Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 July 1996 — Page 17

NAT 12 July 17. 1996

Social Calendar By Jean Herschaft

July 11 and New York's heart belong to Israeli Prime Minister "Bibi." The dynamic, charismatic 46-year-old U.S.educated leader met with New York Gov. Pataki, New Jersey Gov. Whitman, N.Y. Mayor Guilianni, after capturing all of Congress and the charm of President Clinton. He arrived here with wife, 20 secret agents, 3 children and 2 young nannies. On July 11, he met with the large Jewish community. .. Conference of Presidents and others at the Sheraton Center. At June's end Moshe Arons, a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., captured if not captivated the stellar leadership of the Presidents Conference and a wall-to-wall 4 o'clock conference that didn't break till 5:30 p.m. Big question, at the queries part: Are you disappointed that you were not awarded a top job with Bibi? Reply: I didn't expect one, nor did I want one. It was sufficient success that Likud and Bibi won the campaign. Arons downplayed the sharp slim edge of victory by underscoring that "even one vote plurality is still a victory..." Sitting at the head table with Arons was Ambassador Colette Avital. In later media interviews she stated "I expect to fill out my term that expires in November. Moreover, I hope that I will be granted another full term." Avital said her employer is the State of Israel and not the political party in power. It is no secret that Avital is not the favorite person of most of the Orthodox community. She has been openly contemptuous of the Jewish right — American and Israeli. It is difficult to picture Avital cozy with the right. Female as well as male Orthodox leaders would vote "nay" to such an appointment, one prominent personage told me. The walls of Jerusalem will resound with the sacred songs of the Jewish people when the Cantor's Assembly, the world's largest body of professional Hazzanim, holds its Jubilee Convention in Israel from July 21 to Aug. 4, as an official participant in the Jerusalem 3000 festivities. The twoweek mega songfest is titled: Miztnor L're Darnd-Sing to the City of David. For creating non-violent positive children's programming, B'nai B'rith, the world's oldest and largest Jewish organization, honored Sheryl Leach, creator of lovable "Barney" with its international Distinguished Achievement Award at June's end, at the Hilton Hotel. Chairing the event were Michael Goldstein, of Toys R Us, Alan G. Hassenfold of Hasbro, Inc., and Geraldine Laybourne of Disney/ABC Cable networks. When Ms. Leach could not find any interactive, entertaining videos for her then 2-year-old son, she did what any good mother would do: she utilized her skills as a former teacher and created a 6'4" purple and green Tyrannosaurus Rex known as Barney. That was in '88. Today "Barney & Friends" is the most watched children's program on public television and is a worldwide sensation.

CHAI-Helping Animals in Israel, the American-based group in Virginia, were premature sighing echoes of relief that the Peres administration was gone. For so many years its

Minister of Finance had blocked an animal ambulance that CHAI had made possible by a donor. A $20,000 tax tag had been affixed. CHAI could not come up with such funds. Alas, the Likud government wins. But do the injured animals in Israel benefit wiping out the $20,000 tag? NO! NO! NO! It's a new struggle now and those close to Likud leadership will be begged to pressure for kindness, humanity forGd's animal creatures in the land of the Bible. "Cut out the tax.

Let that American ambulance roll."

Sermon of the week "Can a Jew Believe That Jesus Was The Messiah? — Rabbi Hillel Cohn, Congregation Emanu El, San Bernardino, Ca.

Jews by Choice The star I wear

By MARY HOFMANN Afears ago, not too long after John and I became Jewish, I chanced by the closeout sale of the religious supplies department at a local gift shop.

Since the store was owned by an extremely conservative Presbyterian family, I knew I'd be finding Christian supplies, but somehow the sale beckoned. I flipped through the books and found nothing, rummaged around in the gifts and knickknacks and found nothing, and was about to leave when my eyes caught sight of a case of religious jewelry. Now that alone surprises me in retrospect, because I'm not a jewelry sort of person. Aside from my wedding band and little diamond earring studs inherited from an aunt, I rarely wear any. I have a fine collection of mostly tchotchke jewelry, of course, from hopeful friends and relatives who were sure I'd love to have a wide range of earrings, pendants, bracelets, etc. to choose from each morning. Invariably, I choose to leave them all where they are — in the closet. But I was drawn inexplicably to that jewelry case. Right in the center was the most stunning Star of David I'd ever seen. Each intersecting triangle was half an inch in height. The triangle resting on its base was solid brushed gold, while the other was shiny and open, merely the outline of a triangle, the horizontal bar hiding behind the point of the upright brushed triangle, the two descending bars enveloping the solid piece as they reached down across it to a point. It was perfect. I had to have it. I didn't care that, even in a closeout sale it was more than I'd ever paid for a piece of jewelry. It had to be mine. I've taken it off only twice. Once — a near catastrophe — was when I went snorkeling with my best friend in Haunama Bay on Oahu. I was

so afraid I'd lose it in the ocean that I took it off, carefully wrapped it in my clothes, and stuffed the whole bundle in a beach towel. Later, chatting while dressing, I didn't think about the star until we were in the car heading around the island. When I realized it was gone, I simply sobbed. There was no point going back to the beach — I figured it must have fallen out of my clothes when I picked them up and become buried in sand. I sobbed all the way up the coast. By the time we pulled into Sunset Beach I had pulled myself together, so was surprised and jumping-

picturesque. The radiology tech administering an upper gastrointestinal x-ray refused to proceed until I removed it. I refused to remove it unless she wore it while I was xrayed. She did, all went well, and it hasn't been off since. That star has hung around my neck for over 15 years. It has never tarnished or dulled or lost its appeal. Its simplicity is so striking that people stop and comment about it still. In all these years I've never seen another like it. It has become, for me, a sort of metal metaphor for Judaism — unique, strong, beautiful,

That star has hung around my neck for over 15 years. It has never tarnished or dulled or lost its appeal Its simplicity is so striking that people stop and comment about it still. In all these years I've never seen another like it. It has become, for me, a sort of metal metaphor for Judaism — unique, strong, beautiful, simple on the surface, but endlessly complex and fascinating when you examine it closely, and always close to my heart.

up-and-down thrilled when I stepped out of the car and shook myself off, and felt something slip slowly down under my clothes. I reached under my shirt and caught it before it hit the ground, then put it back on, vowing never to remove it again. The second time was less

simple on the surface, but endlessly complex and fascinating when you examine it closely, and always close to my heart. Mary Hofmann may be reached at P.O. Box 723, Merced, CA 95341 or by e-mail: [email protected]

An update on Birobidzhan

NEW YORK — For whatever reason, the New York Times took a look at Birobidzhan, the Communist attempt to form a Jewish city on its border near China, which the world Jewish community long ago recognized as a failure as two-thirds of those who were attracted when it was formed in 1928 have moved elsewhere and the drain has become a flood as 872 have left in the first five

months of this year alone, a fifth of its current Jewish population. The synagogue the Communists built disappeared long ago. Even when Birobidzhan was being promoted by the Soviet among Jews in Argentina and Germany elsewhere, two thirds of those who were attracted gave up and left after two years.