Roni Tzalach's friends comfort each other.

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Ofir Rahum, a 16 year old Israeli from Ashkelon who was seduced by Palestinians on the Internet, to come to Ramallah, was brutally murdered. It is believed that the young man was corresponding with a Palestinian young girl and was tempted to meet her near the Palestinian Authority. He disappeared two days ago and his body was found riddled with Palestinian bullets.

Roni Tzalach, a farmer from Kfar Yam, was murdered as he worked in the hothouses adjacent to Khan-Yunis with Palestinian workers. His car was stolen and burned in the center of Khan-Yunis.

According to investigation reports, Roni Tzalach who was a distinguished soldier in the Elite IDF Commando Unit, struggled with his assailants but was subdued and murdered.

As George W.Bush takes office and President Bill Clinton exits, the efforts to reach a framework final-status agreement between Israel and Palestinians continue. This is an effort to reduce violence and reach a series of agreements regarding the continuation of the political process prior to elections in Israel at the beginning of next month.

Yesterday, Yasser Arafat proposed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shlomo Ben-Ami to conduct marathon negotiations between the sides on the basis of Clinton's "bridging proposal" in the Egyptian town of Taba, adjacent to Eilat. The suggestion was made in Cairo at the time of the meeting hosted by the Egyptian President Mubarak.

In Israel, the opposition calls to freeze negotiations until after the elections claiming that there is currently pressure to obtain un-reciprocated concessions.

As a matter of fact, shooting on Israeli targets in Jerusalem continued this week and for the first time, Neveh Ya'akov was fired upon. Molotov cocktails were thrown at a vehicle driving in Pisgat Ze'ev near the French Hill intersection.

It was reported this week, that US head of the peace talks, Dennis Ross, decided to resign from his post and join the Washington Institute for Middle East research. Ross plans to publish his work in two books dedicated to the peace process with the Palestinians and to the peace efforts on the Syrian front.

US Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, was asked by new President George W. Bush to continue in his present position until summer in order to keep the position manned until a new appointment is made.

President Katsav says that during his visit next week, he will ask Presidents Putin, Kuchma and Shevernadze to intervene for the release of the Israeli prisoners in Lebanon. The president says that after Israel receives information regarding their situation, it will be willing to pay a price for their return.

Katsav leaves for the Ukraine, Russia and Georgia on Sunday, invited by his colleagues. He will conduct meetings on state affairs, he will visit Jewish Agency offices and he will meet representatives from the communities.

On his visit to Russia and the Ukraine, the President will be accompanied by the Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Sallai Meridor, who will speak on Jewish issues at official meetings. In Georgia he will be accompanied by Jewish Agency Treasurer Chaim Chesler.

British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, stressed his personal commitment to strengthening the peace process in the Middle East when he addressed the dinner in London that launched the United Jewish Israel Appeal 2001 campaign this week.

Guest of honor at the event that was run by younger members of the community in keeping with the theme of the campaign, "Campaign for our Children," Blair praised the volunteering spirit of the Jewish community. "Your fundamental values, based particularly on the importance of family and community and a sense of decency and fair play and justice, are actually the core values shared by all the most successful communities in Britain."

In praising the UJIA's work, the prime minister said, "… it is a symbol of a different and better way of working. It is a symbol of people coming together voluntarily, in order to enable other people to develop their talents to the full and bring greater understanding and harmony in our world."

Blair also discussed the situation in Israel, praising the achievements of the country which, "in only 50 years has become a vigorous global competitor in the spheres of medicine, technological development, cultural achievement… It is these achievements that make us in Britain proud to be a partner with Israel across a range of spheres. It is the importance of sustaining these achievements which makes peace so important for Israel."

Calling on all sides to the conflict to end the violence, Blair said that "Peacemaking cannot prosper in an atmosphere of violence and oppression. We therefore have to do everything we can to end this violence." He committed the British government to doing everything it can to move the peace process forward. "But you know, there is a limit to what individuals can do as leaders and statesmen. Real sustainable peace is built by communities."

