Wednesday, September 19,1990 — THE BULLETIN — 3
jm P.R. Workshop set Sept 27 at JCC
Clues riot found ilsmashiiig of Jewis^^
J WB staff
Vancouver police remain without a clue in their investigation of the vandalism earlier this month at Mountain View cemetery, >yhich left dozens of Jewish headstones toppled and several broken or cracked.
"We have nothing, as far as. we're aware," police department spokesman Const. Bob Cooper told The Bulletin last week. "We're appeahng to the public, asking if they may have heard anyone bragging about the attack."
Cooper, who said the investigation is continuing, asked those with information to call Crime Stoppers at 669-8477 (TIPS). A reward may be available if information leads to an arrest, he hinted.
Of 173 headstones damaged by vandals at Mountain View
between the night of Sept. 4 and the morning of Sept. 5,54 were in the hedged-off Jewish section on the northwest corner of West 37th Ave. and Fraser St., a source told The Bulletin. The only cemetery in the city of Vancouver, Mountain View houses the oldest Jewish graveyard on the British Columbia mainland.
The source, who did not want to be named, believes the motive behind the attack "is definitely not anti-Semitic," noting that stones in other parts of the cemetery were also toppled. However, he suggested, "it might be cult-related."
Markers toppled ranged from that of a baby, who died at 17 days on Dec. 25,1918, to that of a woman of 87.
Cemetery superintendent Wayne Smith said last week
the gralvestones were in the process of being lifted, but that eight were chipped or broken in two. "We're trying to have the Jewish graveyard fixed up by Yom Kippur," he said.
But Alari Newall, manager of J.B. Newall Memorials Ltd., said there would not be enough time to repair the broken stones before the High Holidays.
"In most cases, the gravestones will have to be replaced. They're broken right in half, and repair is very difficuh," Newall said. "I'm going to have to talk it over with the cemetery board."
In December 1987, vandals overturned 250 headstones at Mountain View, causing $250,000 damage overall. The Jewish section was heavily marred. .
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E. Minovitz
TOPPLED GRAVESTONE at Mountain View cemetery, one of dozens in Jewish section damaged by vandals between night of Sept 4 and morning of S6pL 5.
Half-brother certain Wallenberg lives
MONTREAL — Swedish diplomat Raoui Wallenberg, credited with saving the liver of 100,000 Hungarian Jews during the Second World War, is still alive, according to his half-brother.
_Guy von Dardel, a Swedish
^professoiTsaid hrtasnorea^ son to believe Soviet reports that Wallenberg died of a heart attack at 34 in the KGB's Lubyanka prison in July 1947. "The only document the Soviets have claimed to have found is a letter by the Lubyanka prison doctor . . . It is so weak and it is based on a single document," the Globe and Mail quoted him as saying.
"I am convinced he is alive today," he told reporters, adding there is evidence Wallenberg lived long after 1947 and was reported alive in a jail near Moscow as late as November 1987.
Von Dardel, 70, was irf Montreal to, accept a certificate -acknowledging Wallenberg as an honorary Canadian citizen. Secretary of State Gerry Weiher niade-the presentation at a McGill University ceremony^
Wallenberg, the only person accorded honorary citizenship in Canada, has been given the distinction in several other countries, including the United States and IsraeL In June 1988, the House ""of Commons unanimously adopted a private member's bill recognizing hint as an honorary citizen.
Von Dardel said the^oviet
Union might see the Canadian citizenship as "a sign" that the West supports Wallenberg's cause: "I am convinced the Soviets will have to react."
After being given a formal invitation to visit the Soviet Union, von Dardel and his sis-terrNina Lagergren^came last October to Vladimir Prison, where Wallenberg was reportedly held for several years, to look for any indication of his whereabouts. Although there was not any reference to him in the prison life, von Dardel said he believes his half-brother either received or had assumed another identity while kept in the prison as late as the early 1970s.
"I am convinced that we could determine where he was held; with sufficient time and proper research," he said.
During the visit, Soviet
officials gave von Dardel and his sister a package containing Wallenberg's personal effects, including his diplomatic passport, driver's licence and personal notes.
Soviet foreign ministry spokesman Gennady Gera--simovL_jaid__WalLenberg*sL incarceration and death were a "tragic mistake" but an incontestable^fact. Von Dardel said the Soviets did not convince him, adding that Wallenberg's disappearance causes substantial embarrassment in the glasnost age.
Von Dardel said he last saw his half-brother 45 years ago, before he left for Budapest. Wallenberg,was last seen in public on Jan. 17, 1945, being driven to see the cdmmander of the Allied Soviet troops occupying Budapest following the Nazi retreat.
