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Some senators and con- gressmen have reported a sharp increase in constituent mail critical of Israel, especially since the recent State Department human rights report that chastised the Jerusalem government for its handling of the Palesti- nian disorders. Several senators' staffers privately revealed that mail is running strongly against Israel — in some cases as high as 8-to-1 against Israel's policies in the occupied territories. But the staff of a Jewish congressman suggested that the drop in mail supportive of Israel has been part of a broader decrease in mail about the Middle East. "It's old news, in a way," this source said. "What we seem to be hearing from consti- tuents is that they're tried and frustrated by the whole thing." According to some pro- Israel activists, the lack of response from the Jewish community reflects confusion and uncertainty over Israel's policies in the Middle East. "Frankly, people are in a kind of moral paralysis," said one top pro-Israel lobbyist here. "People just don't know what to write in defense of Israel." The drop in pro-Israel mail comes at a time when Con- gress is taking up the foreign aid budget and in the wake of Israel's public relations pro- blems resulting from the human rights report. "It's human nature that unless people see a crisis, they don't respond," said Malcolm Hoenlein, director of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organiza- tions. "And in part we just haven't reached out to mobilize them. The Arab community is doing that in a very intensive way." Temple Youth Argues For Pro-Choice More and more, pro-choice activists are watching the Supreme Court, where briefs in the Reproductive Health Services v. Webster case are due this week. Several Jewish groups are participating in the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights amicus brief; developed in large measure by the American Jewish Committee. Jewish members of both houses are playing a leading role; on the House side, the ef- Metzenbaum: Leading role. 'fort is being spearheaded by Rep. Bill Green, (R-N.Y.), along with Rep. Don Edwards, (D-Calif.). On the other side of the Capitol, Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, (D-Ohio), a senior member of the Jewish senate contingent, is taking the lead, along with Sen. Bob Packwood, (R-Ore.). But according to some reports, promoters of the Con- gressional brief have en- countered unexpected resistance in collecting signatures. And last weekend, the North American Federation of Temple Youth emphasized the pro-choice argument when it weighed in with House and Senate staffs. "They came away ecstatic," said a spokesman for the group. "They really felt they accomplished something and learned something about the way the system works." Budget May Not Create 'Kinder Gentler Nation' i-n Jewish groups Washington are starting to poke into the dark corners of the new budget proposed by President George Bush. And what some groups are finding is something less than the "kinder, gentler na- tion" promised by the new administration. Generally, Jewish groups applauded the administra- tion's request for a substan- tial increase in money for the homeless. But there was con- cern about cuts in education programs, including pro- grams for disadvantaged children and the handicap- ped, and possible cuts in Medicaid payment rates to states that could result in decreases in nursing home reimbursements. In a detailed analysis of the budget, Steve Silbiger, Washington representative for the American Jewish Con- gress, said rhetoric, the budget will cut some $20 billion in domestic programs and leave defense spending at current levels. "The real point here is that it doesn't add up," Silbiger said. "Unless you get a tax bill, there are going to substantial cuts in all sorts of programs. While we may squeeze by this year,,the lack of a tax bill will have a dramatic effect next year across the board, including in the foreign aid budget." Irving Kristol Spruces Up Quayle's Image Vice President Dan Quayle has an image problem in the Jewish community, according Kristol: 'Not well known' to some of his- supporters. But all that will change, if William Kristol has anything to say about it. Kristol, son of leading Jewish neoconser- vative Irving Kristol and former top aide to William Bennett when he was educa- tion secretary, has joined Quayle's staff as assistant to the vice president for domestic policy. "Basically, the Vice Presi- dent's ties to the Jewish com- munity have always been stronger than people realize,"