In keeping with the theme of the evening, Blair suggested that "our young people have a vital role to play in bringing communities together because they bring with them hope and energy and freedom from prejudice, and an ability to look forward to the future and not backwards to the past."

Prior to the event, the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission had urged the prime minister to cancel his appearance arguing that his support for the UJIA conveys a pro-Israel bias, "which will prevent the British Government from acting with justice in the Middle East, thus ignoring Palestinian rights recognized under international law."

Quoting a news item from the "Global Jewish Agenda" of last May, Massoud Shadjareh, the chairman of the IHRC, argued that the UJIA is a Zionist organization in that it has "decided to continue to strengthen the special ties which have been created in recent years with settlements along Israel's northern border" and that its declared aim is to "strengthen the Zionist identity of youngsters in Britain."

The author of the letter further argued that "…amidst the [Israeli] regime's ongoing illegal occupation of Palestinian territories; war crimes against Palestinian children and civilians; illegal expansion of settlements both within Israel and the Occupied Territories; and institutionalization of anti-Arab apartheid," it was "highly inappropriate to promote the UJIA's programs to support Israel."

Dubi Bergman, the Jewish Agency's representative in Britain reports that the British Prime Minister enjoys a close association with the UJIA, the fundraising arm of the British Jewish community. In 1998, he lent his name to a special UJIA youth exchange program, the UJIA Blair Fellowship Program, which enables British teenagers to volunteer in the UJIA-partnered region in Northern Israel and Israeli teenagers to take part in Jewish youth activities in the UK.

George Washington University in the US capital cancelled a decision not to honor credits obtained by US students at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, originally

made as a result of the State Department's warning to refrain from visiting Israel because of security considerations.

The decision was cancelled after Heads of the Conference of Presidents, Ron Lauder and Malcolm Hoenlein, expressed serious concern that Universities across the US are exerting pressure on students to cancel their study programs in Israel due to the security problems.

This week, heads of the Conference of Presidents welcomed a decision by the UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations recommending that Hadassah, Womens Zionist Organization of America be granted membership as an NGO in the Economic and Social Council of the UN - ECOSOC. The recommendation which must be approved by the full ECOSOC membership would give Hadassah an important advisory role in the UN body with other NGO's.

Immediately before and during the Al Aksa Intifada, initiated by the Palestinian Authority, the PA released dozens of Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists who belong to the terrorist arms of these organizations. The PA's clear support for the armed struggle against Israel through the Fatah (since the beginning of October there have been more than 1700 shooting and road bomb attacks in Judea, Samaria & Gaza), the "coalition" of the PA and terror organizations through the policy of "national unity" applied by Arafat, and the failure to take any serious measures to thwart terror in and from the areas it controls; are all interpreted by the terror organizations as a "green light" for perpetrating large scale attacks in Judea, Samaria, the Gaza strip and within Israel. Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists who were released from Palestinian jails have been involved in these attacks. Following are several outstanding examples of the results of Palestinian policy:

Hamdi Arafat Anizin

Senior Hamas activist from the military wing of "AzaDin Al Kassam". He was killed in an explosion on a "boat bomb" in October, beside an Israeli navy ship along the Gaza coast. Anizin was a member of a Hamas terrorist cell which infiltrated Israel (the Taiba cell, March 2000) and planned five suicide attacks within Israel. He was arrested by the PA after the cell was exposed by Israel, but was released when the troubles began.

Awad Salami

A senior member of military arm of the Hamas in the Gaza district. He was right hand man to Amad Aqal, founder of this wing. He organized numerous terror attacks (including the murder of Lt. Colonel Mintz) against Israeli targets in the Gaza Strip and directed terrorist cells. Awad Salami was killed while laying a powerful road bomb on a Gaza Strip road. A technical failure resulted in the bomb being detonated early. In the past Salami was arrested by Palestinian security forces and released. He was considered to be one of the most senior Hamas wanted persons.

