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Newsletter : 8fax1229.txt
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>Israel Faxx
>JN Dec. 29, 1998, Vol.6, No. 228
Mazal Tov on Number 18
By IsraelWire
Rivka Gabai, 43, has given birth to her 18th child. She told
reporters that she will continue to bring children into the
world as long as she is physically able to do so, explaining that
each child was a world of its own and a true joy. When asked how
she copes with the 11 girls and 7 boys, she explained that each
child has his or her own chore in the home and from her part, the
grandmother explained she has forgotten how to clean a floor or do
laundry, explaining the children love to help around the home.
Group Wants Religious Circumcisions Outlawed
By IsraelWire
The High Court of Justice has issued a three-month postponement in
the petition of the non-profit organization calling for an end to
ritual circumcision in Israel, or at the very least calling for
legislation that bars anyone other than a physician from performing
them.
The delay was granted to permit the state adequate time to
formulate criteria governing circumcision and submit it to the
court no later than the end of March.
The "Organization Against Cutting the Sex Organ of Male Infants"
has filed its petition against the minister of health, minister of
religious affairs and the state attorney general.
The petition, filed by attorney Rafi Balustein, maintains among
other things that the circumcision violates the fundamental rights
of an infant, and constitutes a violation of the penal code for an
act committed against a defenseless infant.
The state maintains that the circumcision is not deemed a "medical
procedure" but a "religious ritual". The state also maintained that
it was unacceptable that such a widely accepted religious practice
would be deemed illegal in the Jewish State.
Nine Banks Sued for Holocaust Assets
By Breck Ardery (VOA-New York)
A lawsuit has been filed in New York federal court to recover assets allegedly seized from Nazi Holocaust victims by two American and seven French banks.
The suit claims that Chase Manhattan, J.P. Morgan and seven banks
in France withheld the deposits and other assets of Jewish
customers in France during World War 2. During the Nazi occupation
of France, the suit alleges, the banks seized the cash deposits and
the contents of safety deposit boxes from their customers and never
returned them.
Kenneth McCallion, the lawyer who filed the suit, says the failure by
the banks to release assets prevented some Jews from fleeing
France and probably led to their deaths.
"Unfortunately that is quite likely because the families that
were able to flee France during that time were usually those who
had at least some financial means to do what was necessary to get
across the borders. Many of the families that were stripped of
their personal and bank assets were extremely vulnerable to the
roundups which took place in Paris and elsewhere. Indeed there
were some concentration camps in France where about 3,000
Jews died.
McCallion says he has not yet put a dollar value on the lawsuit
because he is still researching how much money and property was
involved.
In a statement, the Chase Manhattan bank says it is disappointed by
the lawsuit because it has already been in discussion with the
World Jewish Congress to settle such claims. McCallion says he
would applaud efforts by Chase to reach a settlement. In fact,
the attorney is hoping the case involving the nine banks can be
settled without the necessity of a trial.
He points to the $3.6 million restitution of Jewish assets by the
Barclays Bank of Britain earlier this month and the $1.2 billion
dollar settlement by Swiss banks in August as examples of how the
case could be resolved.
Doctor May Have Hired Thugs to Cause His Wife to Miscarry
By IsraelWire
Dimona police have arrested a Beersheva physician on suspicion of
organizing an attack upon his wife with the intent of causing her
to miscarry, because he opposed her pregnancy.
Last Friday night the man suggested to his six-month pregnant wife
that they go out to a coffeehouse. As they drove towards Dimona two
cars passed their car and caused them to pull over.
Several assailants jumped out of the cars, dragged the woman from
her car, and began beating her. The husband fled the scene. The
woman heard the assailants saying, "Hit her in the stomach, hard in
the stomach."
The woman was left lying, bleeding, on the road. She crawled to a
nearby Bedouin encampment, and the Bedouin rushed her to Soroka
Hospital in serious condition. Doctors operated on the woman,
saving her life, but were unable to save her unborn child. Her
condition is serious, but stable. When the police investigated the
incident, and heard from the woman that her husband opposed the
pregnancy, they suspected his involvement. The husband has been
arrested for conspiracy to commit a crime.
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