This Week
News Digest
Israel Promotes
Stem Cell Research
McCain Rallies For
Soldiers' Release
Haifa/JTA — Israeli researchers said
they have grown heart cells from
human embryonic stem cells.
The researchers at the Technion-
Israel Institute of Technology and
Rambam Medical Center said
Wednesday they envisioned injecting
these cells into damaged areas to create
healthy cardiac muscle that restores
heart function.
U.S. Jewish groups are generally in
favor of stem cell research, but some
opponents consider embryos human
beings and believe that destroying
them for research would be immoral.
President Bush is still considering
whether to permit federal funding of
research involving human embryonic
stem cells.
Washington/JTA — Sen. John
McCain, R-Ariz., a former POW him-
self, agreed to be a member of an
international committee working to
free three Israeli soldiers kidnapped by
Hezbollah last October.
According to the World Jewish
Congress, which is organizing the
effort, McCain may travel to Syria and
Lebanon on behalf of the soldiers, who
are believed to be in Lebanon.
Israel Enacts
Smoking Limits
Tel Aviv/JTA — A law barring Israelis
from smoking in all public places went
into effect Wednesday.
If they wish, owners of cinemas, the-
aters, lecture halls, restaurants, cafes,
waiting rooms and high schools may
establish separate smoking rooms with
walls up to the ceiling and proper ven-
tilation, according to the Jerusalem
Post. An estimated 27 percent of
Israelis are smokers, the paper report-
ed. Smokers violating the new law will
be fined about $50.
Israel Keeps
Target Attacks
Jerusalem/JTA — Citing its "basic
right to self-defense," Israel will con-
tinue its policy of targeting Palestinian
militants believed to be planning
attacks on Israeli targets.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reached
the decision Wednesday during a five-
hour meeting of his Security Cabinet.
Israeli security forces went on a high
state of alert around the country. The
Jerusalem/JTA — An Israeli undercov-
er unit arrested two Palestinians in the
West Bank last week. One of the men
was said to be involved in planning a
June 1 suicide bombing outside a Tel
Aviv disco that killed 21.
Leopard Spotted
In Judean Desert
Jerusalem/JTA — A male leopard was
spotted recently in Israel's Judean
Desert, confirming that the animals
native to that area are not extinct,
according to Haaretz.
The leopard was seen near the Dead
Sea, where it approached residential
areas and attacked some domestic ani-
mals.
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2001
22
Stamp To Cite
Berlin Museum
Bonn/JTA — German officials plan to
issue a postage stamp to mark the
September opening of Berlin's Jewish
Museum.
In an announcement Tuesday;
Germany's finance minister, Hans
Eichel, called the upcoming occasion
"worthy of a special stamp." The muse-
urn will house a permanent exhibit
focusing on 2,000 years of German-
Jewish history, and it will display works
of art, objects of everyday life, docu-
ments and multimedia presentations.
Battler For Nazi
Reparations dies
New York/JTA — Hugo Princz, a U.S.
citizen who survived the Holocaust
and won reparations from Germany
after a 40-year battle, died Sunday of
cancer at 78.
Princz lived in Slovakia in 1942,
when the Germans sent him and other
Jews to concentration camps, and he
spent 38 months in seven Nazi camps.
The Germans denied Princz's 1955
request for reparations because he was
neither a German citizen nor a refugee.
Princz was one of 11 U.S. citizens to
settle with Germany for. 52.1 million
in 1995.
B'nai B'rith Aids
Elderly Needs
Washington/JTA — B'nai B'rith
International recently became a found-
ing member of the Jewish Coalition
for Long Term Care.
Coalition members have agreed to
work cooperatively on issues in sup-
port of long term care and supportive
services for the frail and elderly. In a
July 18 letter to U.S. legislators, the
coalition stressed the need for avail-
ability and affordability of long-term
care as a pressing concern for the
American Jewish community.
Be Caring
Rabbi Krohn plays up the goodness of thoughtful behavior.
SUSAN TAWIL
Special to the Jewish News
Disco Bombing
Suspect Arrested
move comes amid warnings that
Palestinian terrorists plan to carry out
attacks.
jr
ust because I have a problem,
why should someone else suf-
fer?" asked Rabbi Paysach
Krohn, talking about derech
eretz, loosely translated as considerate
behavior.
Rabbi Krohn — a New York-bv.ed
author, lecturer and mohel (ritual cir-
cumciser) — spoke to 250 guests on
July 25 in the Oak Park home of Dr.
and Mrs. Larry Kurz. He appeared on
behalf of Matan B'Seter, an Oak Park-
based volunteer tzedakah organization
that provides funds to the local needy
in a discreet manner.
"Matan B-'Seter is a very important
tzedakah," said Rabbi Yisroel
Menachem Levin of Southfield's
Congregation Beth Tefilo Emanuel
Tikvah. "It provides not luxuries, but
money for bare necessities like money
for gasoline, rent, groceries."
Rabbi Levin introduced Rabbi
for the night only because he missed
Krohn, author of the Maggid series of
his usual friendly greeting.
books (ArtScroll Publishers) as well as
"Why do we lack derech eretz
the ArtScroll book on brit milah (ritu-
toward others?" asked Rabbi Krohn.
al circumcision). His message, coming
"Because of gaavah (pride), the feeling
the week before Tisha b'Av, was espe-
that everyone owes you," he answered.
cially relevant.
"It is the worst character trait, the
"The second Beis HaMikdash (Holy
beginning of all evil. Moses,
Temple) was destroyed
our greatest leader, is praised
because of sinas chinum
in the Torah as being canav
(causeless hatred)," said Rabbi
mikol adam' , the humblest of
Krohn. "We can't pain others
all
mankind. A person has to
with our words. Treating oth-
keep
himself in perspective."
ers with dignity is the essence
He went on to explain that
of life."
the Hebrew word for the pupil
A master storyteller, Rabbi
of the eye, ishun, literally
Krohn underscored his points
Rabbi Krohn
means "little person."
with true stories, such as
"When you speak to some-
about a shochet (ritual slaugh-
one, look into their pupils and you
terer) whose life was literally saved
will see a little person — our own
because he said, "Good morning" and
reflection. Remember when you talk
"Good night" each day to a security
to someone, they're the big one, not
guard. The guard found the shochet
you.
accidentally locked inside a freezer of
"Part of our greatness as Jews," he
the huge meat packing plant. The
said, "is that we give derech eretz to
guard had gone looking for the
each other." ❑
shochet, realizing the man had not left