Hamas militants set fire to a mock Israeli bus

Israel's Peace Cabinet is supposed to decide today whether to continue negotiations in Washington in an effort to reach an understanding with Arafat and reduce violence prior to Clinton leaving office. The decision is subject to the report of special envoy, Gilad Sher, who arrived to the US capital Washington yesterday in an attempt to assess Arafat's plans for accepting the agreement of principles that the US President presented last week.The Opposition in Israel vehemently attacks the continuation of negotiations on the eve of the upcoming elections. In Israel, there is growing criticism that Barak's government has lost its moral legitimacy to continue negotiations and contacts with Palestinians while under fire. Among the critics is the Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, and former President Ezer Weizman who announced his support for Sharon this week.

On Monday, a mass demonstration is planned against relinquishing control over Temple Mount and extended areas of the old city as well as against Palestinian pressure to recognize the right of return of Palestinian refugees to inside the green line, a demand threatening a Jewish majority in Israel

Since Hanukkah, five Israeli were killed in Palestinian attacks bringing the number of Israelis killed since the beginning of disturbances at the end of September 2000 to 45. Among the last five killed were two new immigrant soldiers: Captain Gad Marsha from Ethiopia and sergeant major Jonathan Vermollen from Holland. The other three killed are Eliyahu Cohen from Modiin and Benjamin Zeev Kahane, son of Rabbi Meir Kahane, and his wife Talia who were ambushed and shot. In the past two weeks there were also 50 injured, of those 10 were seriously injured by shooting or in attacks on main roads close to Arab villages. One of the roads that became a favorite Palestinian target is the Jerusalem-Modiin Highway - the main alternate route to Highway 1, linking Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Up to the time of publication, in spite of Arafat's promise to Clinton to call for a halt of violence no specific instructions were issued by the Palestinian Authority to the Palestinian armed forces to stop firing at and attacking Israelis.

Amos Hermon, Chairman of the Jewish Agency's Education Committee, who is coordinating the Agency's activities with Jewish communities concerning the MIA`s has called on Jewish community and organization leaders and Jewish Agency emissaries world-wide, to contact government officials in their countries asking them to organize petitions and make every effort to help release Israel's MIA's, the kidnapped and the missing.

The Jewish Agency request was the result of instructions by the Jewish Agency Chairman, Sallai Meridor, following a meeting with the families and independent action taken by various communities, coordinated with official bodies handling this issue. Activities organized by the communities, organizations and universities, Jewish schools and youth movements the world over were fitted into Chanukka activities - Chanukka as the "Festival of Miracles", which falls in close proximity to the Christian Christmas and Moslem Ramadan.

Following is a list of the activities which took place in the Jewish world last week, in coordination with the chairman of the Education Committee of the Jewish Agency:

• Dozens of Jewish communities lit the fifth Chanukka candle to coincide with candles being lit by the families of the MIA's and the National Students Union at the Tel Aviv Museum.
• The Young Judea movement in the U.S. initiated a special Chanuakka "Seder" (ceremony) at which the story of an MIA was told for each Chanukka candle. The "Seder" was distributed among Jewish communities and organizations in North America.
• Youth movement members in the US organized the signing of petitions to be presented to members of Congress in all the States. 1,400 youth movement members gathered in Boston, signed local residents on a petition and distributed the petition all over the US.
• In Canada, leaders of all streams of Judaism delivered the request to the Jewish communities. On January 18th a mass rally will be held in Toronto in the presence of Canada's Minister of Defense and the mayor of Toronto. A petition was signed at Jewish schools and synagogues all over Canada, to be sent to the US president, Director General of the UN, and leaders of the Red Cross.
• In Australia hundreds of youth movement members at 11 summer camps in Melbourne and Sydney held Chanukka ceremonies focussing on the MIA's.
• In Latin America - Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, thousands of youngsters are currently attending summer camps. In towns neighboring the camps marches and Chanukka ceremonies were organized. In Chile, 500 attended the candle-lighting ceremony that was held at city center. On the third night of Chanukka, candles were lit at the Israeli embassy in the presence of foreign ambassadors, representatives of youth movements and the Zionist Federation.
• In Paris, France, 1500 youth movement members and Jewish school students gathered at the foot of the Eiffel Tower for the first night of Chanukka. At the ceremony Rabbi Mashash and France's Chief Rabbi Sitruk gave emotional speeches. Jewish students and youth movements are organizing torch-bearing marches at winter camps and material about the MIA problem will be distributed in French cities.
• All over the FSU, tens of thousands of ulpan students and participants at Jewish Agency winter camps, lit Chanukka candles and learnt about the events leading up to the Lebanon kidnappings, those missing since the Sultan Yaakub battle, and Ron Arad. Jewish Agency emissaries in Kiev under the leadership of Eli Izhaki organized a happening of 1,500 Jews where Ukranian Chief Rabbi Bleich also made an address.

