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New York (JTA) — A low
groan rose from the crowd
inside 770 Eastern Parkway
as the beige curtains around
the balcony were pulled shut
and the Lubavitcher rebbe
disappeared into his private
quarters without estab-
lishing, publicly and une-
quivocally, his status as the
Messiah.
But the rebbe's exit only
momentarily dimmed the
indefatigable faith and fer-
vor of his 7,000 followers
who packed into the main
Lubavitch synagogue in the
Crown Heights section of
Brooklyn hoping to witness
revelation.
Nearly as many Lubavit-
chers crowded outside the
building, which seemed
unable to accommodate even
one more soul, and more saw
the proceedings by a
satellite hookup which link-
ed Chabad houses around
the world, including 10 loca-
tions in Israel, Paris,
Moscow and all over North
America.
Inside the building, when
the rebbe concluded his 10-
minute appearance, women
crammed into the ladies'
balcony of the synagogue
began fervently reciting
Psalms.
Some men and women left
the building, but a few
minutes later word began
circulating that the rebbe
was going to come out again.
Within moments, the enor-
mous space was once again
packed from wall to wall as
Lubavitchers ran back into
the building hoping that the
rebbe would reveal himself.
In the end the rebbe did as
he has done since the High
Holy Days, when he first
began making regular
public appearances since be-
ing debilitated by a stroke
last March.
He sat in a chair at the
edge of a specially con-
structed balcony and looked
out over the sea of his
followers.
The evening marked a tra-
ditional annual appearance
by the rebbe, on the 43rd
anniversary of his ascension
to the throne of Chabad
leadership and on the an-
niversary of the death of the
previous rebbe, his father-in-
law.
But his followers, always
anxious for a glimpse of
their beloved leader, came
hoping for even more.
During the preceding

week, rumors of the rebbe's
"anointment" as the Mes-
siah — with oil and a gold
crown — had spread from
Crown Heights throughout
the extensive international
network of Lubavitch
emissaries and adherents.
With each nod of the
rebbe's head, his Chasidim
became more frenzied,
pushing forward with
greater force and singing
their anthem louder and
louder: "King Messiah, live
forever!"
But the 90-year-old:
Lubavitch leader, Rabbi
Menachem Mendel Schneer-
son, did not accept the title.
A statement issued by the
rebbe's secretariat said his
appearance "should not be
misinterpreted or •
misconstrued for anything
more than it is."
The appearance was "his
regular attendance at the
evening services and
nothing more than that,"
the statement said.

Conventions
Violated?

Geneva (JTA) — Swiss For-
eign Minister Rene Felber
has told his Israeli counter-
part, Shimon Peres, that
Israel's deportation of 415
Palestinian activists in
December was a serious
violation of the Geneva Con-
ventions.

Mr. Felber reminded Mr.
Peres when the Israeli
visited last week, that
Switzerland pays special at-
tention to the treaty, as the
Swiss confederation is the
depository for the conven-
tions.

Mr. Peres claimed the
temporary expulsions do not
contradict international law
since they are limited in
time, varying from several
months to two years, and
since the deportee have the
right to appeal their
punishment.

Speaking to the media
about the possibility of sanc-
tions being imposed on
Israel, Mr. Peres said,
"Sanctions are proposed or
voted when there exists a
menace to peace. This is not
the case. No one is interested
in jeopardizing the peace
process by deciding on sanc-
tions."

