Èçðàèëüñêàÿ àêöèÿ âîçìåçäèÿ, ïðåäïðèíÿòàÿ â Ðàìàëëå ïðîòèâ øòàáà «Ïîäðàçäåëåíèÿ 17» – ïðåçèäåíòñêîé ãâàðäèè Àðàôàòà.

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The IDF launched a series of air attacks on specific targets in Ramallah and Gaza, following a cabinet decision to authorize missile fire on Palestinian command posts. The decision to put an end to the policy of restraint came against the background of increasing acts of murder and violence on the part of the Palestinian Authority and parties associated with it, including a series of terror attacks and suicide bombers. The decision to take action was moved up, despite the Government's leaning toward exercising restraint, at least until the weekend in order to allow the dispersal of the Arab League Summit in Amman and the passing of "Land Day", which brings annual Palestinian violence.

The Cabinet made the unanimous decision to take action, with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon opening the meeting with the remark: "Foreign Minister Shimon Peres has become more aggressive than me". At the meeting's end, the cabinet authorized Sharon, Peres and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer to order additional offensive measures as needed. Among targets are members of the Tanzim, including its commander, Marwan Bargouti, Force 17 command centers, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, responsible for the rise of terror according to intelligence sources.

Three children paid with their lives this week: Naftali Lanzkron z"l (age 13) and Eliran Rosenberg z"l (age 14) were killed when a suicide attacker blew himself up at a bus stop for school children near Kalkilya. Shalhevet Pass z"l (10 months) was murdered in cold blood by a Palestinian sniper who aimed at her head, while with her father in a playground in Hebron's Jewish Quarter. May their memories be blessed.

Eliran Rosenberg z"l

Naftali Lanzkron z"l

The next day, there were two terrorist attacks in Jerusalem. A car bomb exploded in the Talpiyot neighborhood in the early morning hours, wounding ten passersby. A suicide bomber blew himself up beside a bus at the French Hill Junction, wounding 31 Israelis. That same evening, a woman from Beer Sheva was badly wounded while driving outside the city of Ariel, in Samaria.

Naftali and Eliran were killed yesterday, while they awaited a bus to take them to their yeshiva in Kedumim. Four of their friends were wounded - one severely and one moderately. Two other terror attacks, one in Netanya and one in Petach Tikva, were prevented by alert passersby.

The wave of terror has increased the sense of anger in Israel toward Arafat and the Palestinians. An opinion poll conducted by the Ma'ariv Daily Newspaper yesterday reveals that 65% of the population supports sharp military measures against the Palestinians. While merely 25% were opposed, the rest did not take a position.

The security forces have increased their presence everywhere, and are conducting thorough searches in crowded centers. The public was called upon to demonstrate alertness and to report any suspicious object, vehicle or oddly behaved person. The difficult atmosphere puts continual pressure on the Government to take action. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres have been in ongoing contact with the US Administration, including President George Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as with representatives of Eastern and Western countries, to prevent criticism of Israel's possible response.

Shalhevet Pass z"l Pictured with Her Mother Before Being Murdered

Ambulance Team Trying to Save Shalhevet Pass z"l

Yesterday, IDF lone soldier Dimitri Nikogosian of the Golani Brigade, realized a long-standing dream. Following the long and arduous march to earn the brigade beret, Dimitri became a sworn IDF soldier in the presence of his father, a Georgian Police Commander. The Jewish Agency brought Dimitri's father to Israel from Tbilisi for a special visit.

Dimitri made aliyah from Georgia three and a half years ago, through the Jewish Agency's Na'aleh program. Upon completing his studies in the program, Dimitri was drafted by the IDF and accepted to the Sharpshooter Unit of the Golani Brigade.

Dimitri had told his mother Karina, who remained in Georgia, that he was serving as a cook and that she need not worry, but his father, career senior officer in the Georgian security forces, recently discovered his secret. Dmitri said that he dreamt of his father being present at the time-honored beret-donning ceremony. This week, after not seeing each other for four years, father and son were reunited at a special ceremony at the President's official residence on the occasion of the launching of the Jewish Agency's "Seder Night Together" operation.

