World Briefs

Jewish Agency AidsChildren

The Jewish Agency for Israel distributed $5,000 each tochildren who lost a parent in a terrorist attack. The agency’s terror victim’sfund is allocating a total of $2.5 million to some 400 children. The money wasraised by the United Jewish Communities’ Israel Emergency Campaign. The grantsgiven Wednesday were distributed in the form of a check to adult children or asavings account deposit for minors.

Acquittal in Rabincase

An Israeli undercover agent was acquitted of charges that hefailed to prevent the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Avishai Ravivwas acquitted Monday.

Raviv, a right-wing activist, was working for Israel’s ShinBet when Yigal Amir gunned down Rabin in November 1995. Amir is serving a lifesentence for assassinating Rabin.

Jewish Groups Back CorrieResolution

Several left-wing Jewish groups are backing a congressionalresolution that calls for an investigation into the death of a U.S. womankilled last month by an Israeli bulldozer in the Gaza Strip. The Rachel CorrieResolution, introduced last week by Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.), expressessympathy to Corrie’s parents, and asks the governments of Israel and the United States to ensure that the situation will not be repeated. The resolution isbeing backed by Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel, the Tikkun Community,Not in My Name and smaller Jewish organizations.

Looted Nazi ArtReturned

The Israeli heirs of a Czech Jewish art collector whosecollection was looted by the Nazis in 1939 will receive more than 100 of thelooted works. Legal representatives for the descendants of Brno-based lawyerArthur Feldmann recently signed a restitution agreement that will return 135drawings by Dutch, Italian and German masters from the 16th to the 18thcenturies, currently held in the Moravian Gallery.

Report BlastsIsrael

Israel committed “numerous, serious human rights abuses” inthe West Bank and Gaza, according to the U.S. State Department. In its annualhuman rights report, released Monday, the department found that at least 990Palestinians and two foreign nationals were killed in violence with Israel lastyear, and that Israel carried out targeted killings in “crowded areas whencivilian casualties were likely, killing 25 bystanders, including 13 children.”

The report also criticized the Palestinians for notcomplying “with most of their commitments, notably those relating to therenunciation of violence and terrorism, taking responsibility for all PLOelements and disciplining violators.”

Hebrew U. MemorialPlanned

A commemoration of last year’s bombing at Hebrew Universityis being planned on U.S. college campuses. On April 10, the North AmericanJewish Student Alliance (NAJSA) is planning to memorialize the July 31 bombingon campuses across the country with videos about each of the victims. NAJSAcurrently has reached 75 percent of its goal of 40 participating campuses.

Rabbi Retracts Anti-WarStand

The head of the Conservative movement’s main rabbinicalseminary backed off his public opposition to the war in Iraq. Rabbi Ismar Schorsch,chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, told The New YorkTimes he ordered the rabbinical school’s public relations department to issue aretraction of anti-war comments he had made during a March 20 prayer service,which he did not expect to be publicized.

“I did not think that I should go on a crusade while the waris on,” Schorsch said.

Hold the Joe, Yossi

Starbucks is shutting down its cafes in Israel. The sixcafes in the Tel Aviv area are slated to be closed at the end of the week.Analysts attributed the failure of Starbucks, which is ubiquitous in many U.S.cities, to competition from established cafes. Security issues and Israel’srecession also contributed to the chain’s failure.

Briefs courtesy Jewish Telegraphic Agency.