February 8, 2001
Briefs
Follow JewishJournal.com on 
Book Touts Schindler's Widow
Oskar Schindler's widow, who was left on the sidelines in the Steven Spielberg movie about her husband, is being remembered in a new book that shows her role in rescuing thousands of Jews from the Holocaust. "She was not in Oskar's shadow. She worked right beside Schindler, and that is the truth," Argentine journalist Erika Rosenberg told Reuters. Rosenberg is author of "Ich, Emilie Schindler" -- German for "I, Emilie Schindler."
Banks Publish 21,000 Accounts
Swiss banks are publishing a list of some 21,000 dormant accounts likely to have belonged to Holocaust victims.
The list was posted Feb. 5 on the Internet at www.dormantaccounts.ch .
The total was far lower than what some U.S. banking officials and Jewish groups had wanted published.
Survivors: Keep Papon Jailed
Some 200 Holocaust survivors and members of Jewish groups gathered outside a Paris prison to demand that a Nazi collaborator remain behind bars.
Sunday's demonstration came amid debate in France over whether Maurice Papon, 90, should be freed because of his age and poor health.
Papon began serving a 10-year sentence after he was found guilty of helping deport some 1,500 Jews to Nazi death camps during World War II.
Group to Locate Child Escapees
A nonprofit organization is trying to locate approximately 1,000 people sent as children to U.S. foster families to save them from the Nazis.
One Thousand Children Inc. plans to organize a first reunion and produce scholarly papers, a documentary and a Web site.
Sharon Smitten by U.S. Adviser
Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon was quoted as telling a group of Israeli television journalists that he found President Bush's national security adviser so attractive when they met last summer that he could barely focus on what she was saying.
A widower, Sharon met with Condoleezza Rice last August, when she made her first trip to Israel.
UJC Won't Replace Top Exec
The umbrella organization for North American federations will not replace its chief operating officer, who departed recently after weeks of protracted negotiations.
The United Jewish Communities (UJC) is instead reorganizing its executive staff and dividing up Louise Stoll's responsibilities, said Stephen Solender, the group's president and CEO.
In addition, the UJC will hire an executive-level professional to handle human resources development and recently hired an executive to run its Israel and overseas department.
Israel Info Campaign Planned
North America's largest Jewish organizations are teaming up with the Israeli government to launch an information campaign to educate American Jews and non-Jews about Israeli issues, according to the executive vice president of the federation umbrella organization.
Stephen Solender of the United Jewish Communities said the initiative is responding, in part, to focus group research showing that large numbers of American Jews do not remember what Israel offered the Palestinians at the Camp David summit last summer or that Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat was once considered a terrorist.
Protests Greet Fla. Theme Park
Jews in Florida are protesting a new religious theme park that they say promotes Christian messianism.
The Holy Land Experience in Orlando contains a show that depicts the rituals and Hebrew prayers on Yom Kippur but concludes with a Nativity scene projected above the audience. A group led by a Baptist minister who was born a Jew operates the park.
Suriname Shul Becomes Net Cafe
The Jewish community in the South American nation of Suriname is allowing one of the oldest synagogues in the Western hemisphere to be used as an Internet cafe.
"We had to do this to save the synagogue," which is plagued by high maintenance costs and low attendance, Jewish community leader Dennis Kopinsky told the Associated Press. Kopinsky said the Sedekwe Shalom congregation has only about 60 members, and they now worship at the other synagogue in Paramaribo, Suriname's capital.
Bush Addresses Prayer Breakfast
President Bush said his administration would welcome all religions and "honor the diversity of our country and the deep convictions of our people."
Speaking Feb. 1 during the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Bush promoted his initiative to allow religious groups to compete for a share of social-service money that the U.S. government distributes. "Government cannot be replaced by charity, but it can welcome them as partners instead of resenting them as rivals," he said. "Our country has recognized the contribution of faith. We do not impose any religion."
All briefs by Jewish Telegraphic Agency
