west^IEWISH
Bulletin
Serving British Cohintbta since 1950
$1.00 includes GST MARCH 1,2002/17 ADAR 5762
Kosher Disney in our Travel Section/12
Party On!
Duo responds to a need in the community for singles social events/2
Dilemma in Death
Controversy over burial of non-Jewish soldier/18
Stop-gap anti-poverty plan
In the wake of budget cuts, the community takes action.
The view from the Citadel in Akko allows visitors to take in the whole city. Looking southeast from the fortress, the AI Ja22ar Mosque is seen (centre). For more on Akko, please see page 13.
Akko's secrets are unearthed
City's Crusader period plays important role in international iiistory.
EDGAR ASHER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
There was a strong, unrelenting breeze as I stood on the e.xposed roof of tlie Citadel in the heart of the Old City of Akko . (Acre). Being one of the tallest buildings in the area, it afforded incomparable views of one of Israel's most interesting and ancient cities and one of the old world's most important ports.
Many metres below me, archcologists were revealing Aldco's rich history and, in particular, the period of the Crusaders, which lasted almost 200 years. With mo was Eliczer Stem, the Israel Antiquities Authority archeologist in charge of the excavations in the Old City.
• "Prom here, you can get a global view of the city's layout," explained Stem. "Tlic city traces its history back to the Middle Bronze Age, around 2500 BCE. The Greeks and the Romans also knew the city by the name Ptole-mais, after the Idng of Egyjit, Ptolemy II, who fortified the city in the year 261 BCE. Under Roman rule, there was a significant Jewish population and it was an important fishing port due to its natural harbor. In those days, there was a saying, 'Need one bring fish toAldio?'"
Tlie Citadel, where I was stiinding, had been built in the 18th centui7 by tlie Ottomans on top of the Crusader ruins below. In 1922, at the beginning of the British Mandate in Palestine, part of the Citadel had been transfonned into a prison and many Jewish undergi-ound fighters, including Zcv Jabotinsky, were confined there. Many young men of the pre-state Haganah underground movement wei-e also
hanged there by the British. Today, part of the Citadel has been turned into a museum honoring Uie memoiy of those who fought and died in the period.
With Stem leading the way, we made our way down from the i-oof to a lower level. It was here that the Jewish prisoners were allowed to exercise. On many of the stones are carved inscriptions and simple drawings by some of the prisoners. One drawing shows a gallows with the outline of a hanging man. Was the artist a Jewish prisoner who Icnew he was going to die or was he a prisoner who was in contact with such condemned men? We shall never know.
Stem and I continued our way downwards until we reached what could be considered as ground level. The scene before us more resembled a building site than a unique arche-ological excavation. We stopped as a tractor carrying a massive steel joist was slowly manoeuvring itself along one of the narrow lanes. After it passed us. Stem described some of the logistical problems relating to the excavation of the Cmsadcr city below the Citadel.
"Sixty thousand cubic meti-es of debris have so far been removed to reveal part of the Cmsadcr site. In 1291, when the Mamalulves came and conquered the Crusader city, the buildings here were five storeys high. The Ma-malukes destroyed the city, which meant that the top two storeys collapsed into the lower storeys.... The whole of the Cmsader city was
Please SCO AKKO on page 13
PATJOHNSON REPORTER
Members of the Jewish community's Poverty Coalition met Feb. 18, hours after tlie provincial budget was brought down, and discussed nietli-ods for advocating for the poor.
The meeting was scheduled before the date of the budget was set and the contents of Finance Minister Gary Collins' speech dominated tlie evening.
About two dozen participants considered the diallenges laid out by the extensive cuts to social services and other government departments, but concluded tliat the govenunent is not going to relent and so ameliorative action at the community level is the most logical course of action.
Rabbi Philip Bregman said the Jewish community - and others -will have to pick upthe slack as tlie government withdraws from services and ho suggested a slogan for this year's annual Combined Jewish Appeal campaign: "We are the safety net."
Before effective action can be taken, tlie group agreed, Uiere must be an information-gathering process so the commujiity can know where its resources are most needed. Beyond tliat, a series of strategies was adopted at the meeting, whicli was chaired by Zena Simces, past chair of Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region, and head of the Poverty Coalition's advocacy working group.
Letters will be sent to all presidents and executive directors of organizations to determine the extent of the impact and what affected people need in terms of services.
Participants at the meeting, who represented at least 12 Jewish communal agencies and synagogues, will take the issues back to their groups to be put on the agenda at fiiture meetings of tlie various communal agencies.
The group will also present a statement to the government. Al-tliough there was little optimism in the room that such lobbying would see a reversal of the cuts, it was
deemed important tliat government representatives know that opposition exists. One person who had called a government minister's office on budget day told the meeting she had been told the phone lines were quiet Participants were urged to call their MLAs to express dismay over aspects of the cuts.
Particular areas of concern expressed by participants were services to the developmentally disabled, who make up five to eight per cent of the Jewish and general populations. Another area is intervention services by the Ministry of Children and Families.
"There's going to be more dead kids," stated participant Shanie Levin.
The meeting concluded that one of the most straightforward acts that communal agencies can do is educate the people who answer phones for the agencies where to direct people who call seeking assistance. The recommendation came after one participant in the meeting recounted how she had arrived in Vancouver several months ago, called every synagogue and community agency she could looking for accommodation while she stayed at the YWCA and received no rephes.
Lani Levine, chair of the Poverty Coalition, said making sure frontline people have good infomiation is basic and necessary. Although the Jewish Family Service Agency may be tlie most logical place for people with personal emergencies, some people who are unfainiliar with community structures may simply open tlie phone book to "J" and hope for the best ,
In the meantime, the group discussed stop-gap measures the community can take to deal with the needs of its members. One participant, a physiotherapist, said she was prepared to offer her services for free to people who were no longer eligible under Medicare. Seeking like-minded dentists and other professionals was discussed and will be considered further.
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