More than 700 teenagers from the St. Paul-Minneapolis area shared the unique experience of talking with former Israeli Premier Golda Meir by international telephone hook-up at the St. Paul Jewish Community Center this week. In a 25-minute conversation, Mrs. Meir answered questions asked by the young people, delivered her personal message and was saluted by the teenagers who sang three Hebrew folk songs.
The call was arranged by two St. Paul teenagers who wrote to Mrs. Meir last October. “We cannot bring you here. We cannot go to Israel this year. But if we could hear your or listen to you on the phone, we promise to do our best to reach out to every single Jewish youth in the Twin Cities, have them meet in a big room and listen to you. Can you do it? Tell us the time and day.” The youngsters, Fabi Cheistwer. 16, and Tony Horwitz, 17, were answered last month and the “Day With Golda” plans were set in motion.
The call was placed to Kibbutz Revivim where Golda answered four questions and delivered her “message.” Her words were piped through the Center’s sound system. In response to the first question, she said Israel will never negotiate with terrorists because “their purpose is to destroy Israel.” She added that her country always is ready to negotiate with legitimate governments but will not “compromise” by talking with terrorists.
SOVIET DROPOUT ISSUE
Asked how she felt about Soviet Jews who go to the U.S. rather than Israel after finally getting out of the USSR. Mrs. Meir stated that the only objection is that it inhibits the chances of others leaving to come to
A third question was “Do you think Israel should resign from the UN?” Mrs. Meir said she did not think so, but added. “I think there are many countries in the UN which think we should resign.” Questioned about her thinking on how the change from a Ford to a Carter Administration will affect Israel, Mrs. Meir said her country always has had good relations with the U.S. and there is no reason to think that Carter’s Administration will be any different.
In her final message to the packed crowd in the JCC auditorium; Mrs. Meir advocated, “Be Jews. That’s the first thing. Know who you are. Know the history. Know that the Jewish people and the Jewish faith are one. We can’t be without you, and I say you can’t be without us…This is my message, and I love you.”
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