In Odessa, Kharkov, Cherkassy and Dniepropetrovsk, 2,000 ulpan students attended Chanukka ceremonies. At the end of the week, thousands arrived at Chernowitz and Lvov for Chanukka celebrations where Jewish Agency emissaries spoke about the MIA's.

In Moscow, 1,000 Jews gathered at the Meridian hall for the lighting of the seventh Chanukka light. Karol Ungar, head of the Jewish Agency's mission in Russia, Chief Rabbis Lazar and Shayevich as well as community Chairman Prof. Chlenov, called on the Russian government and Russia's Minister of Defense, who was visiting Iran at the time, to make humanitarian efforts on behalf of the MIA's.

"Childbirth among Israel's non-Jewish population is higher than among the Jewish population, and without aliyah Jews would become a minority in the country. Aliyah is therefore a fundamental need of the State of Israel, in order to maintain and continue as a Jewish and democratic state. Olim are the human infrastructure upon which the State of Israel is founded, and even during difficult times, the Zionist response to attacks against us is more aliyah". These comments were made by Jewish Agency Chairman Sallai Meridor at a national convention of aliyah organizations held at Jerusalem's Shalom Hotel.

The first convention of its kind was attended by more than 150 leaders of 100 olim associations and organizations from all over the world, particularly from the FSU. The convention was organized with the support of the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Absorption, with the objective of establishing a board that will include all the organizations involved with immigration and absorption in Israel, to further the cooperation and to train new leaders among the olim. The board will be able to contribute to raising the efficiency of the official organizations engaged in aliyah absorption.

Meridor called upon the olim organizations to encourage aliyah from the Jewish communities world-wide alongside their absorption activities in Israel : "There is no better way of encouraging aliyah than using the message of those who have already been absorbed in Israel", said Meridor. The JAFI Chairman further called on the Israeli government and Israeli society to make aliyah a priority on the national agenda.

In the year 2000, the Jewish Agency allocated more than NIS 12 million to 24 organizations representing olim from all parts of the world, in order assist the olim in their first steps in Israel.

Heads of the Jewish Agency and heads of the settlements in northern Israel called on the government to refrain from making any commitment during negotiations to settle refugees in the Galilee because it many endanger the future of the region as part of the State of Israel. The call came at the conclusion of a joint discussion between the Jewish Agency and the heads of the settlements, regarding the necessary steps required to strengthen the Jewish population in the Galilee.

Participants also called on the Israel Lands Authority to reduce the price of land in order to encourage settlement in the area. It was also agreed to join efforts between the local authorities and JAFI to absorb new immigrants. This effort will already get under way in the coming month under consolidated efforts of the local authorities, employers and volunteer organizations in the Galilee.

Jewish Agency Chairman Sallai Meridor said that it is necessary to re-establish the issue on Israel's agenda. Recognition by the Israel Lands Authority of the rights of the Jewish Agency and its investment in the veteran establishment, will allow the Agency renewed investment realizing Zionist goals, among them, the settlement of the Galilee.

