November 14, 2000 Vol. 2, No. 38

This Week in Chicago...

For more information, contact Martin Raffel at mraffel@thejcpa.org

All Eyes on Chicago: JCPA Leadership and Staff attending the United Jewish Communities General Assembly in Chicago have reported on many successful meetings. Key among them were a session with Foreign Ministry representatives, and a discussion by CRC directors Anne Chernin of South Palm Beach County, David Gad-Harf of Detroit and Jay Tcath of Chicago on community activism that was chaired by JCPA Secretary Dr. Stephen Stone. JCPA Chairman Leonard Cole, Hannah Rosenthal and Martin Raffel participated in a small meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak yesterday. The discussion centered on working together to disseminate accurate information that allows the American public to understand the complex nature of the conflict in the Middle East. Barak was unfaltering in articulating that his goal was to return to the negotiating table. He added however that if Israel has to confront conflict, "we will know how to respond." Later while addressing the full GA delegate assembly, Prime Minister Barak made his parameters for a peace agreement clear. They are:

1. There will be internationally recognized borders.
2. 80% of settlers will live in blocks under Israeli sovereignty.
3. Adequate safeguards need to be made on Israel’s eastern front.
4. No right of return to will be given to Palestinian refugees in Israel proper.
5. A broad Jerusalem under full Israeli sovereignty.

The General Assembly also heard Israeli Minister of Tourism Shahak urge that we all "Bo L’Aretz" – come to Israel. He noted that it is important that we encourage among others our non -Jewish friends and colleagues to come to Israel. That is exactly what the JCPA solidarity mission December 3-8, tailored specifically for Jewish Community relations leaders and prominent non Jewish friends of Israel hopes to do. If you need more information, please contact Anne Marie Stoute at JCPA in New York. In an emotional speech by Chaim Avraham, father of kidnapped Israeli soldier Benny Avraham urged the American Jewish Community to work tirelessly to secure the return of the three kidnapped Israeli soldiers. JCPA statement of October 30, 2000 emphasizes just this point.

This Week in Washington...

For more information, contact Reva Price, Washington Representative at rprice@thejcpa.org

Congress Has More Work to Finish! Republican Leadership returned to Washington yesterday and quickly decided that they were too distracted by the current political atmosphere to complete their work for the year. The House passed its 16^th Continuing Resolution keeping the government operational through December 5^th and the Senate is expected to do the same today. As you will recall, Congress had decided to "gamble" on the outcome of the election hoping to return to a calmer post election atmosphere more conducive to finishing the five remaining spending bills. In the meantime the White House sent a $750 million supplemental spending request to Congress yesterday to provide additional aid to countries in the Middle East. The spending bill includes $450 million to Israel - $250 to assist with costs associated with the withdrawal from Lebanon and $200 million in additional military assistance. The proposal would also include $225 million for Egypt and $75 million for Jordan.

Jewish Candidates Among Those In Contested Races: While newly elected Members of Congress have arrived in Washington to begin the orientation process, six Congressional races remain undecided, two which involve Jewish candidates. In New Jersey former Rep. Dick Zima’s challenge to Rep. Rush Holt has yet to be called. Zima gave up his House seat after three terms to run for Senate in 1996. In South Florida, they are not just unsure of who won the presidential race but the 22^nd district where Elaine Bloom challenged Rep. E. Clay Shaw Jr. also has yet to be decided. Shaw is currently ahead by 586 votes but with all the counting and recounting, Bloom’s campaign has decided it is "premature for anyone to rush to judgement." Three other elections are still too close to call including Michigan’s 8^th district where state Senator Mike Rogers was leading state Senator Dianne Byre by 152 votes. In Minnesota, Mark Kennedy leads 4 term Rep. David Mingle by 150 votes. And in California Rep. Steve Horn is 1616 votes ahead of challenger Gerri Ships with 16,000 votes still to be counted. The race for Senate in Washington State is still not settled. Senator Slide Gorton remains ahead of former Rep. Maria Cantle by a few thousand votes, although there are more than 100 thousand votes still to be counted in a state where nearly 50% of the voters cast their votes by mail.

Information on Jewish Legislators Needed! If you have updated information on Jewish State legislators from your state, please help us update our lists! Send your information to JCPA Public Policy Fellow Sharon Teitelbaum at Steitelbaum@thejcpa.org. The National Association of Jewish State Legislators is expecting to meet again in Washington on December 13^th. We want to make sure all Jewish State Legislators are invited.

JCPA mourns the passing over the weekend of Leah Rabin, the widow of late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. May her memory be a blessing.