Israel to increase hotel rooms 28%
TORONTO
The sub-
stantial increase in tourism to Israel in 1990 is being reflected in a proposed major expansion of hotel facilities in Israel this year.
There are currently 31,400 registered and graded rooms in 295 hotels, according to Israel's tourism ministry. Plans are underway to add another 8,700 rooms, bringing the total to 40,100 — a 28 percent increase.
"The increase of tourism has necessitated the expansion of hotel rooms available, as well as the upgrade of facilities," explained Yehuda Shen,
director of the Israel Government Tourist Office in Canada. "We recognize the diversity of the travellers, and are trying to fulfill their requirements by offering both super-deluxe and popular accommodation, as well as sites and attractions for all age groups from the mature traveller to young children."
Shen added: "I am particularly pleased to see the growing involvement in North American hotel management companies,, and am certain that more of them^ will go to Israel in the very near future."
H ow to be a P. R. mayven in one easy lesson. Or everything you always wanted to know about submitting publicity.
That's the Publicity Work-_shop being offered to/the community _on Thursday, Sept. 27, 1 p.m. in Room 200 at the Jewish Community Centre. The Bulletin Staff team will be on hand to conduct the session on how to publicize your events and how to communicate effectively the kind of work and activities in which your group is involved.
Who can benefit from attending? Communal lay and professional leaders, presidents and executives, P.R. reps, secretaries and support staff. And anyone else who may be doing any kind of communicating with the media now or in the near future. —
The one-hour session — plus a question period — will delve into what's involved in writing a press release as well as the process of planning ahead for major events on organizational calendars. The know-how of doing publicity will start with the basics required to work with all print media, then move on to offer many helpful hints about successful public relations.
The P.R. Workshop is a
SAM KAPLAN
IMONA KAPLAN
DUNNER
KORBIN
MINOVITZ
joint community service project of the Jewish Community Centre and The Bulletin.
'Wit JWB editorial team involved in working with the community includes senior editors, Sam and Mona Kaplan, Barry Dunner, Ethan Minovitz and Adam Korbin.
An informal question period will close the seminar, when individual queries will be answered and any points clarified or expanded.
JWffs brand new "green sheets" will be given to all participants. Entitled "How To Be a PR. Mayven", they are designed to be a reference guide kept at hand when doing publicity.
The Bulletin is serving complimentary coffee catered by Cafe Mercaz so that those who arrange a late lunch hour to attend will be able to obtain food at the JCC coffee shop or "brown bag" it.
Girl expelled for pro-Palestinian Arab shirt
ByBENKAYFETZ
TORONTO — The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has asked a Toronto-area school board to revoke a ruling prohibiting a 10-year-old pupil from attending class in a T-shirt With a pro-Palestinian Arab slogan.
In a letter to the Scarborough School Board of Metropolitan Toronto, the CCLA said officials at Knob Hill School had "misdirected themselves" when they removed Yesmeen Musa from her classroom in June.
She was wearing a T-shirt showing a hand grasping a Palestinian Arab flag and the slogan "We Fight For Our Right," which Jewish teacb&rs found offensive. The girl was -re-admitted to the class wearing another T-shirt.
The CCLA wants the school board to apologize to Musa'spaTents-for-the "mis= treatment which was inflicted upon their little girl."
Alan Borovoy, general counsel for the CCLA, said the T-shirt "falls within sensi-
ble limits, and does not contain any racial generalities or advocate violence." The school's acting principal removed the child from the classroom after two Jewish teachers complained.
According to. Ross Boden, the school board's Superintendent of community and student services, the shirt
expressed a "political statement through symboHsm and words that advocated fighting and violence," and was therefore contrary to board policy. The Canadian Arab Federation said it would file a complaint with the Ontario H uman Rights Cbmniissibh, charging "abuse of school power." JTA
CANADA WORLD TM/EL
(1990) LTD. ANNOUNCES
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Effective for Travel Commencing OCT. l/jatp^M^^^
CaM: NEAL CHARK 3499 Cambie Street Phone 872-0355
WE WANT YOUNG IDEAS
WHICH WILL BENEFIT YOUTH IN YOUR COMMUNITY!
The British Columbia Youth Advisory Council provides funds through the Youth Grants Program to support' projects based on these ideas.
Applications are available from all Youth Council members/ MLA offices. Government AgeniS/and Job Tra ining Area Offices of the - ^ Ministry of Advanced Education, BC. Training and Technology.
For more information, contact-
British Columbia Youth Advisory Council 5th Floor, 1483 Douglas St. Victoria, British Columbia V8W3K4 Phone:387-6065
The Honourable Bruce Strachan Minister Responsible for Youth Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology