Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 May 2002 — Page 14

NAT 10 Mav 22. 2002

Milk, Honey & Vinegar It’s Arlene Peck! It’s time to help New York! New York!

By JUDY CARR I just received a letter from a Hadassah lady telling how American Jews are deeply committed to Israel, pray for Israel and send money to different groups and individuals. This kind of warm encouraging letter makes me believe in Israel more. Sometimes my belief slips and slides, so many things go wrong here. The government is planning a new economic program that will drive more children below the poverty line. I have already written about the hungry children in Haifa. I spoke to Danny Neuman who runs the fund for these children and he is a goahead person, working hard. The fund hunts out the children to aid through social workers. But I wonder if there are some who do not approach the social worker or if she knows the whole picture. Are some children left out?

It is not getting better. Just now a friend said we had hit bottom so the only place to go was up. I wish I could believe that. People who have a little are stretching and straining themselves to the utmost to help others. They have a lot to do with that little bit of money they give to help someone. It is wonderful to learn of Americans sending money not just to the big giant funds but to small funds and those who need. There are not so many who think of a person who cannot pay the grocery bill or who needs help with die children's schooling. It is tough and it will only get tougher. I am also cutting down, but at least I do not lack essentials. The next time you eat that steak or roast, think of a child who has forgotten what chicken tastes like. Judy Carr may be reached at FOB 6431, Tel Aviv 61 063 Israel.

At The Scene

Foundation fights drug abuse

By JUDY SALWEN As if Israel doesn't have enough on its plate, with suicide bombers and some hostile neighbors out to destroy the State, Israel has the never ending problem of drugs, particularly among the Russian and Ethiopian immigrants. Lebanon is notorious for shipping heroin across the border to Israel. In an effort to combat the situation, credit must be given to the Israel Anti-Drug Abuse Foundation (IADAF), which held a fundraiser April 23 at Le Cirque restaurant in Manhattan. Speakers included Martin Indyk, former United States ambassador to Israel, who spoke about the current situation with the Palestinians, and praised the Israelis for coming almost 100 percent together in response to callup notices. Isaac Herzog, chairman of IADAF, spoke of the stress Israeli society is under, and how drugs become even more

New York! New York! By ARLENE PECK I love New York! What a difference a few years make! When and if Rudy Giuliani runs for president, he has my

important to addicts at times like this. IADAF provides treatment, assistance, prevention, education and public information, as well as rehab day care for Israelis. Greetings were also rendered by Ambassador Alon Pinkas, consul general of Israel in New York. Marvin Lender gave the welcome address, emphasizing how Jews stand shoulder to shoulder in difficult times and how important it is to wipe out drugs in Israel. IADAF has been in existence since 1976. A major goal is to provide early intervention and save young people from a future of abuse and addiction. The message came across effectively and elegantly at the LeCirque function. Among those attending were Marion Wiesel, Helen Gurley Brown, and lADAF's president, Nizza Heyman, and vice president, Dalia Leeds.

smoking. However in the Big Apple, those people were smoking everywhere. Yet I do love their energy. Unlike Los Angeles where life consists of nonfat, yoga, and jogging. New Yorkers spend their time walking the streets. The press coverage in New York didn't seem as biased against Israel as I've seen as of late in the LA Times. However, I walked the Israel Parade where a million people came to

vote! Recently, I traveled to the "Big Apple" for the first time in years and what a difference! I scoured the city and thoroughly enjoyed my time spent there! Living in Los Angeles is great. However, everyone is in the industry and it's an early town. The streets fold up at 9:30. In NYC, I felt an energy (pre intifada) that I used to in Tel Aviv where people don't even go out until midnight. I even caught a bus to ground zero and it's everything that I had been told. You really have to be there to experience the magnitude of what those Islamic terrorists did to us on 9/11. Now, most of the rubble has been cleared away. While I was standing along the wall of names and memorabilia a hush came over the crowd. Suddenly, the effect of the constant drone of jackhammers or constructions seemed muted. There is the feeling that one has entered a place of reverence like Yad Vashem. Whatever else is happening outside is to be ignored. Every day I walked miles to and from my hotel, the Warwick. It is a lovely smaller hotel that brought back a flood of memories. I remembered my mother and I staying there when I was a child and we traveled from Atlanta. It is also located in the heart of the West Side. I not only walked all over the area, at all times of the day or night, but felt totally safe. Which for a woman traveling alone is important. Gone was the trash that I remembered and the streets were spotless. Most importantly, the edge of danger is gone. Even the New Yorkers seemed nice. Maybe the trauma they've experienced has mellowed them. Whatever the case, people couldn't have been nicer. However, I think it left them with a death threat. In California they arrest you for

that was in the room. It was filled with Evian Water, French wines, etc. I immediately contacted Raymond Slavin, who is the public relations head of the Warwick Hotel. I brought it to his attention that since the French are rampaging against the Jews in that country and burning synagogues, desecrating Jewish cemeteries and beating up school children, why is the Warwick buying their prod-

Gone was the trash that I remembered and the streets were spotless. Most importantly, the edge of danger is gone. Even the New Yorkers seemed nice. Maybe the trauma they've experienced has mellowed them. Whatever the case, people couldn't have been nicer. However, I think it left them with a death threat. In California they arrest you for smoking. However in the Big Apple, those people were smoking everywhere. Yet I do love their energy. Unlike Los Angeles where life consists of nonfat, yoga, and jogging, New Yorkers spend their time walking the streets.

support the State of Israel. 1 wasn't surprised however to see that the New York Times reported it as only "several hundred thousand." Also, they managed to place a picture smack dab on the front page showing the few Arabs who were there protesting holding a sign up that said, "Stop Israeli Occupation!" Frankly, in the middle of this lovefest for Israel while I watched the hate spewing from the couple hundred Arabs and Anti-Semites shouting to anyone who would listen to their Anti-Israel slogans, it took every bit of dignity I had not to shout back, "You sub-human animals! Where were you on 9/ 11? Dancing in the streets?!" As I reported earlier, while staying at the Barclay Hotel, I went back to The Warwick and checked the amenities in the bathroom. Again, all of the products were French. The same goes for the refrigerator

ucts? How offensive they are to me and without question still being purchased by most every hotel in the world? Mr. Slavin was very responsive and promised to personally bring my request to the higher management of The Warwick. Think of how effective it would be if all of us who travel would bring it to the attention of the hotels where we are lodging. Why does it have to be Evian? Is there no American bottled water they could buy? Frankly, I much prefer the Dead Sea products anyway. It is frustrating to be so far away from Israel during crisis. Voicing our opinion is one thing we can do to help. Arlene Peck can be reached at 3115 Ocean Front Walk, Unit 201, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 or be e-mail: [email protected]. Her website is http:// beslredhead.20m.com