Freshman Answers Israel's Appeals, Leaves for Kibbutz

Daniel H. Rothstein '77 unpacked his bags and settled into his Wigglesworth room six weeks ago to begin his freshman year at Harvard. Yesterday he packed those same bags and left Cambridge for what may be six months of volunteer work on an Israeli kibbutz.

Rothstein is the second Harvard undergraduate to respond to Israel's emergency call for help, according to Margie Kaplan, coordinator of Israel Programs at the Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel Society.

The first response came from Richard Bloom '75, formerly an active member of the militantly Zionist Jewish Defense League. Rothstein, however, claims to be at the opposite end of the political spectrum from Bloom.

Describing himself as a "Jewish radical and dove from Kentucky, of all places," Rothstein says he supports the Israeli non-Zionist Left.

"I have tried to reconcile the contradictions between the Old Testament's theme of universal acceptance of all men, Jew and non-Jew, with an active role in supporting a progressive, democratic country to which I feel special ties, Israel," he said yesterday.

Bloom and Rothstein will take the place of Israelis who have left their places in the kibbutzim to fight.

Candidates who applied for service were screened on the basis of awareness of kibbutz working conditions and willingness to pay their own travel costs, with no consideration given to personal political philosophy, a spokesman for Sherut La'am, the organization processing volunteers, said yesterday.

F. Skiddy von Stade, dean of freshmen, confirmed yesterday that the Administrative Board has cancelled Rothstein's registration for the fall term.