Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 February 1960 — Page 7

Friday, February 5, 196©

i t hjjlK as l p lease

The National Jewish POST and OPINION

Understanding of Israel’s Minorities Badly Needed

r$y CARL ALPERT

HAIFA — Ten per cent of the population of Israel is non-Jew-ish. It is the best interests of national unity and domestic peace that the 90 per cent know and understand the minorities in their

midst. Hence, it is that the g o v e r nment not only encourages every project designed to pro mote friendly relations among the respective

Alpert g r o u p s, but •also initiates specific, first-hand contacts form which Israel’s citizens can get to know one an-

other.

And thus it was that our 17-year-old daughter Miryam and a group of her classmates spent several weeks at an Arab village. They worked side by side with Arab youth, they socialized at the homes of their new Arab friends, and they participated in numerous discussions and lec tures designed to broaden their understanding of the Arab way

of life.

UPON THEIR return home the young Israelis were relatively proficient in the Arabic tongue, but even more important, they bad for the first time come sufficiently close to these fellow citizens of Israel to appreciate their problems and perhaps understand some of the basic philosophy of life which makes the MIR YAM’S impressions were

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rich and varied. Her comments ranged freely from politics and economics to domestic affairs, and it is possible here to touch lightly only upon som e of them On their first day in the Arab village, the Haifa visitors dis covered a framed picture of The odor Herzl hanging on the wall of a local office — far from any Jewish Zionist group. Who had decided to hang the picture? What was its purpose? Was it intended to give the Jewish students, or perhaps the occasional military visitor, the impression of intense loyalty to Israel? And if so, could this not be regarded as a bit of obvious hypocrisy? THE SAME question arose, unspoken, many times during their weeks with the Arabs, and the answer winch was resolved in their minds was not a quick decision but rather the result of their new knowledge and understanding of these people and their way of life. The Arab sincerely respects the strong. That which is strong and successful — is good. The military achievements of the Jews have earned such respect. The strong hand of the Israel government indicates that the state will not fall, and that it is, therefore, deserving of

port.

This is not hypocrisy; it is a basic conception of life, and who fails to understand this, can not understand Arab politics. It may also serve to explain why the United States, which seeks to pursue a policy of compromise and appeasement in the Middle East, is therefore regarded as weak and undependable. THE STANDARD of living in the Arab village in Israel is without doubt higher than anywhere else in the neighboring Arab states. It is not merely a matter of the availability of electricity or piped water — though these are benefits by no means to oe minimized. Western civilization has eome with a vengeance. Hard-

ly a home in the village did not have a radio, and some of them were large, expensive pieces of furniture. Electric refrigerators

Arab what h e is.

are by no means scarce. THIS WAS a Moslem village, but the weakening of religious loyalties was obvious. Many in the village did not answer the Muezzin’s call to prayer. Not all fasted even on the holy days ot Ramadan. Wine graced the table of the “upper classes.” THE CORNERSTONE of Arab social organization is agriculture, but the old problem of how to keep them down on the farm is present here too. The fellaheen.

the Arab peasant farmer, may have a fine home, and may do very well, but he is considered to be on a lower social scale. His children have followed in his footsteps for generations — but Israel has for the first time made education compulsory for the Arab boy and girl. This would seem to be fine, but education also makes the youngsters dissatisfied with their lot. A high school graduate does not want to be a farmer. There are few jobs for the educated Arabs except as Jeachers. These are problems with which Israel will have to grapple. Rising economic standards have

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also introduced marriage problems. Arabs requires that a prospective groom pay “mohar” to the bride’s family. The going rate has risen to such an extent that Arab bachelors have threatened to go on strike. We still have not yet been able to figure out if we were complimented when an unofficial offer was made to us from one of the town’s families, in behalf of their son — at IL. 4,000. Miryam said she was honored, but requested that we decline the offer. After Miryam had returned to Haifa we were visited by two of the girls whom she had met at the village It is hard to say how long and to what extent this personal relationship will continue, but there can be no doubt of the value of bringing Jews and Arabs closer to understanding each other.

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