Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 January 1986 — Page 6

Gen. Levy Israel's defense leader

Continued from page IN I Levy have little in common. Levy is a new broom with a distinctly less abrasive brush. It is no secret that Eitan had lined up Major General Yanush BenGal for the job and that if Ariel Sharon had still ben defense minister, Ben-Gal, who like Eitan and Sharon takes a 'full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes' attitude, would have been the new chief of staff. However, Moshe Arens, the new defense minister, is a more cautious man, although of the same rightist polidcal principles as Sharon. In choosing Levy, Arens opted for prudence over impulse and a man who could bridge the rift of a divided country. Levy lives with his wife and five children on Kibbutz Beit Alpha in the Jezreel Valley, where his wife was bom — a kibbutz of the left wing Has homer Hatzair movement which is affiliated to Mapam. Levy is a soldier not a politician, and although he is expected to be less hawkish than Eitan, he tends to be a hard liner rather than a dove. Though he lives on the kibbutz, he is not a member there and has no polidcal affiliadons with the settlement Levy may be a Idbbutznik today but his origins are not in the fresh air and fields of the Israeli countryside. He was bom m 1936 in the poverty of Tel Aviv's Shapira quarter. His parents had emigrated from Iraq three years earlier and his father ran a fruit and vegetable market in the nearby Carmel Market The young Levy enjoyed reading and was fascinated by

his oriental roots. As a sixteen year old he worked in a bank by day and studied for his university entrance exams by night At the Hebrew University he graduated in economics and the history of Islam. It is rumored that as a youngster Levy would dress up as a Beduin tribesman and cross into Jordan to have a look around. This highly risky and illegal practice was traditionally considered a mark of valor amongst Israelis in their late teens. In 1954 Levy had joined the army, originally volunteering for the crack Golani Infantry brigade and participating in the Sinai Campaign of 1956. From 1963 to 1967 Levy served in command positions in the paratroopers, seeing combat in the Six Day War and afterwards becoming a brigade commander in the Jordan Valley. In 1974 he joined the general staff as chief of operations, was given a tank division to command in 1976 and in 1977 became chief of IDF command facing the Jordanian border. He became deputy chief of staff during the Lebanese war when AM Yekutiel Adam was killed in action. Altogether, therefore, his army career was more behind the lines than in active combat and he is thoroughly experienced professional. Levy remains something of an intellectual, frequently carrying a book under his arm. He is seen as a quiet professional who will lend the job a low profile, following the controversial reign of Eitan who was criticized for introducing politics into the army. His reply

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— that he just happened to be the first Chief of Staff appointed by a Likud government. It remains to be seen whether power may transform Levy into a more outspoken personality. Is it a coincidence that one of his first actions was to abolish some of the harsher guidelines fas treatment of dissident Arabs? Levy’s greatest challenge is to restore the confidence and respect of all Israelis in the institution whose unity is vital for the survival of the state. Then he really will be Moshe and a half.'

COLK WISDOM &

Rights and responsibilities The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) will present the 1986 State Legislative Program on Sunday, Jan. 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center. The program titled "Rights and Responsibilities" provides an opportunity to learn more about legislative education and to advocate on issues affecting NCJW and you. The public is invited to attend the event RSVP to Myma Weinberger at 253-7927 by Wednesday, Jan. 8, Topics to choose from include: Constitutional Rights, Aging, Women's Issues and Children and Youth. Beth-EI service On Saturday morning, Jan. 18, various members of the Sisterhood will lead Shabbat services in observance of Women's League for Conservative Judaism's National Shabbat. The service will be led by Toni Bader, who is president of the Sisterhood, and Miriam Satinsky. Yiddish club On Sunday, Jan. 19 at 2:00 p.m. the Yiddish Club will discuss "The Lubavitch Movement" with Rabbi Grossbaum. Refreshments will be served. There will be no charge. Stein to teach course at CTS Continued from page IN I Indianapolis Council on Alcoholism, the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and the Bureau of Jewish Education. Rabbi Stein was ordained in 1975 at Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, earning a Master of Hebrew Letters.

?W§I

BYRHODA ISRAELOV, CLU. CEP

"Charity Begins At Home"

Often I find that well-established retirees, getting along in years, begin to think of passing some of their wealth along to children and grandchildren as well as to their favorite charities. There are several good reasons for doing this sooner than later, including reducing estate tax, the satisfaction of seeing money go to work for a worthy cause, recognition and appreciation on the part of the community or family members, and the joy of seeing a business earned on by one’s offspring. The only problem with relinquishing major assets while one is still living is the possibility of future need for the money and the fear of dependency upon children. The first consideration must therefore be "at home” to assure an adequate lifestyle for the retirees themselves, and have reserve money for medical and other contingencies. Only when the donors' financial independence is certain is it time to consider gifts for charitable and family causes. There are at least two estate planning techniques, however, that ensure continued income to the older folks, and yet accomplish charitable and/or family transfer goals. When individuals have greatly appreciated property which they wish to remove from their estate for tax purposes and give to a family member, the private annuity can be a good solution. Parents transfer property to their son, for example. The property could be real estate, stocks and bonds, limited partnerships, or a stock in a closely held corporation. In exchange, the son promises to make payments to the parents for the rest of their lives. The payments are figured using tables of life expectancy, and the value of the transferred property. The parents are thus assured of needed income, but the asset is no longer included in their estate. The son, meanwhile, can begin to use the property, own the business, receive dividends and interest, etc. The private annuity has income tax, capital gains tax, gift tax, and estate tax advantages. The son may wish to purchase an annuity from an insurance company to cover his obligatory payments. “ --- 1 ' A second technique involves a charity. Here again, charity begins at home with an income to the parents-donors for the rest of their lives out of a charitable remainder unitrust. Only after the parents' deaths will the charity receive the remaining assets of the trust. (A wealth replacement trust could also deliver money to their son at that time.) There are many variations of charitable trust, all of which help provide support "at home" while yet reducing estate size and giving the pleasure and recognition of an immediate donation. The private annuity and charitable mist are each fairly complex arrangements, so you can't run down to the comer bank or brokerage house and accomplish your goals instandy. However, with skillful financial, legal and tax counsel, one or both of these strategies can ease the way to satisfying gift giving and personal transfers. Worthy organizations and deserving family members can benefit, and yet the protection of an assured income remains "at home," where all charity properly begins. (All letters will receive a response, although only a limited number can be printed. Try to keep your letter to two or three brief paragraphs. Rhoda Israelov is an account executive with E.F. Hutton & Co., Inc. and a Certified Financial Planner in Indianapolis. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Page INb January 8,1986