Nur Saafi

A Hamas activist, in the military wing, who was closely connected with Hamdi Arafat Anizin. In the past he had been arrested by Palestinian security forces due to his ties with Hamas terrorists but was released some time later. Nur Saafi died in a suicide bombing attempt at the Erez checkpoint, due to a technical failure which detonated the device he was wearing around his waist. He tried to stab IDF soldiers nearby.

The PA has not condemned or dissociated itself from the acts of terror perpetrated by the Hamas activists listed above. Furthermore, it has allowed the Hamas to hold mass funerals at which members of the PA and Palestinian security forces have been present. The terrorists, who were killed during attacks planned against Israeli targets, are included in the official list of martyrs from the Al Aksa intifada, which is distributed by the PA, intimating that they are legitimate fighters within the context of the armed struggle being conducted against Israel by the PA.

• $ 10,000 - Jewish Agency allocation for the year 2000 to the Medical Students' Association of the Negev, within the framework of projects that foster "Unity, Tolerance, and Mutual Respect"

• $ 13,000 - Jewish Agency allocation for the year 2000 to the Or Shalom Children's Homes for Arab & Bedouin Therapeutic Homes

• $ 14,000 - Jewish Agency allocation for the year 2000 to the College of Pluralistic Judaism's course for teachers and group leaders on Judaism as Culture, within the framework of allocations "Enhancing Jewish Identity for Israelis"

• 110,000 New Immigrants settled in the Negev in the last decade, 50,000 in Be'er Sheva

• 843 New Immigrants arrived in Israel this week; 673 from the FSU and Eastern Europe, the balance from France, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, England, South Africa, the US and Ethiopia.

A new neo-Nazi club recently opened in the center of Bucharest, capital of Romania. Members of the club, who call themselves "legionnaires" are organizing the establishment of an "iron guard", known for its vicious attacks on Jews during the Nazi regime. This new group has adopted the old uniform, they praise Hitler and his book "Mein Kampf". The club will also hold training camps with weapons and neo-Nazi instruction for new members.

Tova Bin Nun, Jewish Agency emissary in Romania, reports that the country's Jewish community, now numbering some 13,000, is concerned in the light of growing anti-Semitism all over Romania. A wave of anti-Semitic incidents in Romania peaked two weeks ago when two young men entered the Jewish museum in Bucharest and asked to see the soap made of Jews. The elderly Jewish guides were shocked by the question and responded in the negative. In response, the thugs attacked the guides, hitting them and smashing display cases in the museum.

According to Bin Nun, the museum attack is another in a series of events - desecration of cemeteries and synagogues, numerous anti-Semitic advertisements in the press. "There is a deep sense of distress among Romanian Jews, who claim that the authorities are not doing enough to stop or at least limit such behavior", she said.

According to Jewish Agency figures, 250 people made aliyah from Romania during the year 2000.

A fund-raising evening to promote Jewish education in Romania took place a few days ago in Bucharest, the country's capital, attended by Romanian Foreign Minister Mirzca Joanna, who was formerly Romania's ambassador to Washington. The event was organized by the Jewish Agency.

The event was attended by 120 people, including representative of the Romanian government, Israeli businessmen, local business people and representatives of the Jewish community. Jewish Agency emissary in Romania, Tova Bin Nun, reports that the $12,000 raised will be used to renovate the Jewish school in Romania.

There is only one Jewish school in Romania - Reut - established four years ago thanks to a donation by millionaire Ronald Lauder. Reut is the first Jewish School to open in Romania after 50 years of Communist rule and it is situated in a building which in the past also housed a school. The Jewish Agency emissary, who is also president of the educational fund in Romania, reports that 140 children are enrolled in the school.

The Jewish community in Romania numbers 13,000, most of whom live in the capital Bucharest. 80% are over the age of 60. 250 high school pupils and Jewish students attend the Jewish Agency's aliyah club and participate in educational activity aimed at intensifying Jewish education and their ties with Israel, in preparation for aliyah. Since the club was founded 8 years ago, 2,200 people have made aliyah from Romania, 76% are youngsters below the age of 45.