Treasurer, Chaim Chesler stressed that the Jewish Agency has strived for many years to strength Jewish settlement in the Galilee. Within this framework, the Agency established settlements and initiated the Partnership 2000 Project that joins Jewish communities world-wide with Jewish settlements

The forum was attended by Arieh Ariav, mayor of Upper Nazareth; Dr. Shmaryahu Biran, mayor of Acco; Erez Kreizler, head of the Misgav regional council, Eitan Broshi, head of the regional council Emek Yizrael; the coordinator of activities in the Galilee, General (res) Zvi Brick; On behalf of the Jewish Agency in addition to Meridor and Chesler, those participating were Paula Edelstein, Chairperson of the Israel Committee; the Director General Aharon Abramovich; Meir Nitzan, Director General of the Israel Department; and Ofra Friedman, Director of the Israel Region.

The Jewish Agency will operate in conjunction with the government and the municipal authorities to intensify public awareness regarding challenges and dangers involved in the development of the Galilee. The Galilee it is said, is already high on the list of Jewish donations that favor the fortification of the line of confrontation.

Ten thousand Jewish students from 21 countries will visit Israel by mid February, in a series of 50 flights. This will be one of the record "birthright" activities whose aim is to permit Jewish youth worldwide, between the ages of 18-26, who never visited Israel on an organized tour, to come on an educational voyage, get to know Israel and strengthen their Jewish identity.

The students will come from the US, Europe, Canada, South America, and Australia. Two groups will also come from the FSU, representing 600 students from Russia, the Ukraine, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, Azerbaijan, and more. Some 100 students will come from Germany after they emigrated to this country and were absorbed.

The students will stay in Israel at least ten days, accompanied by one thousand Israeli leaders. The activities will stress Jewish and Zionist values, the Holocaust and Israeli society today. They will tour sites linked to Judaism and will meet with same age Israeli students, soldiers and new immigrants.

"Birthright" was initiated by two leading Jewish benefactors, Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt who recruited 14 other major Jewish donors. The establishment of this project was a necessary response to the two dominant processes that endanger future relations between Israel and the Diaspora - assimilation of young Jews and shrinking affinity to the Jewish State on the one hand and lack of understanding or apathy of Israelis towards the needs of the Jews in the Diaspora.

In the Jewish world today some 1.2 million high school and university students, most of them removed from any kind of Jewish identity or affinity for Israel. Only 25% of the Jewish youth attend Jewish educational institutions. Research has shown that among Jewish youth who spent any period of time in Israel, a connection was created with Judaism and Israel that was strengthened upon their return to their communities.

The project began in December 1999- January 2000. The youth in training were some 800 students who came from 15 countries - five times more than the number of people who came to Israel before the project was established. According to the initiators, this is added proof of the importance of the "Birthright" project.

The Fatah, with the approval of the PA, held a march in the center of Ramallah on December 24th in which dozens of armed activists took part, to mark the anniversary of the formation of Fatah, on January 1st 2001 . The uniformed activists, whose faces were concealed, gathered at Ramallah's Faradanz school, and then marched with hundreds of local residents to Manarah Square. Here speeches were delivered praising the intifada and, as customary at such gatherings, shots were fired into the air. (Alkhiya Al-Jadida, December 25th ).

In December 2000 a military course called "The Martyrs of the Al Aqsa Intifada" ended. 800 Fatah activists (chosen from among 5000 18-24 year old volunteers) participated in the course. Senior Fatah officials as well as senior Palestinian security personnel were present at the graduation ceremony. The graduates displayed their military prowess (breaking into a military position, shooting, taking and apart and reassembling their arms). The training course lasted 45 days and similar courses are expected to take place all over the Gaza Strip.

The PA continues to legitimize continued "military activity" by the Fatah, which is behind terror attacks against the IDF and Israeli settlements.

