
maxim Mao: Pam
expressed at the
Evening on

Miller
Candidates’
September 12.

Two representatives of
the Main Street Baptist
Church were in the meeting
along with Pam and Bi]l,who
were pleased to see the
overlapping of black Baptist
concerns with Jewish
concerns

:tattestteettoattestcassettcttccttttct:

fifififittt“ttttfitfit

LEXINGTON STATE“, OF ISRAEL BONDS
CENTRAL KENTUCKY “JEWISH FEDERATION

M mun!

YARON SVORAY

”Behind Germanyb Hunt Linea, Again.- An Undnwver Eyewitness Report an Neo-Nahm'

Odober 21, 1993 - 12:00 Lunch

The Lexington Public Library
104 East Main Street

Yaron Svoray is an expert on international politics and American Israeli relations
and has recently returned from a six month undercover assignment in Germany where he

. penetrated and exposed the Neo-Nazi movement.

A former commando and detective, Svoray is an expert on international terrorism
and has appeared on television and radio commenting on the political and economic situation

. int he Middle East.

‘fi‘.“$$‘¢t$$tt$$t‘t$

Q Join us for this very important program. Mr. Svoray is a fascinating speaker who
has amazing stories to tell. Call the Israel Bonds office at 1- 800- 883- 0707 or CKJF at :

Q 268-0672 to RSVP by October 15.

‘fi‘t“$ttt‘tttttttttfi‘t‘..“‘t‘tt‘t‘tt:

 

 my; '

RECOGNITION
SIGNING
CEREMONY

From Pg. 1

moment, that hopefully will
bring about an end to 100
years of bloodshed, misery,
between the Palestinians and
Jews, between Palestinians
and Israel.

I would like to thank
you, Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Norway, for your
efforts, for your involvement
in the achievement of these
papers and others. I would
like to thank you, Shimon,
for your efforts to bring it
about. As I' said, it’s only the

beginning, but a
tremendously important
beginning.

F O R E I G N
MINISTER HOISI‘: Mr.
Prime Minister, let me just
very briefly state how pleased
we have been and how
humble I feel having had a
chance to play a small role in
this very important endeavor
to ' bring peace to the
embattled area of the Middle
East. It has been a very long
journey, and some dedicated
people have worked very,
very hard to produce the
documents that settle the
immediate matters that
needed to be settled.

We have had the
privilege of working together
with some fantastic Israelis,
and equally with some
unique Palestinians in
finding a solution to what
increasingly came to be seen
as common challenges,
common problems. And
when I see the kind of spirit,
the kind of cooperation that
develqied between the two
groups of people, who as ably
and so tenaciously
represented their difi'erent
sides, I feel that the future is
bright indeed. There is hope.

I think one has, as
the Prime Minister said,
entered a new era. We have
gone beyond the stage, the
decisions could only be made
by consensus. You had to
break by the consensus in
order to make to the
necessary decisions and in
order to provide a basis from
which you can build a new

consensus.

It seems to me that
the importance of the
documents that have now
been initialed and signed is
that we have created a new
basis for building a common

future in the Middle East.
One had put history behind
us, and we are looking
towards the future. And the
Declaration of Principles that
have been agreed between
the two sides, it seems to me,
points towards a future
which you will have to build
together, and by common
endeavor rather than in
common conflict.

So, ny only task is to
thank you very much for
everything that you have
done in accomplishing this
very very important result,
and for giving us a chance to
serve in that very important
endeavor.

F O R E I G N
MINISTER SHIMON
PERFB: I would like to take
this opportunity to thank,
first of all, the Norwegian
people and Norway - a

wonderful land that has
embraced the peace
negotiations with such an
open heart and hospitality. I
would like to thank you,
Johan, for your tireless and
brilliant work. And, with
your permission, I would like
to have a look at Mariana,
your wife, and at Moona and
Terry Larson. These were
the four people that days and
nights were working
tirelessly, without
distinguishing between land
and air, and day and night.
We are very grateful for what
you have done, and our
thanks came from the depth
of our hearts to all of you,
and your particularly.

A s t h e P rim e
Minister has said, we
understand the seriousness of
the moment for our own
people. It is for them a new

experiment. We know that
this is not just a political
accord, this is really
something that relates to
every family in our country -
to the mother, to the father,
to the children - what will be
really the future of life like.
And we understand the
seriousness of it.

I want to say also
that we wish from the depth
of our hearts to the
Palestinian people, a
different future. We don't
hate people and we don't
hate persons. What we were
trying seriously is to get rid
of a poisonous past. And, to
use a Biblical wish, to return
to a land of milk and honey.
We can do, and we have to
live accordingly.