A new study reveals that Jewish students who participated in their first educational trip to Israel within the framework of the Birthright Project, "discovered" their Judaism and formed strong ties with Israel. The study was conducted by researchers at Brandeis University in the US among 1000 students who visited Israel through the Birthright project last winter.

Findings from the study are:

• Ties with Judaism - Before their trip, 38% felt a connection with Judaism and Jews, 64% felt connected after their return.

• Ties with Israel - Before their trip 22% felt strong ties with Israel, 55% felt this way after their return.

• Study of Jewish identity - 22% had investigated their Jewish identity before coming to Israel. 40% did so after their return.

• 124 students who had participated in Birthright were asked if they had ever been confronted with anti-Semitism in their countries of origin. 99 replied in the affirmative. It was stated that the follow-up of the impact of the Birthright Project on students will continue.

With the Palestinian Authority continuing to rebuff Israeli peace overtures, violence continues, and Jewish communities throughout the world are rallying to identify with Israel. The Jewish Agency for Israel, working in concert with United Jewish Communities and Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal, continues to lead the way in coordinating solidarity missions to Israel.

The solidarity missions generally feature visits to the Diaspora communities' Partnership 2000 regions, offering them an opportunity to show solidarity with their partners. ýThis week marked a high point for the solidarity missions, as more than 900 participants converged on nearly 20 Partnership 2000 regions to show their support. In addition to expressing solidarity, several of the delegations focus on building or reinforcing ongoing people-to-people links.

Members of the Boston Mission to Haifa are taking part in steering committee sessions, points out Jewish Agency Emissary to Boston Margalit Toledano, as they look to develop joint projects with their Haifa peers. About 130 of the 160-strong Boston Solidarity Mission - chaired by Leon and Cynthia Shulman, and Geoffrey Lewis - chose to take part in the mission's Partnership 2000 component. The Boston visitors and Haifa hosts will share their expertise with each other as they look to develop issues of joint interest, including empowering women, Jewish arts and Ethiopian immigrant absorption.

36 Jewish youngsters this week completed the South African Ulpan, run by the Jewish Agency's Education Department. At the same time, the first group of 14 teenagers from South Africa, including 2 girls from Zimbabwe, arrived in Israel to participate in the Na'aleh program (youth before parents), run jointly by the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Education.

After landing in Israel they were welcomed by Jewish Agency Treasurer Chaim Chesler and Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Education Yair Levine. "I am very happy that a project that was initiated during my time as head of the Jewish Agency`s Delegation in the former Soviet Union and proved so successful among Jewish youth from these countries has been adapted to Jewish youth from other countries. We recently received the second Na'aleh group from Argentina and now I have the pleasure to receive the first group from South Africa and Zimbabwe."

Chesler added that he sees great potential for a significant growth in the number of immigrants from these countries. "I hope as many of your families will follow you to Israel as have the families of your peers from the FSU."

The South African ulpan lasts for two and a half months and offers Jewish high school students a study program which includes learning Hebrew together with tours of the country, seminars aimed at enhancing Jewish identity, meetings with Israeli youngsters, and being hosted by Israeli families. The program runs two sessions each year. Tami Ya'aroni, Jewish Agency director of the South African Ulpan says that despite parents concerns due to the security situation in Israel, the children were sent on the program, although most were "armed" with a cell phone.

The Na'aleh program enables Jewish youth to complete their matriculation studies in Israel. Jewish Agency Treasurer said that 8,000 youngsters have come to Israel over the last decade through the program. According to Chesler, this is the first group to come from South Africa. The students will live at Kibbutz Tzor'a and study at the Boyer High School in Jerusalem.

The Jewish community in South Africa is 70,000 strong. The Jewish Agency works to encourage aliyah and intensify Jewish education particularly among the younger generation, in part through Na'aleh, programs for students and the South African ulpan. There are only 700 Jews in Zimbabwe, and the community is a minority group within a white population of 120,000 and an overall population of 12 million. Only five youngsters in the Jewish community are within the age group suited to the Na'aleh program. Two arrived in Israel this week. One of the two girls has previously participated in the Bible Quiz in Jerusalem.