At a meeting held at the Ideology and National Dialog Club in Ramallah on November 17th Sahar Habash (Abu Nazar) - a senior, old time PLO official, member of the PLO Central Committee who is considered to be one of the movement's ideologists, delivered an address entitled "The foundation stones for the continuation of the Intifada - until victory is achieved". Sahar Habash listed 7 key basic issues which, he believes, will enable the intifada to continue and succeed. They are:

1. A united, realistic political stand by all groups within the Palestinian people, focussing on the issues of Jerusalem, independence and the right of return.
2. "National unity in order to prevent internal disputes resulting in struggles, which only the Israeli enemy would benefit from."
3. Guaranteeing the supply of food and basic needs to the public in view of the closure imposed by Israel.
4. A just allocation of the existing means to the various organizations.
5. PA mechanisms must remain firmly behind the Palestinian masses who, through their activity assist the Palestinian leadership to adhere to their stand during negotiations on the permanent settlement. Continuation of the intifada will have positive results such as forcing an Israeli withdrawal, dismantling the settlements and Israeli recognition of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
6. Continuation of a normal routine .... such as the education system in order to prevent suffering by the Palestinian public as occurred in the previous intifada.
7. The principle of an all-encompassing intifada - i.e. the participation of all districts in the intifada (sometimes simultaneously, sometimes gradually), including the rural areas. "The conflicts must reach the settlements and the by-pass roads to prove to the Israeli government that we are capable of posing a threat to these routes ...."

In his lecture, Habash further stated: "The intifada is also reflected in ways which do not necessarily contradict the PA's basic positions and the continuation of negotiations ...... At this stage it is vital that we realize our temporary political objectives embodied in the establishment of an independent state, with Jerusalem as its capital, and 4th of June borders, and this in the future will result in a democratic solution for a democratic Palestinian state on all our national land. I believe that the time is not yet ripe for discussing a revolution to free all the land. Developments so far have shown that Palestinian, Arab and Islamic tenacity has led to the establishment of a national Palestinian entity on part of our land and will in future help develop and strengthen the PA in a manner which will act as a bulwark against "Zionist designs" which seek to penetrate the entire Middle East. The future Palestinian State will itself constitute the beginning of the dismantling of the Zionist plans".

Jewish Agency Treasurer Chaim Chesler, calls upon returning emissaries to serve as ambassadors for the Jewish People in Israeli Society; "You are the Jewish Agency's greatest asset and I am sure that we will continue to work together to strengthen the ties between the Jewish people and the State of Israel and ensure the future of the Jewish people. Overseas you were the emissaries for Zionism in the communities, and in Israel you should become the ambassadors of the Jewish people to Israeli society." He spoke at a Convention for returning emissaries (Shlichim) that took place in Shefayim on the weekend. More than 150 Jewish Agency and World Zionist Organization emisaries who completed their assignments in more than 20 countries attended the convention.

Head of Emissary Administration at JAFI - Yohanan Simon, said that the Agency will maintain regular contact with all the emissaries to promote joint activity in future: "The Jewish Agency traditionally nurtures returning emissaries who join the hundreds who served in different countries in the past".

Jewish Agency and WZO emissaries work to encourage aliyah to Israel, foster Jewish Zionist education, teach Hebrew and Jewish tradition and develop ties and partnerships among Jewish communities all over the world.

The JNF filed a complaint with the police concerning swastikas which were found on remembrance plaques and signposts in the JNF's Jerusalem Forest. The swastikas were drawn in the area called "the Haganah Trail" which was dedicated by members of the Haganah and is located above the Zippori Center in the Jerusalem Forest.

The incident was reported to the JNF via its information call center - "Kav LaYaar" ("Forest Line").

JNF foresters assume that this was an act of vandalism which occurred over the weekend, since everything seemed in order during last week's patrol of the area.

The JNF reported that cleaning work on the boards and stones which were damaged has already begun.

70 members of the Young Leadership Cabinet of the United Jewish Communities due to arrive in Israel next week as part of a solidarity mission by US Jewry, will take a close look at Jewish-Arab co-existence and Israeli businesses during a special tour which has been prepared for them by the Israel Forum.