Dimitri is one of 34 soldiers in Israel without their families, most serving in combat units, who this week had the privilege of meeting their parents and family members, long not seen. The parents arrived in Israel as part of a special project organized by the Jewish Agency's Aliya Movement with the purpose of meeting their children and examining the possibility of making aliyah. During the coming week, the parents will travel throughout the country, learn about the different absorption programs and spend many hours with their children, who they have sorely missed.

Moving ceremony at kick-off of "Together at Seder" Event, at President Moshe Katsav's Official Residence, where he thanked the Jewish Agency for initiating the hosting of Lone Soldiers by Israeli families. Some 30 of the soldiers were surprised to see their mothers present, brought to Israel by the Jewish Agency to be with their children on Pesach. Jewish Agency Treasurer Chaim Chesler and Co-Chairman of the Aliya Committee Arieh Azoulay announced the addition of a special prayer for the welfare of Israeli POWs and MIAs to the Pesach Seder, in Jewish homes worldwide.
In picture: The President shaking hands with IDF soldier Roman Faister, as his mother and the Jewish Agency Treasurer look on.

Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Hamas founder and spiritual leader, at Prayer

Alhayat Aljadida: In a lecture on November 17th, entitled "Foundation Stones For Continuation of Intifada Until Victory is Achieved", Sahar Habash said: "The ways in which the Intifada is manifested do not necessarily contradict the Palestinian Authority's basic positions and the continuing negotiations.... At this stage it, is quintessential that we achieve our temporary political goals, embodied in the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital within June 4th, 1967 borders. In the future, this will lead to a democratic solution for building An independent Palestine on all our national lands. Developments so far show that Palestinian, Arab and Islamic tenacity, which led to the formation of the Palestinian Authority on some of our land, will in the future result in the expansion and bolstering of the PA, thereby destroying the Zionist enterprise, and its designs to take over the entire Middle East. The Palestinian State will constitute the beginning of the collapse of the Zionist enterprise".

• $36,000 - The Jewish Agency's allocation for the year 2000 to the "Youth Making Democracy" program of the Golda Meir Education Association, within the framework of projects that foster "Unity, Tolerance and Mutual Respect".

• $28,000 - The Jewish Agency's allocation to the Yehud Hevrati Association for its support to Druze students, within the framework of support to "Special Needs Populations".

• $21,000 - The Jewish Agency's allocation for the year 2000 to the ALMA Hebrew College for its Outreach Activities Center, within the framework of allocations "Enhancing Jewish Identity for Israelis".

• 10,094 olim arrived in Israel since the beginning of 2001. 7,502 are from the former Soviet Union.

• 775 new immigrants arrived in Israel this week. 620 are from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. 98 are from Ethiopia and the rest are from France, England, Turkey, Norway, Germany, Japan, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, the United States and Canada.

Gideon is a 10-year old new immigrant from Ethiopia who arrived with his parents one month ago and went straight to the Gilboa Absorption Center established at the youth hostel at Ma'ayan Harod. The fact that he does not yet speak Hebrew does not prevent him from playing soccer with children from Gideona, a neighboring community.

Gideon is not the only one. Most of the immigrant children who arrived in Israel a month ago live at Gilboa, met and played with the children from Gideona, who showered them with affection as soon as they arrived to their new homeland. This is truly an extraordinary expression of warmth displayed towards the Ethiopian olim - the exceptional story of youngsters from Gideona, a remote community of Yemenite olim whose community is situated at the foot of the Gilboa hills, who found comfort in absorbing a fresh wave of olim.

In their own special way, Gideona residents want to ensure that the new olim experience will be a different kind of absorption by Israel than that of their parents. Since their arrival, the families in Gideona have adopted all the new Ethiopian families, organizing joint cultural activities and celebrating the festivals together.

Having become slightly acquainted with their new neighbors, the Gideona residents contacted the various authorities involved in absorption, led by the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Housing, asking to help create a joint future for themselves and the olim. They seek to provide a permanent absorption program for the Ethiopian olim in the area, by expanding their community and building homes for them. The request is shared by the olim themselves, who have found in Gilboa, not only a warm heart, but also a resemblance to the familiar and beloved Ethiopian landscape.

Some 500 elementary and high school principals from throughout Israel will participate in a special convention, organized by the Ministry of Education and the Jewish Agency on the subject of Israel-Diaspora relations, on Sunday, April 1st. The purpose of the convention: to establish a permanent forum of principals to strengthen ties between Israeli society and Jewish communities abroad.

The day will include skill-development workshops toward strengthening Israel - Diaspora ties, in part through the reciprocal adoption of classes in Israel and abroad, the exchange of both professional staff and Jewish youth delegations, and the development of study groups using advanced technology and studying roots.

The convention will be held at the Kfar Hamacabiah Convention Center in Ramat Gan, organized by the Ministry of Education and the Israel Teachers' Association, together with the Jewish Agency's Jewish-Zionist Education Department. Those addressing participants will include Prof. Avi Ravitzki and Alan Hoffman, Director General of the Jewish Agency's Jewish-Zionist Education Department. An exhibition of learning materials will also take place.

The Jewish Agency's Jewish-Zionist Education Department is engaged in enhancing Jewish identity among the younger generation in Israel and the Diaspora, through hundreds of shlichim who serve Jewish worldwide. Each year, the Department brings thousands of Jewish youth to visit Israel within the context of the "Israel Experience" program. Many of the Department's programs focus on developing participants' learning skills, providing them with guidance material and professional training in the fields of formal and informal education, including teachers at Jewish schools abroad, in youth movements, on the campuses and for summer camps.

Over 300 volunteers from youth groups, leadership groups, volunteer organizations, an Israel Air Force unit, members of the city council, a community center board, and Project Otzma participants spent the day volunteering at elderly centers, treatment centers, hospitals, schools, centers for children at risk, and centers for physically and mentally disabled persons.

The volunteers performed, sang, danced, and presented puppet-theater at various locations and visited dozens of home (and hospital) bound seniors around the community. Fifteen schools, clubs, and public institutions were painted by a variety of different crews including one consisting of members of the city council and the board of the community center.

The day culminated with an award ceremony and celebration for 600 community residents, honoring the city's outstanding community volunteers for their commitment and dedication. Kiryat Malachi Mayor Lior Katsav spoke at the event, explaining, "Throughout the year, Phoenix Federation Executive Art Paikowsky pressured the city to go through with the Volunteer Day program, despite my better judgement, But now, in retrospect, I can say that it was wonderful, and we will do it even better next year!"

Also during the event, Welfare Ministry professionals declared that they were "so impressed with the day, that we'll suggest that Volunteer Day be replicated in towns and cities throughout Israel."

"Volunteer Day is a wonderful way to involve and empower residents of Kiryat Malachi, just as is our experience in America. The more we look at one another, across the miles that separate us, the more we appreciate each other. Thanks to all those who made this success possible. It's such an event that makes me believe that the partnership between Kiryat Malachi/Hof Ashkelon and the Western Region is strong and enduring", said Western Region Consortium Partnership 2000 Chairman, Bruce Ash.

The United Jewish Communities (UJC) announced the appointment of Robert Goldberg of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, as Chair of the Overseas Needs Assessment and Distribution (ONAD) Committee.

Goldberg, a Trustee for Life of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland and its Immediate Past Board Chair, is the UJC's first Treasurer and was elected to an additional one-year term in December 2000. A member of the Jewish Agency's Board of Governors, he "will bring extraordinary experience and insight to his new role at United Jewish Communities", says Charles Bronfman, Chair of the UJC Board. "The ONAD Committee will benefit immensely from his leadership." Goldberg's term will run until the UJC General Assembly in November.

A previously unknown German document recently obtained by Chairman of the Jewish Agency Sallai Meridor, reveals the amount of insurance claims due to Jews as a result of the destruction caused on Kristallnacht, "Night of Broken Glass" (November 8-11, 1938), and its aftermath. Jews were owed over 22.5 million Reichmarks (over $270 million at today's value), for the property damage of Nazi riots on Kristallnacht.

As a result of the exposure of these documents, it has become apparent that agreements concluded over the past few years with German insurance companies do not fully reflect the amount of Jewish property destroyed during the Holocaust.

In light of the newly discovered documents, Jewish Agency Chairman Sallai Meridor, in his capacity as Co-Chairman of the World Jewish Restitution Organization, is calling for opening all relevant Holocaust-period archives of insurance companies to scholarly review.

Holocaust Remembrance Day, falls this year on April 19th.

