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News Briefs Drug abuse worse behind bars NEW YORK (JTA)—Drug abuse in Israeli prisons is at a higher proportion than in the general population, according to Raphael Suissa, commissioner of Israel Prison Services. About 1,200 of some 9,000 inmates are using drugs, he said. Of the 9,000 inmates, 3,000 are Arab terrorists, and 6,000 are Israelis, 1,000 of whom are Israeli Arabs. Most of the prisoners involved with drugs are non-terrorists and Israeli Arabs between the ages of 17 to 25, Suissa said. The terrorists are too disciplined and organized to get addicted to drugs, he added. About 89 percent of the criminals involved with drugs are from Sephardic families, according to Suissa. France supports Palestinians PARIS (JTA)—Foreign Minister Jean-Bernard Raimond re stated that his government “firmly supports the right of the Pales tinians to self-determination” during a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia this week. His remarks were reported by the French press on his arrival Sunday in Jeddah. On Monday, he held talks with Prince Faisal during which he delivered a message from French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac to King Fahd before returning home. News reports said his talks with the prince focused on the Persian Gulf war, the Palestinian ques tion and bilateral cooperation. Help for dying refusniks urged BOSTON (JTA)—One-hundred-and-one cancer specialists have signed letters to President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev urging that five refusniks, dying of cancer, be given permission to leave the Soviet Union to secure treatment and join their families in the West. Kollek raps spending policy JERUSALEM (JTA)—Mayor Teddy Kollek charged that the government was allocating more funds for education in the Jewish settlements in Judaea and Samaria than it was willing to give schools in Jerusalem. Some 107,000 Jewish children will go to school this year, an increase of four percent. Kollek noted that the education system in Jerusalem was especially complicated because of the large number of new neighborhoods with heterogeneous populations. El Al eyes routes to S. Africa TEL AVIV (JTA)—El Al is checking alternate routes for its South African service in the event that certain unnamed African countries, over which the Israeli airline flies on its route from Tel Aviv to Johannesburg, forbid El Al flights through its airspace, Transportation Minister Haim Corfu said. France may pull out of UNIFIL PARIS (JTA)—Prime Minister Jacques Chirac has issued a new warning that France will pull its soldiers out of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) unless new guaran tees for their safety are given by the United Nations. Chirac urged the U.N. to “redefine the objective of its forces in the Middle East. Should this not be done, it would be absurd to maintain troops there under current conditions, whatever their nationality, particularly those from France.” Honor sought for unsung hero WASHINGTON (JTA)—Seventy members of Congress have sent a letter to President Mario Soares of Portugal asking his government to posthumously honor a Portuguese diplomat who saved some 30,000 Jews and others during World War II. Aristides de Sousa Mendes do Amaral e Abranches headed the Portuguese Consulate in Bordeaux in the south of France in 1940 where Jews and others fled in the wake of the Nazi invasion of France. As the Germans approached the city, thousands lined up in front of the Portuguese Consulate seeking Portuguese visas for the only open escape route, over the Pyrenees into Spain and into neutral Portugal. Working around the clock for three days, de Sousa Mendes gave visas to Jews and others fleeing Nazism despite orders from the military government of Antonio de Olivera Salazar not to do so. When Lisbon learned what de Sousa Mendes was doing, he was recalled and ousted from the diplomatic corps. He was forbidden to practice his profession of law or hold any other job and died in poverty in 1954. Most of his 14 children had to leave Portugal. Ombudsman Program can help Editor: I read with interest your recent column on theft in nursing homes. It is a concern which previously prompted our office to write an article on the subject in our Om budsman Newsletter. In hopes of dealing with the problem it is important for the Metropolitan Atlanta community to become more familiar with the Ombudsman Program. The prim ary responsibility of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is to protect the rights of nursing home and personal care home residents by investigating and resolving problems and grievances related to the services provided by the facility. Investigation of items lost or stolen are included in the myriad of problems we handle. Ombudsman also deal with problems related to residents’ rights and concerns about the care of treatment provided in areas such as admissions, health services, drugs, food, patient funds, transfer and discharge. In addi tion, we are available to answer people’s questions relevant to all aspects ot long-term care. This includes providing information on residential resources available in the community. All our services are provided free of charge. Any inquiring party or complainant has the right to complete confidentiality. We can be contacted at (404) 586-9800. The staff of the Ombudsman’s office are available to discuss any questions concerning long-term care. Roy Herzbctch, Program coordinator Waldheim called two-faced liar Editor: I read with deep concern the let ter of Walter H. Bunzl in reply to your article of Aug. 1, in regard to (Kurt) Waldheim. Mr. Bunzl chooses to overlook the fact that Waldheim is a two- faced liar. His and his opponent’s service in the Wehrmacht were inevitable circumstances dictated by the war. No one in his right mind condemns either man for it. Waldheim lied about specific situations by denying irrefutable evidence that he was there when he said he wasn’t. It is an insult to the American people to equate Austrian anti- Semitism with American anti-Sem itism as stated by Mr. Bunzl. Knowing the sentiment of the Austrian people, it is my consi dered opinion that, had it been proven that Waldheim participated in war crimes, they would have given him, in all likelihood, a 75 percent or even better plurality. Fred Kaunitz Kids enjoy Camp Barney experience Editor: Being new to Atlanta, this past summer was my children’s first opportunity to attend Camp Bar ney Medintz. My son Geoff (16) was an SIT (staff-in-training) and my daughter Wendy (13) was a camper. Both my children feel this was the best summer camp and expe rience they have ever had. Thank you, Larry Melnick and the entire Camp Barney staff!!! Ruth Melkonian Help for terminally ill by Ben Gallob JTA Formation of a National Jewish Hospice Task Force to seek action on sorely needed hospice programs for the Jewish terminally ill and their families has been announced by the Synagogue Council of Amer ica. The SCA represents the con gregational and rabbinic agencies of Orthodox, Conservative and Re form Judaism. Martin Bareli, chairman of the SCA board of governors, in an nouncing the Task Force, said it would work with Conservative, Or thodox and Reform congregations, as well as with Jewish Federations, to facilitate their involvement in hospice programs. He said that of the 1,800 hospice programs in the United States, only 15 are under Jewish auspices. Bareli said the Task Force will work with synagogues to identity and produce volunteer care givers to be trained by hospices to give service to Jewish terminally ill per sons and their families. He said the Task Force would also offer guidance to existing hospices, generally now under Christian or secular auspices, seek ing information about the needs of their Jewish clients. The Task Force will also serve as a resource center for synagogues and Federations seeking information, and will mon itor existing hospice activities and collect data. Bareli said the Task Force plans to publish a newsletter to keep Jewish communities informed of progress and problems, and work with the the National Hospice Or ganization (NHO) and Childrens Hospice International (CHI) to strengthen the role of Jewish or ganizations in those nationwide activities. Rabbi Henry Michelman, SCA executive vice president, noted with satisfication the proliferation of Jewish Hospice activities stimulated, he said, by the SCA’s first National Hospice for the Jewish Commun ity in 1984. He said the conference was at tended by 250 representatives from 22 states. He added that “numer ous requests for information and guidance have come in from all over the United States.” Michel man reported that the Good Shep herd Hospice in Boston, the first Jewish Hospice in Manhattan at the Beth Israel Medical Center, and the Jewish Outreach and Sup port for Hospice Organization of Denver were among the organiza tions which sought guidance from the SCA. He said an “outstanding exam ple” of the impact of the first SCA conference was a recent conference in Philadelphia, which brought to gether area rabbis, social workers, Jewish communal leaders and non- Jewish Hospice professionals, all seeking a better understanding “of hospice from the Jewish point of view.” Michelman said the SCA plans a second national conference in the spring of 1987, declaring that the first conclave “was designed to stimulate interest, raise conscious ness in the Jewish community, and clarify that the principle of Hos pice is compatible with Judaism.” Michelman declared that “our mission was successful, judging by the number of organizations that are now concerned about the needs of the Jewish terminally ill. Our second conference will bring to gether the organizations which are now addressing Jewish Hospice, so that information on current devel opments can be shared and activi ties coordinated. Michelman declared that “our mission was successful, judging by the number of organizations that are now concerned about the needs of the Jewish terminally ill. Our second conference will bring to gether the organizations which are now addressing Jewish Hospice, so that information on current devel opments can be shared and activi ties coordinated.” He explained that Hospice is a procedure which seeks to prolong the living rather than the dying of the terminally ill person. When cure is not possible, providing care and comfort can be just as signifi cant a contribution to the patient, he said. Attending to the patient’s emo tional, social and spiritual needs, along with his medical needs, is compatible with the Jewish con cern for human life, Michelman said, adding that “our mission is to address the need and to identify strategies for implementing hospi ces under Jewish auspices and to develop the role of the synagogue community in these efforts.” PAGE 5 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE September 5, 1986