During the tour, the young leaders will be divided into two groups - a technological track and a learning track. The technological track group will visit a large number of communications and bio-medical start-ups in the Tel Hashomer and Petach Tikva industrial zones. The participants will also receive extensive coverage of Israel's hi-tech industry from experts in the field. The learning track group will visit a Jewish-Arab community center in Jaffa, the only one of its kind in Israel, and will examine joint Arab-Jewish educational and cultural projects. Following their respective tours, the two groups will meet for a discussion on how to strengthen ties between the young American leadership and the Israel Forum.

The Israel Forum is an apolitical volunteer organization which was established in 1985 by the Jewish Agency to foster and strengthen ties between Jews in the Diaspora and Israel. Forum members represent a wide range of ages, professions and occupations, political opinions and walks of life. Zvi Ramot, Forum chairman, said that the Forum maintains various projects designed to develop creative ways of keeping up a direct, on-going reciprocal pluralistic dialog between Jews in the Diaspora and Israelis. Leading projects initiated by the Forum include: "Reut" - a project involved in the social absorption of olim; "Gesher" - to create ties between Jewish students in universities overseas and Israeli companies and business people; "Otzma" - which arrange for university graduates from North America to do a year of service in Israel, and many more projects.

Members of the Young Leadership Cabinet will be arriving in Israel within the context of one of the major solidarity missions numbering 800 Jews from all over the US. During their visit, which is being organized by the UJC in conjunction with the Jewish Agency, mission members will also visit the Israeli communities partnered with communities in the US through the Partnership 2000 Project.

As part of an initiative by the Israel Spirit to increase activity run jointly by business and community frameworks, Intel Jerusalem (Fab 8) and Harmonic Data Systems (which manufactures high-speed satellite internet systems) organized this year Chanukka parties for children at the Kiryat Yearim and Neve Michael Youth Villages. The parties included active participation by company employees in games, karaoke, fun activities, creative workshops, performances by artists and presents were given to the children.

The youth villages provide a home and educational framework for thousands of children at risk and from underprivileged families, who have been taken out of their homes by the authorities. These children, some of whom are orphans or have been abandoned, come from a background of domestic violence, drugs, alcohol and sexual abuse.

The Spirit of Israel Campaign, founded by the Jewish Agency and Keren Hayesod, promotes social projects. This year the fund began to raise contributions from the Israeli public and business companies for youth villages which are home to children at risk and from vulnerable backgrounds. Harmonic Data Systems and Intel Jerusalem have volunteered to reach out to the children who are in need of attention and real assistance to guarantee them hope and a better future.

650 residents of Judea and Samaria have been hosted in recent weeks at the Nitzana Youth Village, within the context of a campaign by the Jewish Agency's Youth Aliyah organization and the Council of Settlements in Judea and Samaria, designed to allow families living in the areas of conflict to have a "quiet weekend" at Nitzana.

The youth village staff prepared a special program for the families, which includes a visit to the new "Neve Midbar" spa, donkey and bicycle rides in the area, walking excursions and fun activities for children and adults.

Following the weekends, the Nitzana Youth Village received dozens of emotional thank-you letters from residents of Judea and Samaria. The letters particularly mentioned the warm attitude of the staff, the variety of activities and the calm atmosphere which gave the residents who have been suffering from tension, renewed strength.

The Nitzana Youth Village which belongs to the Jewish Agency, absorbs new olim on special educational programs, conducts educational seminars for high-school and Jewish youth from abroad and organizes scientific programs in computers and technology for students from development towns in the area.

The Zionist Council has initiated a series of meetings to review the history of the Iraqi Jewish community, to become acquainted with its unique culture, and the contribution made by its members to Israeli society. The first meeting took place last weekend at the Center for the History of Babylonian Jewry in Or Yehuda. Two more meetings will take place in January.

Participating in the meetings are public figures, academics and intellectuals and artists who are members of the Iraqi community. The subjects to be discussed are: the history of the Zionist underground movement in Iraq, the aliyah of Iraqi Jewry, the material culture of the Babylonian Jews, their culinary culture, and contribution in the spheres of art and music. Each meeting will conclude with samples of Jewish Iraqi cuisine.