Partcipants in South African Na'aleh program pictured with Jewish Agency Treasurer Chaim Chesler. Photo credit: Israel Sun.

Arab and Jewish women in the north of Israel have succeeded in developing joint activities despite the many obstacles resulting from the riots in the Territories and in the Galilee. This was reported at a meeting of representatives from women's forums run the Jewish Agency in the north of Israel, held on 1.1.01 .

Hadas Hanani, from the Western Galilee forum, reported that 6 Arab women and 12 Jewish women had enrolled in a Jewish-Arab women's leadership development course. The participants are extremely satisfied with the fact that the course is taking place, despite the current situation, and it would appear the "we all have similar needs and aims", said Hadas.

Tami Hermesh, from the Mateh Asher forum, reported from a group operating in her area with the villages Abu Snan and Jatt. Following the violence, weekend meetings were held with the families, and over time more people joined in and another group was formed. A workshop group is also being organized for Jewish and Arab female volunteers working with the victims of violence - the project is being run in Akko. Participating in the workshop are 6 Arab women and 9 Jews, after one of the Arabs left.

Etty Green, from the Galilee Panhandle group, reported efforts to organize a dialog forum in the area which did not work out "due to small numbers from other religions living in the area".

Chava Weinberg, coordinator of a project for the promotion of women in the Galilee Panhandle, suggested opening a course for promoting the idea of "women's rights" in the Galilee area. The course will probably be held in Upper Nazareth.

Etty Green suggested holding a day seminar on the subject of breast cancer for the entire region, in preparation for International Women's Day which falls at the beginning of March.

The Karmiel-Misgav women's forum (Shula Zettler, Bat-Sheva Gur Aryeh, Bilhah Keter and Ayah Avadia) said that it was interested in continuing to lead the organization of the Hilah march in the Galilee (no. 2) due to take place on October 4th,2001 . The Forum said that it would accept any assistance from other forums in organizing the march.

The meeting of the northern forums' representatives was also attended by Michal Nadler (Western Galilee), Rachel Shevach Silver (Galilee Panhandle) and Levanah Zur (Mateh Asher) .

A new recently published study by Prof. Majed Alhaj of Haifa University points to a trend of overwhelming support by olim for preserving their ethnic culture and institutions. 91% of those who participated in the study (707 people were interviewed, forming a representative sample of the population which made aliyah between January 1990 and July 1999), consider it important that their children should know Russian. 73% supported the continuity of the FSU olim political parties.

57% of those interviewed stated that in the 1999 elections they had voted for a Russian olim party. In another context, 84% were of the opinion that freedom of speech should be protected even when national security may be affected or when statements affecting national security are made.

The researchers note that ten years after the beginning of this wave of aliyah, the olim still constitute a clearly defined, relatively closed social group with regard to its internal structure and its relations with the external environment. 71% said that none of their five closest friends was a veteran Israeli.

Contact with veteran Israelis is mainly in the work place (60% meet with veteran Israelis frequently) or in the residential neighborhood (56%). During studies, at social or family meetings, contact with veteran Israelis drops to 19%.

Exposure to sources of information points to extremely strong cultural ties - 77% of those interviewed regularly watch Russian language cable TV broadcasts (compared with 25% who watch Israeli TV in Hebrew), 40% listen regularly to the Russian-language Reka radio station (compared with 31% who listen to Hebrew broadcasts). 60% of those interviewed regularly read a Russian-language newspaper published in Israel.

17 Jewish young adults, active as Hagshama (fulfillment) coordinators in Jewish communities all over the world, on behalf of the World Zionist Organization`s Hagshama Department, arrived in Israel this week for a 10-day seminar.