I think that all of us
will work tirelessly to make
this agreement, which until
this moment is a piece of

paper, into ,i new reality.
For me, it was a privilege to
work with the Prime
Minister. I think both of us
felt deeply that we are
serving a great cause and a
great occasion, and we must
meet the size and the
seriousness of it.

I would also like to
thank from the depth of my
heart to the Israeli teams. I
won't mention names, but
there are people who worked
very very hard and we thank
them as well.

Again, we are
departing to a new future.
Difficult was this as well. So
we are to going to face a
situation without difficulties.
But the difl'erence is that we
are going to face a new day
with many chances and
hopes for us, for our
neighbors, and for the whole
of the Middle East.

 

 

Mr. Prime Minister,

ISRAEL—PLO RECOGNITION
TEXT OF LETTERS

September 9, 1993

The signing of the Declaration of Principles marks a
new era in the'history of the Middle East. In firm conviction
thereof, I would like to confirm the following PLO

commitments:

The PLO recognizes the right of the State of Israel to

exist in peace and security.

The PLO accepts United Nations Security Council

Resolutions 242 and 338.

The PLO commits itself to the Middle East peace
process, and to a peaceful resolution of the conflict between
the two sides and declares that all outstanding issues relating
to permanent status will be resolved through negotiations.

The PLO considers that the signing of the Declaration
of Principles constitutes a historic event, inaugurating a new
epoch of peaceful coexistence, free from violence and all other
acts which endanger peace and stability. Accordingly, the PLO
renounces the use of terrorism and other acts of violence and
will assume responsibility over all PLO elements and personnel
in order to assure their compliance, prevent violations and

discipline violators.

In view of the promise of a new era and the signing of
the Declaration of Principles and based on Palestinian
acceptance of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, the
PLO affirms that those articles of the Palestinian Covenant
which deny Israel's right to exist, and the provisions of the
Covenant which are inconsistent with the commitments of this
letter are now inoperative and no longer valid. Consequently,
the PLO undertakes to submit to the Palestinian National
Council for formal approval the necessary changes in regard to

the Palestinian Covenant.

Sincerely,

Yasser Arafat
Chairman
The Palestine Liberation Organization

Yitzhak Rabin
Prime Minister of Israel

September 9, 1993

Dear Minister Holst,

I would like to confirm to you that, upon the aiminggfwgem

Declaration of Principles. the PLO encourages and calls upon
the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to
take part in the steps leading to the normalization of life,
rejecting violence and terrorism, contributing to peace and
stability and participating actively in shaping reconstruction,
economic development and cooperation.

Sincerely,

Yasser Arafat
Chairman
The Palestine Liberation Organization

His Excellency
Johan Jorgon Holst
Foreign Minister of Norway

 

 

Mr. Chairman,

September 9, 1993

In response to your letter of September 9, 1993, I wish
to confirm to you that, in light of the PLO commitments
included in your letter, the Government of Israel has decided
to recognize the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian
people and commence negotiations with the PLO within the

Middle East peace process.

Yitzhak Rabin
Prime Minister of Israel

Yasser Arafat
Chairman

The Palestinian Liberation Organization

 

 

 

‘m

 

 NATIONAL NEWS

 

LAWMAKERS URGE ACTION ON
ISRAELI MIAS

. (NER 8/23/93) In a
July 30 letter initiated by
Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY),
73 Members of Congress
wrote Secretary of State
Warren Christopher to
encourage greater U.S.
involvement to help end the
captivity of missing Israeli
serviceman Ron Arad.

The letter urged
Christopher to "have the
State Department and other
agencies work diligently to
secure the freedom of Ron
Arad...and intensely pursue

information on the three
other missing Israeli
servicemen - Zachary

Baumel, Zvi Feldman, and
Yehuda Katz.,.We consider
Iran responsible for the fate
of Ron Arad and believe that
Iran could be helpful in
solving this continuing
tragedy."

The lawmakers wrote
that the US. should
demonstrate that hostage-
taking is unacceptable,
whatever the nationality of
the victim. The letter stated

 

 

MODEL LETI‘ER FOR ISRAELI MIA'S

All of us can help to reinforce this effort by writing to
Secretary of State Christopher, President Clinton and Senators
Ford and McConnell. A sample letter and addresses follow:

President Bill Clinton

The White House

1660 Pennsylvania Ave, NW.
Washington, DC. 20500

Honorable (Senator)
US Senate
Washington, DC. 20510

The Hon. Warren Christopher
Secretary of State
Washington, DC. 20520

Honorable (Representative)
US. House of Representatives
Washington, DC. 20515

      
 

I would like to bring to your attention an issue of major
concern to the American Jewish community: the fate of four
missing Israel soldiers: Zachariah Baumel, Zvi Feldman,
Yehuda Katz (all captured in 1982), and Ron Arad (captured in
1986), who are believed to be held by Islamic fundamentalists
who reportedly are receiving their orders from Iran and/or
Syria.