The lectures are part of a new project organized by the Zionist Council aimed at becoming acquainted with the various ethnic communities in Israel entitled - "We are all part of one Whole - the Jewish People". Moshe Ben Atar, director general of the Zionist Council said that during the coming year the project will include meetings to mark 50 years of the great aliyah from Asia and Africa and to learn about the Jews of Buchara, Morocco and Iran.

It is worth noting that when the State of Israel was established there were 120,000 Jews in Iraq. Today just 50 Jews remain, mostly in Baghdad, the capital.

If you wish to gain a glimpse of Iraqi Jewish culture, you can register for the meetings at the Zionist Council offices, tel.: 02-6233971 / 6202215. Tickets are NIS 45 per meeting.

Meanwhile you are invited to partake of a sample of Iraqi cuisine.

• 38 high school 10th graders from South Africa have spent 3 months learning Hebrew and courses on Israel and the Jewish people as well as touring the country. ''The South African Ulpan" is a program of the JAFI's Jewish Zionist Education Department.

• $19,000 - The Jewish Agency grant to the Israel AIDS task force to conduct an educational program on AIDS prevention in Israeli high schools.

• $ 1.5 million - Jewish Agency budget to develop and strengthen Jewish identity among potential immigrants in the FSU.

• 8,590 of Jewish Agency Youth Aliya graduates complete high school and serve in the IDF. This is above national average.

• 498 new immigrants arrived in Israel this week. 336 from the FSU and the balance from France, Brazil, Argentina, England, South Africa, Australia, Holland, Germany, Austria, USA, Canada and Ethiopia.

The first "class" of 6,320 aliyah candidates from the FSU recently completed a special JAFI course aimed at intensifying Jewish identity. A further 18,000 potential olim are currently attending classes as part of this course in the FSU, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. 30,000 people are expected to attend the course in the year 2001, including for the first time Jews from the Central Asian Republics, South Caucasus and the Baltic States.

The course on Jewish identity includes 100 hours of study during the year and is based on the Jewish Agency's Hebrew ulpan format. The aim of the course is to enable Jews from the FSU to learn about their roots, from which they were cut off for decades during the Communist era, and to ease their absorption into Israeli society once they have made aliyah. Graduates of the course also receive credits making it easier to convert to Judaism in Israel for those who have the right to come to Israel according to the law of return but are not Jewish according to Jewish law.

20,000 people are currently studying Hebrew at 316 Jewish Agency ulpanim all over the FSU. Some 7,000 students and teenagers attend a variety of educational and cultural activity programs at 174 Jewish Agency youth clubs.

A further 1,600 Jewish youngsters from the FSU came to study in Israel in the framework of the Jewish Agency's youth programs: Naaleh (youth immigrating before parents), Chalom (vocational training programs) and Selah (students immigrating before parents).

David Harris, Executive Director of theAmerican Jewish Committee presented the findings of his organization's annual review at the Herzliya Convention on the State of National Strength. The review examined attitudes among Jews in the US to issues on the Jewish public agenda.

The survey shows that 74% of those polled feel extremely close to Israel, 58% of them have never visited Israel, 90% view Israel-US relations as extremely positive. 87% of those questioned replied that they do not agree with the statement that: "Israel no longer needs the financial support of American Jewry". 42% were disappointed with levels of inter-marriage but 40% were indifferent to such marriages.

Roman Abramowitz, member of the Duma, a young successful businessman with Jewish roots, was last week elected as Governor of the Chukotskiy Province in north-east Russia. Abramowitz received more than 91% of the 32,000 votes cast.

Abramowitz first became known in 1999 during a well-publicized dispute between then Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov and Jewish tycoon Boris Berezovsky, who is close to the family of President Yeltsin. During that period, the media called Abramowitz "the treasurer of the presidential family" and claimed that he was a confidant of Berezovsky and Yeltsin's younger daughter Tatiana Diachenko.

Abramowitz owns the "Sibneft" Oil Company, which is the fourth largest oil company in Russia, and is also a partial stakeholder in "Selebneft" - the country's third largest oil company, as well as being involved in the aluminum business.

