World Briefs

WORLD BRIEFS from page 17

ence at the Yom HaZikaron memorial
gathering in Jerusalem.
In a statement released in
Washington by the Armenian
National Institute (ANI), he said:
"For many years, too many years, you
were alone on your Memorial Day. I
am aware of the special significance of
my presence here today, along with
other Israelis. Today perhaps for the
first time, you are less alone."
The minister cited a Jewish ambas-
sador of America to Turkey, Henry
Morgenthau III, who in 1915 was
among the first to tell the world
about the Armenian genocide.
"The minister's statement in
Jerusalem on Memorial Day is
deeply moving and, at the same
time, most encouraging to
Armenians seeking worldwide
affirmation of the Armenian geno-
cide," said Robert Kalaoosdian,
ANI board chair.
The minister ended his state-
ment with a commitment to
ensure that the Armenian genocide
be included in the Israeli sec-
ondary school history curriculum.
Inclusion had been blocked by the
Foreign Ministry, which feared
repercussions on Israel's relations
with Turkey.
The current Turkish govern-
ment denies the Armenian geno-
cide of 1915. If says thousands of
Turks also died in what it describes
as internal fighting during the
Ottoman Empire's last years.

B'nai B'rith
Assaults Hate

Washington — B'nai B'rith
International has announced a new
program to fight prejudice and reduce
violence, especially among youth.
The program, Enlighten America,
draws on George Washington's
promise to the congregation of Rhode
Island's Touro Synagogue that "ours
will be a government that gives to
bigotry no sanction, to persecution no
assistance," said BBI President
Richard Heideman, a former
Detroiter.
"The program emphasizes equality
among all American citizens, regard-
less of religion, race, national origin,
gender or sexual orientation," he said.
The program grew out of a com-
mittee empaneled to address the mass
murder at Columbine High School in
Littleton, Colo., and the shootings at
the North Valley Jewish. Community
Center in suburban Los Angeles.

6/2

2000

22

Lesbian Couple
Ruled Mothers

Vandalism Enrages
Greek Leaders

Falash Mura
Fly To Israel

Tel Aviv/JTA — An Israeli lesbian cou-
ple won the right Monday to be regis-
tered as the mothers of a son born to
one of them through a sperm donor.
In a landmark decision, the Israel
Supreme Court on Monday ordered the
Interior Ministry to register Nicole
Brener Kadish as an adoptive mother to
Matan, the 4-year-old son of her lesbian
partner, Ruthy Brener Kadish.

Athens/JTA — Greece condemned an
attack by vandals on the main Jewish
cemetery in Athens.
"This vandalism will not go unan-
swered," a government spokesman said,
adding that the act had "enraged" Greek
officials. Vandals attacked the cemetery
last Friday, painting Nazi slogans and
symbols on its Holocaust memorial as
well as on dozens of graves.

Jerusalem/JTA — The Jewish Agency
for Israel is flying 100 Falash Mura
from Ethiopia to Israel.
Agency officials say the group is the
first in a wave of 5,000 to 6,000 peo-
ple who will soon be flown to Israel.
Thousands of Falash Mura,
Ethiopians whose ancestors converted
from Judaism to Christianity, have
amassed in transit camps in Ethiopia.

Celebrate

A Lebanese boy plays
atop a cannon near the
village of Kfizr Kila, on
May 25. The Lebanese
government announced
that May 25 would be a
national holiday named
"The Day of the
Resistance and
Liberation" to mark the
Israeli withdrawal from
south Lebanon.

Arsonists Ravage
Philly Synagogue

Philadelphia/JTA - A fire set by arson-
ists destroyed a Philadelphia synagogue.
Police said the fire had been set at
Beit-Harambam Congregation early
Saturday morning by one person who
broke in through a back window. The
fire destroyed Torahs and prayer books,
gutted the synagogue's interior and left
some 300 congregants without a house
of worship.

Mordechai Resigns,
Stays In Knesset

Tel Aviv/JTA — Israeli Transportation
Minister Yitzhak Mordechai resigned
from the cabinet, but he will continue
to serve as a Knesset member.
Sunday's resignation followed the
attorney general's decision to charge him
on three counts of sexual abuse involving
three women over a period of eight years.

_ --
Web Sites Aid
Shoah Victims

Berlin/JTA — Some 100,000 files
documenting assets stolen by the
Nazis have been added to a Web site
aiding Holocaust victims and their
heirs.
Information about the files, culled
from archives in Berlin, Frankfurt and
Hamburg, has been posted on

www.LivingHeirs.com

Havana Temple
Gets Face Lift

Havana/JTA — The Cuban Jewish
community marked the inauguration
of a newly renovated temple, Bet
Shalom, in Havana.
Attending the ceremony were
Jewish delegations from the United
States, Canada, Mexico, Chile and
Argentina, according to Radio
Havana.

Clinton, Barak
Meet In Berlin

Jerusalem/JTA — President Clinton and
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak are
scheduled to meet in Berlin to discuss
the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
The two also plan to discuss Israel's
troop withdrawal from Lebanon.

Peres, Katsav
Run For President

Jerusalem/JTA — Former Israeli Prime
Minister Shimon Peres will be the
Labor Party's candidate for president.
A former tourism minister, Moshe
Katsav, will be the Likud Party's can-
didate.
The current president, Ezer
Weizman, announced that he will
resign in July, three years before his sec-
ond five-year term ends. Knesset
Speaker Avraham Burg said the Knesset
will vote by secret ballot on July 31.

