29 year old Claude Knafo from Tiberias was killed and 10 were injured in an explosion in a taxi today at the Mei Ami junction, which is in the Hadera-Eiron Valley - partnered with the UJC South East Region Consortium. Police uncovered the connection between the terrorist and a failed attack yesterday in Tel Aviv, which was averted thanks to the restaurant owner who spotted the device in time.

Israeli security officials had prior information about a vehicle which was travelling north from the Tel Aviv area with the suspected terrorist and a device planted for detonation in an Israeli city. The blast occurred when the cab was stopped at a road block at the Mei Ami junction in the Hadera-Eiron partnership region, following a chase. When a policeman approached the cab and asked the passengers for identification the terrorist detonated the bomb. All the passengers in the cab were injured. Claude Knafo was killed, and among the injured were three Palestinians - one of them was the terrorist who was seriously injured. Authorities are now investigating the connection between the terrorist and the injured Palestinians.

Sappers who arrived on the scene found that the blast was to have been set off by a cell phone.

These devices were prepared as part of the escalation in the Territories. This week, 56 year old Mordechai Shefer, a resident of Kfar Saba was murdered in his olive grove near the Green Line. Police suspect that Shefer who was a pioneer of alternative medicine in Israel was shot and killed by terrorists. In other incidents, an IDF officer was injured in a bomb explosion near Rafiah; two settlers from Ateret, near Ramallah, were injured in a shooting attack, and 5 passengers in a car transporting workers to Givat Ze'ev in Jerusalem were injured from shots fired at them by terrorists who fled to Ramallah. Shooting attacks continue on main highways and yesterday shots were fired at passing cars near the French Hill neighborhood in Jerusalem. It turned out later that the passengers in the car were Palestinians from a village adjacent to Jerusalem.

Ronald Lauder and Malcom Hoenlein, heads of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, attacked a report prepared by the State Department criticizing Israel for its response to Palestinian violence, including the assassination of terrorists.

"In light of the continuation of violence which began with the encouragement of the Palestinian Authority, and more than 3,000 armed attacks against Israelis, Israel has shown considerable restraint", said Lauder and Hoenlein. They warn that the report may create the misleading impression that balance exists between those who initiate the violence and those who are forced to defend themselves. The two leaders emphasized the on-going Palestinian incitement and the shooting attacks by Palestinian police and armed militias that have become daily occurrences.

Palestinian child with pistol

Al-Ayam (10th January 2001) - Marwan Barghouti, Fatah secretary on the West Bank, said at a ceremony marking the 36th anniversary of the founding of the Fatah movement, that "the Intifada has turned the lives of the settlers into hell, stones and bullets have turned the settlements into prisons for the settlers who are unable to travel without army escorts ..... the Intifada is the road to victory and freedom ..... the Intifada will triumph thanks to the stones and guns of the Fatah activists ..... the Fatah did not desert the military option even for a day, and has not laid down its arms, it preferred a peace settlement, but at the same time the door remains open to return to the armed struggle".

Al-Hiya Aljadida (5th November 2000) - At a conference held at Bir Zeit University, Marwan Barghouti, secretary of the supreme Fatah committee on the West Bank called to "expand the scope of the Intifada and reach every by-pass road and settlement on Palestinian land". He also called to "tighten the stranglehold on the settlers and settlements in order to force them to leave our country". Barghouti said that "when the Fatah chose the path of peace it stated specifically that is was doing so in order to realize in full the national rights of the Palestinian people. Fatah did not abandon the military option and struggle and it is ready to return to this option if it feels that there are threats endangering its national rights".

Al-Hiya Aljadida (11th December 2000) - Zaher Manasra, Governor of Jenin, and a senior Fatah official: "The Intifada has succeeded in its achievements including forcing the legitimacy of the armed struggle against the occupation".

Al-Hiya Aljadida (1st January 2001) - At a ceremony marking the anniversary of the establishment of the Fatah movement, Ahmed Hallas, secretary of the supreme Fatah committee in Gaza said that: "The option of fighting, struggle and revolutionary violence is still the Fatah's option and through it balance will be achieved for the restoration of the rights which our people have been deprived of. Fatah can still inflict losses on the Israelis in Tel Aviv, Ramallah and wherever they attack our people .."

Al-Hiya Aljadida (7th December 2000) - Saher Habash, a senior Fatah leader considered one of the movement's ideologues: "In any event, I do not support an armed battle with the enemy, but I support the type of armed struggle designed to deter the enemy and make the lives of the settlers unbearable, thus forcing them to leave our country".