When some 32,000 Israelis came to donate blood to the Ezer Mizion Data Registry last February, Israeli cancer patients weren't the only ones given new hope. In the last few weeks, the registry received over a hundred search requests from America's twelve largest cancer hospitals and centers, hoping that the blood of some Israeli donors would match their patients'.

The rapid growths of the data registry from just 5,000 donors in 1998 to more than 90,000 donors today and its high testing standards have garnered international recognition. But while renown is nice, the staff remains focused on its primary task: finding matching donors for cancer patients.

That task isn't always easy. Although much of the work involves sitting in front of a computer and sifting through databases, because of what is at stake, people's lives, the job often has all the emotional ups and downs of a gigantic roller coaster ride. Such was the case this past month.

Everyone recognizes the importance of donating blood samples to bone-marrow data registries, but people are often so busy that they won't take the time to go to a center to give. However, seeing a picture or reading a story of a real cancer patient can galvanize the public to put donating a sample on the top of the to-do list.

That happened six weeks ago, when the Israeli public was so touched by the plight of four year old Naama Bitoun, whose last chance at life is a bone-marrow transplant, that some 32,000 people practically stormed the 40 mobile blood donor centers, eager to donate a blood sample and help save her life.

However, Naama is not the only Israeli in desperate need of a bone-marrow transplant. Some 75 children and 25 adults suffering from leukemia were also eagerly awaiting news of the drive's results, including Alon Nitchiko, a 25 year old Jerusalemite who has had cancer for eight years.

Although the odds of finding a donor-patient match are merely about 1 in 30,000, Ezer Mizion hit the jackpot twice this past month. Preliminary testing of the samples found potential donors for both Naama and Alon!

When the computer produces a potentially matching donor, the next step is for one of Ezer Mizion's personnel to phone the donor's home to see if he/she is indeed committed to continuing the process. If the answer is yes, the potential donor then comes for additional testing to confirm that he/she is a suitable match. If the second test is positive, the donor must then agree to undergo the actual bone-marrow transfer procedure, which is painless but can take up to two days to complete.

"Most potential donors are thrilled when they get the call," comments Ofra Konikoff, the registry's donor coordinator. "They're so excited about having the opportunity to help save another person's life that all they want to know is where to go and when to be there." Such was the case with the potential donor for Alon. But for Naama's potential donor it was a very different story. When the staff member phoned the home of the potential donor, who was a young man, his father answered the phone.

"We told the father why we were calling", said Konikoff, "and there was a long silence. Then the father told us that although he was sure his son would have liked to help, he could not. His son was a soldier, and he had been killed in a terrorist incident the week before."

Among the many sites on the Middle East and Israel, the following are a few of the more highly recommended by Middle East Commentator Oded Yinon:

Israel will switch to Daylight Savings Time on Monday, April 9th, the night after the Seder, at 1:00 am, the Interior Ministry announced. At that time, clocks will be moved forward by one hour to 2:00 am. The country will return to Winter Time on Monday, September 24th, two days before Yom Kippur, when clocks will be moved back one hour, from 1:00 am to 12:00 midnight.

Interior Minister Eli Yishai said that while he personally prefers a shorter period of Daylight Savings Time, he would study the situation before making recommendations. Daylight Savings Time arrangements through 2004 have already been legislated. Therefore the Knesset would have to pass a new law to change it.

According to Jewish Agency estimates, 5,000 olim are expected to arrive in Israel from Ethiopia during 2001. The Jewish Agency and the Interior Ministry emphasize that the amended interpretation of the Law of Return regarding converts' relatives, in which the child of a mother who converted after the child's birth is not entitled to make aliyah under the Law of Return, will not apply to the 18,000 members of the Falashmura community from Addis Ababa and Gondar, who have already submitted aliyah applications. According to Jewish Agency Chairman Sallai Meridor, the amended interpretation will particularly affect the Ethiopian aliyah since the practice of the convert bringing relatives was common in this community.

Following Deputy Minister of Absorption Yuli Edelstein's request of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to prevent the dismissal of 100 olim in the midst of specialization training, for budgetary reasons, the Minister of Finance announced that it would transfer the necessary funds to allow the continued employment of the doctors, within the framework of agreements with the National Unity faction of Israel Beitenu. These specialist trainees are employed at Klalit Health Fund hospitals. An additional 200 immigrant specialist trainees, employed at government hospitals, will likely be dismissed if the problem of a budget for them is not found.

