work with him to combat
crime.
The Religious Action
Center of Reform Judaism
and its director, Rabbi David
Saperstein, played a key role
in coordinating the Dec. 15
letter.
Like other segments of the
population, Jewish groups
are becoming more aware of
the crime problem.
"The Jewish community is
largely an urban commun-
ity, and problems with crime
are largely urban," so Jews
have an "interest in making
cities safe and secure," said
Mark Pelavin, Washington
representative for the
American Jewish Congress.
"The health of the Jewish
community depends on the
health of the larger society
we live in," he said.
"Some issues are Jewish
issues because they directly
apply to Jewish people per
se," but other issues, like
crime, "affect the Jewish
community as they affect
others," said Sammie
Moshenberg, Washington
representative for the Na-
tional Council of Jewish
Women.
Jewish organizations in
Washington have been
lobbying on Capitol Hill,
supporting the recently
passed Brady gun bill and
seeking passage of a number
of crime bills.
The Anti-Defamation
League and other groups
have been strongly backing
hate crimes legislation that
has passed both houses of
Congress.
The legislation would in-
crease federal penalties for-
crimes committed because of
the victim's race, religion,
nationality, gender or sexual
orientation.
The ADL is also pushing
for legislation that would in-
stitute anti-violence and pre-
judice-reduction programs in
public schools.
"Our data shows that up-
wards of 80 percent of people
arrested for committing an-
ti-Semitic acts are people
under 21," said Michael
Lieberman, associate direc-
tor of ADL's Washington of-
fice.
Among other bills backed
by various Jewish groups
are a ban on assault
weapons, a tax on ammuni-
tion, an enhanced witness
protection program for peo-
ple providing information on
terrorism, and legislation to
combat violence against
women.
Jewish groups are also
working within their own
agencies and communities to
institute programs against
crime. I I
Wishing All Our Friends,
Families & Clients
AVERY HEALTHY AND
HAPPY NEW YEAR
World Wide Financial would like
to Thank Metropolitan Detroit's
Jewish Community For
Helping Us Make 1993
A Wonderful Year!
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