Al-Hiya Aljadida (12th October 2000) - Fatah movement in the Rafiah area announced on October 11th that it was calling for an immediate end to the security coordination. It called on the masses to maintain the state of emergency and enlist popular forces to continue effective action within the framework of the armed struggle".

Al-Hiya Aljadida (30th November 2000) - Mohammed Abu Daka, secretary to the Fatah movement in the eastern section of the Gaza Strip, stated on November 29th that "the Fatah movement is taking the direct path continuing the Intifada and the armed struggle until the occupation is removed from our country ...."

Labor Party Central Committee will meet this Friday to decide who will be the ministers representing the party in Sharon's government. Following closing of the candidate list today it became apparent that no one will be contesting Peres' bid for the Foreign Ministry. Three people are contesting the position of Defense Minister: Brig. General (Res.) Binyamin (Fuad) Ben Eliezer, Major General (Res.) Matan Vilnai, and Deputy Defense Minister Brig. General (Res.) Ephraim Sneh.

The Central Committee elections are being held after agreement was reached on the coalition between the Likud and Labor parties, and while negotiations with the right-wing, religious, and olim parties continue, in an effort to bring them into the coalition. If these efforts are successful, the new government will be the largest ever in the history of the State of Israel, and will include 30 ministers - i.e. a quarter of the Knesset.

Sharon intends to conclude the formation of the coalition by the middle of next week and present his government to the Knesset.

• $ 19,000 - Jewish Agency allocation for the year 2000 to the friends of Kedma School in Jerusalem for an educational cooperation project within the framework of projects that foster "Unity, Tolerance and Mutual Respect."

• $ 16,000 - Jewish Agency allocation for the year 2000 to Eyal - Israel Epilepsy Association - Teenagers for social change project within the framework of support of "Special Needs Populations."

• $ 34,000 - Jewish Agency allocation for the year 2000 Ohr Torah Stone Colleges and Graduate Programs for "Hadas Women's Hesder Army" program within the framework of allocations "Enhancing Jewish Identity for Israelis."

• 6,603 Olim arrived in Israel since the beginning of 2001. 4,987 are from the FSU.

• 737 new immigrants arrived in Israel this week. 576 from the FSU and Eastern Europe; 85 from Ethiopia and the rest from France, Spain, Turkey, England, South Africa, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Argentina, Columbia, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Peru, the USA, Canada and India.

Russian communications mogul, Vladimir Goussinsky, announced his resignation as President of the Russian Jewish Congress.

Goussinsky explained the reasons for his resignation by saying that "the legal and political problems that he is in, prevent him from fulfilling his role."

Goussinsky is currently under house arrest in Spain. He is awaiting a decision whether to extradite him to Russia where he is accused of corruption.

Goussinsky has many business interests outside of Russia holding, among others, 25% of the Israeli daily newspaper "Ma'ariv"

Vera Nafomanshiya, an 18-year old student from Ukraine, who was injured during last week's storm, this week met with her mother Tatiana, who was flown in specially from Ukraine by the Jewish Agency. Vera has been hospitalized for 10 days at Haifa's Rambam hospital after suffering severe spinal injuries when a tree fell on her. She has undergone two operations and her condition is now stable.

Immediately after her injury, doctors at the hospital spoke to Vera's mother in Ukraine, urging her to come to Israel in an effort to assist her daughter during her recovery. The Jewish Agency immediately came to the rescue and undertook to foot the bill for flying the mother to Israel and to pay for her accommodation in Israel. Jewish Agency shlichim in the Ukraine helped her arrange the necessary permits, obtain a passport and a visa for Israel. Yesterday the mother landed in Israel. The Jewish Agency has provided her with accommodation at its Abba Houshi absorption center in Haifa.

Vera Nafomanshiya made aliyah two years ago from Artemovsk in the eastern Ukraine, within the framework of the Jewish Agency's Selah (Students before Parents) program. She successfully completed the program a year ago and began studying at the Technion's pre-academic program to prepare for university. On the day of the accident she was on her way home from Tel Aviv, having investigated the possibility of enrolling at Tel Aviv University, when a heavy branch broke off in the storm, seriously injuring her spine.