The Hagshama coordinators are active among the younger generation in the Jewish communities, particularly among Jewish students on campus and in the youth movements. They encourage aliyah, help Jewish youngsters become involved in community activity, and strengthen ties with Israel and the Diaspora.

Jewish Agency and World Zionist Organization Treasurer Chaim Chesler, who met with the coordinators at the Jerusalem HQ of the National Institutions told them: "You are working with the most important part of the Jewish population - the younger generation. You must make sure that the Zionist movement is filled with large numbers of youngsters, motivated by Zionist ideology and Jewish values".

The coordinators hail from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, England, Hungary, the US, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela. Haim Hayet, head of the Hagshama Department, added that while the seminar was taking place, a further 30 youngsters from South America this week completed a young leadership seminar in Israel.

Some forty Ethiopian immigrants have started a special job-training program for careers as truck drivers. About 60 candidates tried their hand at driving at Israel's top instructional facility in Ashdod, with the best applicants selected for the course.

The innovative program is sponsored by the Jewish Agency for Israel in conjunction with Israel's Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, the Authority for Employment, and the United Jewish Israel Appeal of Great Britain. The rigorous training program provides courses in Hebrew, math and geography along with training in road transport laws, mechanics, and hands-on driving under difficult conditions.

The program itself is taking place at Shlomi's Erez College, adjacent to Israel's border with Lebanon. UJIA and JAFI are teaming up to provide housing, meals, supplementary tutoring and a counselor for the duration of the program - reflecting the policy of both organizations to strengthen Israel's Confrontation Line.

Israel's economy desperately needs additional truck drivers, and successful graduates are virtually assured employment.

Local citizens, archeologists, Ministry of Tourism officials, Partnership 2000 activists and the Zippori National Park management attended the festive inauguration of the restored ancient synagogue in Zippori earlier this month. The Deutsch family of Detroit donated $250,000 dollars for this purpose.

The recently restored ancient synagogue, which dates back to Mishnaic times, contains a great number of extraordinary mosaics, some of them almost completely intact, depicting scenes of contemporary Jewish life as well several biblical scenes.

Ethan Broshi, head of the Jezreel Valley Regional Council, said that the inauguration of the restored synagogue helps to understand the scope and level of Jewish life in the Galilee. He added that, especially at this time, when many tourists are canceling their visits to Israel, is it important to appreciate such a place that commemorates the past and preserves it for our future generations.

Broshi concluded by presenting the granddaughter of the Deutsch family with a present from the regional council.

35 new olim from Ethiopia (3 of them girls) living at the Jewish Agency's Lod absorption center, have enlisted in civil guard operations in Lod.

They participate in patrols, man roadblocks, undergo training, guard shopping malls and education centers. During the course of this activity the olim meet veteran Israelis, speak Hebrew and gain confidence in integrating in Israeli society.

The driving force behind the idea is Yehudah Hajbi, commander of the Civil Guard base in Lod. Hajbi has turned the base into a center for the allocation of equipment and clothing for olim and new-born babies

A solidarity mission by the Michigan Jewish community, with 200 participants, arrived in Israel this week for a 5-day visit, and was hosted in the central Galilee. The Michigan communities, which include Detroit, Anne Arbor and Grand Rapids, partner the central Galilee in the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 program.

The visit to the central Galilee lasted two days, during which mission members toured educational programs organized through Partnership 2000, participated in a Torah scroll dedication ceremony at a Conservative synagogue in Upper Nazareth and were guests of Israeli families.

Limor Regev, director of the Jewish Agency's central Galilee office, reports that the highlight of the visit to the Galilee was a show of solidarity which took place one evening in Upper Nazareth, attended by 450 people, including the members of the American mission.

The consumer index for the year 2000 is 0% - the lowest annual rate of inflation in the history of the State of Israel. The annual rate of inflation was set following the rate published for December 2000 this week, that dropped to 0.1%. As a result of this rate and the big drop in interest rates in the US, a significant reduction is expected in the interest rates in Israel this week.