I would ask you to bear in mind the fact that Israel
played a key role in securing the release of all of the Western
hostages who were being held in Lebanon. It was widely
believed that after the release of these prisoners, the United
States would exert. its influence to arrange the speedy release
of the missing Israelis.

At the very least, the families of the MIA‘s should not
be condemned to live with the tremendous suffering and
anguish of not knowing whether their loved ones are alive or
dead.

I urge you to use your good offices and influence to
bring this very sad chapter to a close. Thank you.

Sincerely,

 

Letters or cards can also be addressed to the Syrian
Ambassador to the United States and the Ambassador of Iran
to the United Nations.

Ambassador Waled Al-Malum
Embassy of Syria
2215 Wyoming Avenue NW
Washington, DC. 20008

Ambassador Kamala Kharrazi
Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations
622 Third Ave.
34th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

that the US must take more
action on this issue because
"Israel has been and
continues to be America's
strongest ally in this
important and volatile
region." The US should
work for the release of
"captives everywhere,

regardless of nationality," it
added.

 

 

BY: SHAMNA MANDVITCH.
UJA PRES SERVICE

JERUSALEM - When
Shlomo Boony descended
from the plane at Ben-Gurion
Airport upon his arrival from
Yemen, he kissed the ground
and wept. For his entire life,
this 35 year old father of
nine had dreamed about the

"Land of Israel."
B o o n y ' s d r e a m
became reality when he

reached Israel in March,
1993. Since then, he has
been living at the Jewish
Agency's Oshiot Absorption
center in Rehovot. Speaking
in fluent Hebrew after only

  
   

. five months in Israel, Roomy

pleasures and pains of his
return to Zion and of the
absorption process.

"The greatest
miracles," say Bony. who is
slim, with a graying beard
and dark, long, dangling
sidecurls, "are to touch the
Western Wall in Jerusalem
and to meet the uncles, aunts
and cousins whom I have
never seen."

Amongthoserelatives

is a cousin, Sa'adia Boni, who ,

lives near the absorption-
center in Rehovot.
who is now 50, left Yemen as
a small boy in 1951, on the
wings of the Jewish Agency's
"Operation Magic Carpet,"
which brought 45,000
Yemenite Jews to Israel.

"Shlomo had not yet
been born when we left for
Israel," recollects Sa'adia,
"but I have vivid memories of
his parents my Uncle
Zecharia and Aunt
Hamama."

Shlomo Boony's
elderly parents, Zecharia and
Hamama, are among those
who even now remain behind
in Yemen, along with an
estimated 900 Jews. His
countenance clouds with
anxiety when he discusses

Page

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
HARDSHIP IN HEAVEN

 

   
   

Photo: UJA Press ServroeIAvi Hirschfield

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AbsaptimCmter-mrtmentmm Withfundsnisedbythe
UJA/FetkratitnAnmnlCamimhmdrudeanmiteJmm
Wmliwsinlsnd.

Sa'adia,..

the fate of his parents, as
well as that of his four
brothers and sisters and their
families in Yemen.

Boony's parents
received a total of three
letters from their Israel
relatives during their more
than 40 years of separation.
"Our relatives didn’t know if
we were alive, and we didn't
know how the were faring,"
Boony relates. "It was only
in the past few years that the
authorities allowed letters
through.”

He describes the
years of separation as a
. _ 5:. ‘ .. ~ i; mafia“
hurt us to know that most of
our people had realized the
dream of aliyah, but that we
were denied entry to Eretz
Yisrael, " he says.

Become coming to
Israel, Bony was a jeweler in
his hometown, near Sana,
Yemen's capital, where he
specialized in silver
ornamentation. He had a
small car and a large family
house, and was able to
support his wife and children
comfortably. When» the
family departed for 'Israel,
they left everything behind,
taking with them just three
suitcases crammed with
clothes and holy books.

"May dreams have
come true," Boony says, "but
that's not going to help me

feed my family," Boony says.
"In Yemen, we had a thriving
business, but here I still don’t
know how I'm going to earn a
good livelihood."

He has already begun
to investigate employment
opportunities. "I have
checked out the jewelry
industry here, and I have
much to learn," Boony says.
“A lot of technology is used
and the market is very
competitive. I simply don’t
know where to start. For ’Ii
Jew, being in Israel is almost
heaven, but I don't know how

, .,4m.maaieed.;ny.£amfl¥-

I need to develop some mom
skills."

The absorption
process he and other
newcomers from Yemen are
experiencing has been eased
by Israeli relatives. "Our
family here has been very
good to us," Boony notes.
"They are always bringing us
food and clothes and other
things. But they are not
wealthy people. There is a
limit to the material help
that they can give us."

Boony's w