Since then she has been lying paralyzed in hospital and the doctors are doing everything possible to help her walk again. A group from the Jewish Agency's Abba Houshi student dorms, where Vera lived during her studies, constantly keep track of her condition and try to help wherever possible. At present, they hope that her mother's arrival will raise Vera's morale assisting with her recovery.

This year the Jewish Agency is supporting the "Kidma" project, which promotes the status of women in the IDF. Within the framework of the project young women officers from all the IDF commands are participating in day seminars at Haifa University, discussing the status of women and promoting women in the army.

The idea for the project developed as a result of recent changes in the army, permitting female officers to serve in roles that have so far been filled by men only. Despite this change, female officers often find it difficult to integrate in the male "macho" environment and later utilize their officer status as a springboard to integrate into senior positions in civilian life.

The seminar seeks to provide the women officers with information and tools relevant to the status of women and their role in the IDF. The topics studied in the seminars help the officers both on the personal and the professional levels. Some of the seminars are designed for "pioneer" officers, serving in positions that were previously open to men only.

To mark International Women's Day the Jewish Agency will hold a panel on "Women Olim in the Israeli Media" next week.

A recent survey of the Jewish Agency examining the image of new immigrant women in Israeli society, will be presented at the event. In addition, data will be presented regarding media coverage of new immigrant women as perceived by the academic world, as well as the Hebrew, Russian and Amharic press.

Journalist Avirama Golan from the daily Ha'aretz newspaper, will be the moderator. Participants will include Minister of Immigrant Absorption Prof. Yuli Tamir, Chair of the Jewish Agency's Israel Committee, Paula Edelstein, Director of the Jewish Agency's Israel Region Adv. Ofra Friedman, Dr. Dafna Lamish from Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Communications; Anat Saragosti - Editor Friday night newsmagazine, TV Channel 2; Director General of the Russian-language newspaper Vesti, Yulia-Shemlov Berkovich, and Amharic radio and TV broadcaster, Ms. Zaga Malako.

The panel discussion will conclude with an artistic program with Yevgenia Dodina from the Gesher Theater, and actress and singer Miski Shivru-Sivan. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 6th, between 16:30 - 19:30 at Tel Aviv's "Beit Sokolov", 4 Kaplan St.- The panel is open to the public.

Prof. Avi Ravitzky of Jerusalem's Hebrew University is the Israel Prize laureate for 5761 in the field of research on Jewish philosophy.

The panel of judges led by Prof. Yosef Dan noted that Prof. Ravitzky had made an original contribution to the study of Jewish philosophy in the Middle Ages and in the twentieth century.

His works have shed new light on the methods of two great Jewish thinkers - the Rambam and Rav Hasidai Krashkash, and the extensive philosophical traditions which developed in their wake over time.

Prof. Ravitzky's works have created a new conceptual framework in understanding Jewish political thought as well as clarifying the ideological tension on the question of Messianism and Eretz Israel. His works have also created a turning point in understanding orthodox Jewish thinking in recent generations and its relationship with the modern nationalist movement.

Prof. Ravitzky has numerous students and his works are widely acclaimed.

On March 27th the "Partnership 2000 March" will take place in the Negev. Of the 5,000 registered marchers, 4,500 are pupils from Ofakim and Merhavim and two marching groups - "Netiv" and "Neshama", are comprised of representatives of Metro West and Bergen County in New Jersey, the communities partnering Ofakim and Merhavim within the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 program.

In addition, residents of local neighborhoods and olim living at the Jewish Agency's absorption centers will also march. There will be a short and a long march, ending at 12:30 with a happening at Ofakim's park.

The march is the largest, most colorful event in the area and encompasses thousands of youngsters and organizations that will get a chance to learn about programs taking place with the help of Partnership 2000.

Now it's official: the Israeli economy is in sharp decline, on the verge of a recession. The Treasury this week reduced its forecast for growth for 2001 to just 2-3%, compared with the original forecast of 4.5-5%. This means that output will be 2-3% lower, worth NIS 13.8 billion. And another serious conclusion: unemployment is expected to climb to 9-9.5% - almost a quarter of a million jobless.

Some 30,000 Palestinians are currently illegally employed in Israel, despite the total closure of the Territories, and the assessment that their number will grow to nearly 50,000. These figures were issued by the Ministry for Internal Security. The number of criminal cases opened against Israelis employing Palestinians who allow them to stay over without a permit has doubled since the outbreak of violence in the Territories. 170 charges were filled between August and September, and in January alone 340 charges were filled. In January police arrested 2,500 Palestinians staying in Israel without permits, compared with 1200 in December and 3,379 in October.