The Russian administration unequivocally supports Abramowitz at the present moment, and has turned a blind eye to reports by the Russian Ministry of Finance which state that Sibneft pays 8 times fewer taxes than other oil companies. In practice, this is an official authorization by the authorities for individual leniency in tax payments. Minister of Finance figures, during the summer of 2000 tax was not paid on 90% of Sibneft's revenues.

Roman Abramowitz was born in 1966 in Saratov in the Volga River region of central Russia. According to his ID registration, he is Ukrainian. He was orphaned at an early age and was brought up by his uncle in Moscow. While studying at the Oil Institute, during the perestroika period, Abramowitz and a group of fellow students made their first attempt at setting up a private company. Some of the founders of this company later became the leaders of Sibneft. Roman Abramowitz is currently one of the richest businessmen in Russia. According to the media, Abramowitz holds 10 large companies and also owns real estate worth tens of millions of dollars in Russia and abroad. In December 1999 Abramowitz was elected to the Duma by an overwhelming majority of residents of the autonomous Chukotskiy province.

Chukotskiy lies in north-east Russia, "at the northern edge of the world". The area is 737,700 sq.m. and has a population of 90,000 . The Bering Straits separate Chukotdkiy from Alaska, which belongs to the US. The region is located between the east Siberian seas and Chukotskiy in the north west, and the Bering Sea to the east. These seas are covered in ice and closed to marine transport most of the year. The climate in Chukotskiy is extreme: in January average temperatures range from -150 to -390, sometimes dropping as low as -500 .

Chukotskiy is in need of national investments in all spheres, and its economic infrastructure is in ruins. The greatest problem is the supply of primary products from central Russia. Supplies of heating materials are inadequate, hospitals do not have the necessary equipment, schools are short of text books and so on. Quarries, industrial plants and mines are being closed. There are insufficient jobs in most towns. However, Chukotskiy is extremely rich in natural resources: oil, gas, coal and metals. According to geological surveys, Chukotskiy has 300 tons of gold (in comparison - the entire Russian Federation has 400 tons of gold).

Several reasons explain why a well-known, successful businessman like Roman Abramowitz should represent a problematic area in the Duma, and continue to serve as the province's governor. First it was claimed that Abramowitz wanted to obtain parliamentary immunity and the only chance he had of being elected was for a remote, sparsely populated region such as Chukotskiy. However, his parliamentary conduct has shown that this immunity was not the sole motivation, if at all.

Sibneft invests considerably in developing natural resources in Chukotskiy. In addition, the company has experience in mining gold in the Khavrobesk area, which is extremely important to Chukotskiy. After a year as a member of parliament, Abramowitz proved that his economic and political goals in the area were serious. Abramowitz sent a large group of children from Chukotskiy to the Black Sea at his own expense, he managed to provide the province with heating material and he attempted to deal with other important issues which would benefit the population. It would therefore appear that his decision to stand as a candidate for the position of governor of Chukotskiy was planned and calculated more than a year ago. If we take all the available economic possibilities into account as well as the support of the authorities, the outcome of the election was a foregone conclusion.

Despite all the Kremlin's efforts at weakening local government, governors still have control over people and assets. It is still unclear where Abramowitz intends to invest his money as the new governor of Chukotskiy. Some say that Abramowitz is interested in gold mining and oil deals, and at the same time intends to develop the local infrastructure. It would be fair to assume that he will also take an interest in fish. It should be remembered that Chukotskiy lies on the Russian border, extremely close to the US and Japan, which could open a numerous possibilities in the areas of export, import and taxes. Chukotskiy is rich in natural resources and the governor is able to influence the issue of permits for the development and production of these resources.

Despite the clear business motivation, it is not impossible that Abramowitz is seeking a position for himself in Russia's political arena. His Chukotskiy victory will make him a member of the Russian political committee. With a strong financial base he is also likely to be the governor with the greatest influence in the country. Should Abramowitz succeed in substantially changing the economic and social situation in this difficult area, the position of governor will serve as an excellent springboard for his political career.