Arab girls were recruited to the National Service in their settlements, for the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel. This was the agreed between the mayor of Taibeh, Isam Masrawe, initiator of the idea and a representative from the Prime Minister's Office. The Ministry of Labor and Welfare is also preparing a program to recruit Arabs to the National Service receiving the same benefits as discharged soldiers.

Minister of Health, Roni Milo, resigned from his post in the government this week. He said that he has not yet decided for whom he will vote, or whether he will even vote.

The Legislative Committee of the Knesset approved on third reading this week the law known as "the Deri Law", that reduces jail periods for good behavior to half or one third of the sentence. The debate was heated and full of insulting comments; the Minister of Justice called it "scandalous". According to the balance of power in the Knesset, the law is expected to pass with a majority vote.

A joint naval exercise between Israel, Turkey and the US took place in International waters north of Haifa and Atlit. Warships participated in the exercise which focused on search and rescue. Naval helicopters and "Hercules" planes participated in rescue exercises by tossing rescue rafts in the water.

Egypt canceled the visas that had been granted to a group of Israelis seeking to pray at Ya'akov Abu-Hatzeira's grave in Damanhor, Egypt, on the 101st anniversary since his death. 70 Israelis waited for many hours at Ben Gurion Airport this week, to receive entry visas to Egypt but finally returned home in disappointment.

Israel dispatched a medical team to El Salvador to assist the victims of the earthquake that shook the country earlier this week. Per El Salvador's request, Israel also sent bandages, medication and chemicals for water purification.

Police decided to advance the idea of using electronic surveillance on certain types of offenders rather than jailing them. Electronic surveillance will be used at first on detainees waiting for their court appearance. Gradually it will be used for offenders who have been indited as well. Electronic surveillance works in the following manner: a brace is fitted on the offender's leg emitting signals that are registered on a receptor/transmitter in the phone. With the help of a telephone line, the signal is transmitted to a computer center operated by a commercial operator. The computer has been fed data regarding the times and the places that the offender is supposed to visit. Each time the offender changes the prearranged course, the computer raises the alarm.

The Israel Museum received this week a rare gift. Art collectors Judy and Michael Steinhardt of New York donated "St. Peter in Jail," a painting by renowned Dutch artist Rembrandt. The painting is estimated to be worth several million dollars.

A Jewish man in his forties came to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem this week wearing a white shirt and riding a donkey. When policemen stopped him he said: "I am the Messiah." According to him, he bought the donkey from a Palestinian but could not get a white donkey like the Messiah did. He even went down to the Gihon source to wash and purify himself and the donkey. The "Messiah" was sent for psychiatric observation.

At the beginning of next week, the Jewish Agency will be holding a Hebrew song festival in Moscow, dedicated to the memory of Ofra Haza. 16 young Jews from all over Moscow will appear before an audience of 1000, and perform some of Ofra's best known songs, with the chorus or one verse translated into Russian. The Jewish Agency will award a prize for the best performance - a trip to Israel.

The panel judging the event includes Galei Zahal musical producer Yoram Rotem, Moscow community emissary Dina Rubin, cultural attache at the Israeli embassy in Russia - Dan Orian, and director of the Israeli Center Yossi Tavor.

Judith Yankelevich, the Jewish Agency's youth and student emissary in Moscow who initiated the festival, says that there will be an exhibition of photographs of Haza in the lobby. During the festival, a video-clip of the song "Chai" as originally performed by Haza will be shown. This song earned Israel second place at the Eurovision Song Contest at the time. The dance troupe of the Jewish Agency's Moscow youth club will also perform a Yemenite dance to one of Ofra's songs from the Yemenite Songs record.

According to Yankelevich, the idea for a festival in Ofra's memory was conceived shortly after her sudden death: "Ofra's songs always addressed subjects which are close to the hearts of Jews here, such as love, her homeland, children and Jewish tradition. Besides being an expression of appreciation for a great singer, we also want to show the nice side of Israel through her songs", said Yankelevich. "The best young Jewish artists in Moscow will be participating in the festival, chosen from more than 30 candidates sent to us by local community organizations. We hope to organize an interesting trip to Israel for the winner and participation in a variety of events due to be held in Ofra's memory in Israel", she said.

