Round
/ Compiled by Elizabeth Applebaum
All the news that
Survivors To Benefit
Under New Agreement
Thousands of Jewish victims
of Nazi persecution who have re-
ceived little or no compensation
under existing German law will
benefit from a new agreement
between the Federal Republic of
Germany and the Conference on
Jewish Material
Claims Against
Germany.
The accord,
which follows 16
months of nego-
tiations, provides
for onetime as
well as continu-
ing hardship pay-
ments to Jews
imprisoned in
death camps,
ghettos or who lived in hiding
during World War II.
The Claims Conference ex-
pects to issue a call next month
for applications from survivors.
Some funds also will be available
in the form of grants to institu-
tions and organizations provid-
ing social care to elderly Jewish
survivors.
"Because the filing deadline
Archives Open In Russia
under the German law enacted
following the 1952 agreement ex-
pired in 1965, thousands of Holo-
caust survivors who lived in the
former Soviet Union and other
areas of Eastern Europe were un-
able to apply," said Rabbi Israel
Miller, president
of the Claims
Conference.
Other victims
of the Nazis who
were held in
captive camps
or ghettos re-
ceived only one-
time payments.
The new
compensation
accord was
reached under Article 2 of the im-
plementation agreement to the
German Unification Treaty, re-
uniting East and West Germany.
In that article, the German gov-
ernment agreed to negotiations
with the Claims Conference for
hardship payments to Nazi vic-
tims who previously had received
no compensation or only mini-
mal indemnification.
New Reform Guide
Promotes Torah Study
The Reform movement's Com-
mission on Jewish Education has is-
sued the first in a series of
publications designed to encourage
Torah study among adults.
"Welcome to the World of the
Torah" is a 12-page guide offering
insight into fundamental Jewish val-
ues based on biblical perspectives,
rabbinic tradition and an analysis of
Jewish texts, leading the reader
through a study plan that includes
worship experience, discussion
of Judaism's impact on daily life
and recommended areas of intellec-
tual exploration.
The text was written by Rabbi
Howard Bogot, director for religious
education at the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations.
"Judaism traditionally has em-
phasized Torah study for the very
young," said UAHC Senior Vice Pres-
ident Daniel Syme. "The aim of this
publication is to encour-
age adults to seek a so-
phisticated level of Jewish
literacy."
Copies of "Welcome to
the World of Torah" and a
supplementary study
guide may be ordered for
$2.50 a copy from the
Dept. for Religious Edu-
cation, UAHC, 838 Fifth
Ave., New York 10021.
000
Cute Tushies
From Utah
This is too, too cute to resist.
New parents everywhere just can't
talk enough about their precious lit-
tle pumpkins, their sweet little
sauces, their darling little dumplings
(known to the rest of the world as
simply "babies"). And that means
everything related to babyworld is
s0000 interesting. (Remember the
last time you went to your brother's
house and were treated to a two-hour
video of Baby Sara's first steps?)
Now here's something even folks
who aren't new parents can enjoy.
A Spanish Fork, Utah, company
has come up with a new diaper that's
not only environmentally safe, it's
got an irresistible name: Tushies.
Touted as "The Perfect Change,"
Tushies feature eight layers of cot-
ton nylon outer cover, Velcro clo-
sures and are hypoallergenic.
The owners, who are not Jewish,
have a good sense of humor about
their product. "We were bouncing
names around," for the new diaper,
they said. " `Tushies' is just what we
came up with."
Don't Bring It
Back From Israel
Some bring back jewelry. Some
bring back postcards. Some bring
back sandals. But nobody wants to
return with a disease from Israel. So
before making your next trip abroad,
call the International Traveler's Hot
Line at the Centers for Disease Con-
trol.
The hot line, operated via touch-
tone phones, provides callers with
information about disease risks, nec-
essary vaccinations, and food and
water precautions to be taken when
traveling to Israel or any other coun-
try outside the United States. The
number is (404) 332-4559.
With the fall of the Communist
power structure, the formerly
closed government archives in
Russia are now opening to foreign
researchers.
The Russian Government His-
torical Archives in St. Petersburg
contain virtually all records of the
Russian Empire from the 19th cen-
tury to the 1917 Bolshevik Revo-
lution. Included in the archives are
Jewish family history records that
can be accessed through the Russ-
ian-American joint venture, BLITZ
Russian-Baltic Information Center.
For information, contact BLITZ
at 907 Mission Ave., San Rafael,
Calif., 94901, or call (415) 453-
3579.
Top Cops
When fall classes began late last
month at the University of Haifa, the
halls were filled with police officers.
They weren't there, however,
to maintain order or apply the
third degree. They had come
to line up for classes like every
other student.
The officers, 81 in all, were
the first participants in a pro-
gram initiated this year by the
university and the Israel Police
Senior Officers School. The
academic program emphasizes se-
curity matters, leading to undergrad-
uate or graduate degrees.
Three basic elements guide the
special course of study for police of-
ficers. First is the academization of
the senior police command, in-
creasing awareness and sen-
sitivity to Israel's complex
social-political system.
Second is an interdiscipli-
nary program of studies fo-
cusing on administration and
public policy, criminology, law
and public security.
Third, the learning structure
enables participants to integrate their
academic studies while carrying out
their police duties.
Think Tank Focuses on Affiliation
In an effort to confront plummet-
ing rates of affiliation within main-
stream U.S. synagogues and
churches, 50 scholars and clergy
from across the religious spectrum
met late last month for a "Think Tank
on Congregational Affiliation."
Held at Brandeis University and or-
ganized by the UAHC, the meeting
marked the first time Protestant,
Catholic and Jewish professionals
gathered to discuss programs affect-
ing affiliation.
Rabbi Steven Foster, co-chairman
of the UAHC task force on the unaf-
filiated, emphasized that many "pass
through the synagogue," joining at
one stage in life and dropping out at
another. Dr. C. Kirk Hadaway, of the
United Church Board for Homeland
Ministries, discussed research on the
motivations of "marginal members,"
those who have a religious identity
but rarely attend services. Dr. Dean
Hoge of the Catholic University of
America said people join a congrega-
tion for four main reasons: their chil-
dren's education, personal support in
life, friendship, and inspiration and
spiritual guidance.
A panel of unaffiliated men and
women also spoke at the conference,
citing their reasons for not joining a
congregation. One woman said she
left her synagogue, "and nobody even
called to ask why." A man raised in
the Presbyterian Church said he "nev-
er understood how theology con-
nected to him personally."
See Notebook, page 7