Israelis were excellent customers of the Jericho casino: over a two-year period the Israelis left half a billion dollars at the casino where some 3,000 people visited daily - 97% Israelis and the other 3% tourists, mostly arriving via Israel. A third of the visitors to the casino - 1,000 people - arrived daily by organized transport on 28 buses from 10 cities all over Israel.

Welcome news for Israel's railway passengers: in three months time Israel will begin operating double-decker trains. Heads of the Ports and Railways Authority have held discussions with the supplier "Bombardier" in Germany, in an effort to speed up the supply of 14 double-decker carriage systems for Israel Railways, with 505 seats in each system.

A 15-year old boy from Jaffa was arrested this week on suspicion of rape and indecent assault of 21 children and youth between the ages of 8-13 year old. The boy admitted all the instances to the police and described how he had tempted them to come to his room, using games, watching TV together and other similar entrapments. Later, in court yards, on the beach, in public parks and shelters he perpetrated his acts. The investigation began when an 8-year old boy told his mother that a neighbor, a 15-year old, had raped him and committed indecent acts on four different occasions.

Tough figures were published this week on offenses committed by youth and olim. One quarter of all young offenders in Israel in the year 2000 were new immigrants. New immigrant youth constitute 12% of the total youth in Israel. And worse still - more than a third of the drug offenders in the young age groups are olim. Most young offenders are from the FSU.

And more on drugs: It transpires that age knows no limits when it comes to those involved in drugs. A 72-year old Tel Aviv resident was sentenced to a year's imprisonment after being found guilty of importing 40,000 ecstasy pills into Israel (over the last 2 weeks two youngsters have died and two others have been hospitalized in critical condition following the use of ecstasy). Following his arrest, the elderly man said to the police: there are some professions one doesn't have to retire from ...

17-year old Yevgeni Dvoskin, an oleh from the FSU, won the Israeli Roman-style wrestling championship in a competition held at the beginning of last month in Tel Aviv. Yevgeni who made aliyah in 1990 has been training at a competitive sports school in Carmiel for seven years. The school is supported by the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 program.

The school for competitive sports encourages young olim in various fields of sport and employs trainers who are olim living in the Galilee. Jewish Agency support of the school's activity is designed to assist the development of individual excellence among olim and help them integrate in Israeli society.

Yael Reich, director of the Jewish Agency's Carmiel-Misgav office reports that the Jewish Agency is currently engaged in promoting a new school program which will enable olim from Ethiopia to take part in football team activity and participate in chess clubs.

A one-man show is currently running at the IDF theater, written and performed by soldier Yossi Vassa .

Yossi is a member of the Ethiopian community, who made aliyah as a child and after completing high school was accepted for an IDF sponsored scholarship at Haifa University's School of Drama. On completing his studies, the actor was stationed at the IDF Theater with a role in the show "One of our Own", in which he was highly praised for his special performance.

The play deals with the experiences of an Israeli child and youth, an oleh from Ethiopia, during his first encounter with Israel, so different from his home country. In a light-hearted atmosphere, poking fun at us veteran Israelis and without losing the community's unique identity, Yossi presents his story in 50 minutes - the troubles along the way, death, hardship and his absorption in Israel.

What is unique about this show is the atmosphere in which he describes the difficulties which he encountered as an oleh in general, and which face the Ethiopian olim in particular. The message that Yossi delivers is that he has no complaints and he exhibits openness to the cultural difference between himself and his friends, his teachers and the army in which he has now been serving for two years.

Hamentaschen

For the Dough:

3 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
200 gr. margarine
1/2 cup sour cream / fresh orange juice
4 yolks
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
25 gr. vanilla sugar

For the Filling:

300 gr. ground dates
200 gr. chopped walnuts
1 tsp. cinnamon

Dough Preparation :

• Mix flour, baking powder and sugar in a deep bowl.

• Add sour cream / orange juice, yolks and soft margarine. Add the vanilla sugar and lemon peel.

• Knead into a smooth dough and refrigerate overnight or for at least one hour.

• Mix all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl

• Dust a work surface with flour, roll out the dough 2 mm. thick, cut circles using a glass. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the center and close in triangular form.

• Bake on a greased tray at medium heat (180⁰ C) for 20-25 minutes.

• Allow to cool down and sprinkle with icing sugar.

B'Te'avon!     Bon Appetit!