This is the second Hebrew song festival - the previous one was held in 1999. The festivals are aimed at increasing the level of knowledge of Jewish youth in Russia through Israel music, from "Hava Nagila" to contemporary music. The festival's format is based on that of the Eurovision and entails a similar points system, short video clips about the performers are shown and there is a professional panel of judges.

The forum for coordinating the struggle against anti-Semitism, headed by the Minister for World Jewish Community and the Jewish Agency, constantly tracks anti-Semitic incidents the world over : shooting, use of explosives, physical attacks, desecration of synagogues and cemeteries, drawing swastikas and Nazi symbols, as well as incitement, including denial of the holocaust.

A collection of studies on anti-Semitism at the start of the Third Millenium has just been published. The book is edited by Haim Ufaz and published by the Publications Service at the Information Center and contains up-to date information on trends and events around the world - in Eastern and Western Europe, and other parts of the world.

Anti-Semitism in western Europe is associated with xenophobia, as result of which the strength and influence of extreme right wing movements has increased. In recent years, France has seen outbursts of anti-Semitism against Jews by the large number of Moslems who live there.

In recent years there have also been increasingly serious manifestations of holocaust denial, which is possibly the worst form of anti-Semitism. The battle against holocaust deniers has recently been dealt with more vigorously, due to the importance which many democratic countries now attribute to the study of the holocaust in the education system, as an educational tool used to combat racism, xenophobia and the persecution of minorities. This chapter of the book reviews the libel case filed by holocaust denier David Irving against Prof. Deborah Lipstadt, lecturer on holocaust studies and modern Judaism at Emory University, Georgia, USA.

Anti-Semitism in the western world, which is a political tool in the struggle against Israel, takes up considerable space in the news due to incitement in the Arab media. Here no distinction is made between Judaism and Zionism and this is where holocaust denial proliferates. More seriously, these subjects have a prominent place in text books in the Palestinian Authority and Arab countries, and not only in the media, thus raising new generations on anti-Semitism.

The book gives expression to manifestations of anti-Semitism and trends in this area, in various parts of the world.

A special chapter is dedicated to the issue of the property of Jewish Nazi victims and the struggle to regain possession of such property, including the question of why this has been addressed so late.

One of the more effective ways of transferring information today, through the internet, also leads the way on anti-Semitic information, with horrific pictures, cartoons, information and illustrations. The book provides an updated list of links and also contains a selected bibliography for use by any persons interested in studying relevant up-to date information.

The great Jewish philosopher Aryeh Leib Pinsker, wrote his book "Auto-Emancipation" 120 years ago (in 1882) and defined hatred of Jews as a mental illness, a psychosis which he called "Judo-phobia". This ailment, wrote Pinsker, can only be cured by thousands of Jews leaving their non-Jewish environment and moving to the Jewish national homeland.

Pinsker's Zionism dream has been realized, but this illness nevertheless continues to thrive among many peoples and countries.

Ingredients

200 gr. rough-puff pastry or cigar pastry or Filo pastry

Filling :
2 cups oil
1 large chopped onion
500 gr. minced meat
5 tsps. finely chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. lemon juice
Oil for deep frying

Preparation: (for 20 pieces)

• In a frying pan heat 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the onions until golden. Lower the heat, add the minced meat and continue to fry. Stir and crumble until the color begins to turn darker.

• Remove from the heat, cool and flavor. If the mixture if too dry, add 2 tsps. liquid (water, clear soup, wine or soy sauce).

• Cut each layer of pastry into oblong strips 10-12 cm. wide. Place a teaspoon of the mixture in one corner of the strip, fold to form a triangle and repeat the folding procedure around the filling until a small, firmly closed triangle is formed.

• Heat the oil for deep frying. Fry 4-5 triangles each time, until golden. Drain on kitchen roll. Serve Hot.