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, and Deputy FM Rabbi Michael Melchior have initiated a project to involve Jewish donors from communities in the Diaspora in promoting a hi-tech economy in Israel's Arab sector. These are venture capital funds that would support hi-tech plants in the Arab sector and would establish such plants directly.

An official Knesset delegation left this week for a first-ever visit to Cuba. The delegation will be participating in an international inter-parliamentary congress convening in Havana. The delegation, led by Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit, will meet with President Fidel Castro and with Cuba's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. The delegation will also visit the Jewish community in Havana. It is worth noting that Israel and Cuba have no diplomatic relations.

Cooperation with Vietnam: The Israel Manufacturers' Association signed a cooperation agreement with the Vietnamese government in the areas of industry, technology and commerce. The agreement was signed by Vietnam's Deputy Science Minister Chuhau, and Oded Tyrah, President of the Israel Manufacturers' Association, visiting Vietnam at the head of a delegation of industrialists. Another agreement was signed with the Vietnamese Bureau of Commerce, facilitating commerce and mutual investment.

Israel returned 15 Iraqi Kurds to Lebanon who infiltrated Israel along the northern border at the beginning of the week. The Kurds reached the Israel-Lebanon border, carrying coarsely made Israeli flags. Using axe and saw, they broke through the fence, but were arrested a short while later by IDF forces. They claimed that they had come to Israel due to financial difficulties, and because of persecution in Lebanon due to their ethnic origin.

There were two cases of women murdered by their husbands in Israel at the beginning of the week. At a retirement home in Gedera, a 90-year old man killed his 82-year old wife with a hammer. In Ashdod, a 36-year old woman was murdered by her former partner. Since the beginning of the year, 23 women have been murdered by their partners.

The IDF's "Four by Four" entertainment troupe will set out for a round of appearances in the US, initiated by the Jewish Agency, bringing the spirit of Israel to American Jewish communities, in celebration of Israel's 53rd Independence Day.

The IDF entertainment troupes are made up of soldiers in regular army service, entertaining soldiers on the front line. This is the first time that the IDF has given permission to such a troupe to travel abroad for an assignment of this nature.

The "Four by Four" Troupe will perform for the Metro West Federation of New Jersey (April 25th), in Washington (April 26th), in San Diego (April 30th - May 3rd), and in Tucson Arizona (May 4th and May 7th).

The Jewish Agency, together with Israel Radio, will mark Israel's 53rd Independence Day with a special display of solidarity among Jewish communities worldwide and in Israel on its day of celebration.

A joint broadcast will be conducted with Jewish radio stations worldwide on the Eve of Independence Day, in a show of solidarity with Israel. Israeli songs will be played in response to requests by members of the communities. If you wish to recommend the participation of a Jewish radio station in the day of broadcasts, please call Jewish Agency Deputy Spokesperson Hagit Halali, at 972-2-6202466.

Soup Ingredients:

4 pieces of chicken and two bones
1 onion
1 leek
2 carrots
1 piece of celery root
10 cups water
Celery greens, parsley, fennel
1 tablespoon chicken soup mix
Salt, white pepper
2tablespoons oil
Parsley root

Preparation :

• Cut union and leek, and saut? in oil

• Slice carrot and cut celery root and parsley into cubes

• Add other ingredients, bring to a boil

• Cook 11/2 hours on low flame vRemove celery root, fennel and parsley with a slotted spoon

Kneidelach Ingredients

1 cup matzah meal
2 teaspoons fried onion bits
2 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon chicken soup mix
1 teaspoon table salt
1/3 package of margarine (2 oz.)
white pepper or paprika
1 cup of cut parsley

Preparation :

• Boil water, margarine, spices and parsley

• When margarine melts, pour matzah meal into water all together

• Stir until consistent and not sticking to sides of bowl

• Remove from heat and cool

• Beat in 2 eggs, one after the other

• Chill in refrigerator ½ hour

• Form matzah balls, each 1 teaspoon in size

• Drop into boiling soup

• Add 1 cup water and cook in covered pot approx. 10 minutes

B'Te'avon!     Bon Appetit!