December 13 , 1999 | Vol.1, No. 32

This Week in Washington¼

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

THIS JUST IN… Last Friday, the Independent Commission of Experts, informally known as the Bergier Commission, issued a landmark report detailing Switzerland's wartime treatment of Jewish refugees. The report paints a harsh picture of Switzerland's complicity in the Shoah, turning away 24,500 Jews who sought refuge, and discouraging countless others from escaping to the Swiss border. It follows on the heels of the release of the Volcker Commission's report, which highlighted the involvement of Swiss banks in exploiting Holocaust-era assets. Various disbursement plans for the $1.25 billion settlement with the banks are under consideration. The final plan must be approved by federal district court Judge Korman before payments to survivors can commence. Contact gfsiegel@thejcpa.org for more information.

NEW JCPA WEBSITE LAUNCHED: Have you "hit" our new site yet? It provides easy access to all JCPA policy positions, resolutions and statements, action alerts, legislative updates, services and publications, including archives. It also links to the web sites of all the JCPA member agencies, related organizations and media and graduate programs. Look for plenum updates as exciting speakers are confirmed. We invite your comments and suggestions. Contact srubinson@thejcpa.org

HELP IS JUST A CALL AWAY: To better serve those communities currently dealing with conversionary activity by the Southern Baptist Convention, JCPA is convening a conference call today with experts Dr. Phil Abramovitz, NY-JCRC Director of Jewish Communal Affairs, and Rabbi A. James Rudin, AJCommittee's Director of Interreligious Affairs. Participants will share information and strategize together to offer an effective response to the SBC's stepped-up efforts. Findings will be shared with the field. Contact ksenter@thejcpa.org for more information.

ISRAEL-SYRIA NEGOTIATIONS: The JCPA is pleased to host a special share-the-cost conference call tomorrow, Tuesday, December 14 at 12 Noon (ET) with Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The number to call into is 703-871-3026 (confirmation #2676806). Among the issues to be discussed: after a nearly four-year hiatus, negotiations between Syria and Israel will resume in Washington this week with the highest-level direct talks ever. Why now? What are the implications for each of the parties? What are the key issues under discussion? What are the prospects for a speedy breakthrough? What role will the United States play? What impact will these talks have on Palestinian-Israeli "final status" negotiations? How should the Jewish community relations field respond? Contact eyaari@thejcpa.org for more information.

THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE DISCOUNT: Just a reminder that the deadline for earlybird Plenum 2000 registration is fast approaching, with only 4 more workdays until December 18th. Need more information? Contact nava@thejcpa.org.

ISRAEL AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Sharon Hoffman, head of foreign relations for the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, the oldest and largest environmental non-governmental organization in Israel, will brief COEJL (Coalition on the Environment in Jewish Life) activists on a coast-to-coast conference call tonight following a joint COEJL-JCPA Israel Strategy Committee meeting today. For more information, contact mraffel@thejcpa.org or stefcoejl@aol.com.

JUST WHAT WERE THEY THINKING… JCPA member agencies are reminded that the deadline for comments on the 2000-2001 draft propositions is January 5, 2000. (See JCPA Memorandum, November 16, 1999 for details or contact hluftig@thejcpa.org for more information).

RACE STUDY WRAP-UP: Those member agencies participating in the Race, Ethnicity and Public Policy study have until December 15th to submit their final reports. Contact ksenter@thejcpa.org with questions.

INSIDER HIATUS: Avid readers of the Insider be warned! Insider will take a two-week hiatus, resuming publication on Monday, January 3rd, 2000. We'll be back next century to bring you the scoop on happenings in Washington and New York.