In recent years, we have witnessed pretentious youngsters with close contacts in the government reaching key positions and considerable influence, including more than a few Jews (overt and covert), such as Nimtzov, Kirienko, Kalikavanov, and more.

Nevertheless, in many cases the very proximity to the sources of power in Russia, brings these people innumerable problems.

According to the National Institute of Statistics, Israel's population is 6.4 million today. Of those, 5.2 million (81.4%) are Jewish. In the year 2000 the population grew by 150,000. 85% of the new immigrants who came this year were from the FSU.

Yehuda Dominitz, who for many years held a number of senior aliyah and absorption positions at the Jewish Agency, and was party to its policy making, has recently published a book through the Zionist Library,the World Zionist Organization`s Publishing House. Dominitz addresses the policies of the Zionist Institutions on issues of aliyah and migration between 1935 - 1961, which were years of severe economic crisis for the Jews of Europe prior to the Holocaust, the period of the Holocaust, and the early years of the State.

Migration from one country to another is an ancient well-known phenomenon, not only for Jews. This is in contrast with "aliyah" to the Land of Israel - the homeland of the Jews alone. Patterns of aliyah to Israel, which were not homogeneous and varied from one period to the next, were largely the result of spiritual, religious and nationalist values - or a combination of all of these.

In his book, Dominitz examines the question of Jewish migration from one country to another and their immigration during several periods; the aliyah of holocaust survivors from Europe after WWII and the establishment of the State of Israel (1945-1948); the aliyah of the Jews of North Africa during the 1960's, and the emigration of some of them to Canada; and the immigration and emigration rates of Jews from the USSR during the 1970's .

As mentioned, the book focuses on the decisions made by the Zionist Institutions during the period reviewed, as well as on the political struggle against the British Mandate, the debate over the illegal immigration issue, including discussions on the selection process and the arguments over absorption methods.

A choir made up of children from the Mevasseret Zion absorption center, which is run by the Jewish Agency, was chosen to appear at the Jerusalem Theater as part of a talent festival. The children will sing a Russian song and the song "The World is but a Narrow Bridge". The festival is being organized by the "National Association of Child Olim from the FSU" and the "Israeli Center for the Support of Child Art".

The choir is made up of 8-14 year old Ethiopian children, who made aliyah 18 months ago at most. The choir has been practicing Hebrew and Russian songs for the last 7 months, under the leadership of Ms. Rima Ochital, musical director of the choir, and Mr. Yaakov Yunaiev the conductor.

Adv. Aaron Abramovich, Jewish Agency Director General, has instituted a new practice - the weekly meeting of the Jewish Agency's directors general will - from time to time - take place "in the field".

The first such meeting took place this week at the Mevasseret Zion absorption center, which is currently home to 1,000 Ethiopian olim, who made aliyah in the last year. Members of the forum met with the families of the olim and with the absorption personnel, and listened to the children's choir, conducted by Yaakov Yonaiev and pianist Rima Ochatel, both olim from Russia . In addition to "Jerusalem of Gold" and "Eli Eli", the children sang "Galinka" in Russian.

Ingredients

1 kg. quince
1 kg. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
11/2 cups dried coconut
Greaseproof paper

Preparation:

• Wash the quinces well, core and quarter. Place in a wide pan, cover with water and cook for half an hour. Drain off the water and peel. Grate the fruit coarsely and place in a large, wide pan.

• Add sugar and cinnamon. Cook on low heat for half an hour. Stir occasionally and continue to simmer for another hour and a half until a thick mixture is obtained, not too liquid. The mixture is ready when you can see the base of the pan clearly while stirring.

• Add the nuts and stir. Line a baking tray, and sprinkle with coconut. Pour the mixture onto the paper, smooth, and sprinkle the rest of the coconut on top. Cut into squares or rectangles and keep refrigerated for 5 hours before serving. Arrange the candies in a basket and decorate with colored ribbon.