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The following is from the Jerusalem Post. The Joint Distribution Committee, which is mentioned, receives funding from the Birmingham Jewish Federation Annual Campaign.

Some 65 children, participants in a Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) summer camp northwest of Bucharest, found themselves Monday near the front line of a tragic helicopter crash that killed one Romanian and six Israeli military personnel.

Rescuers and journalists were surprised Tuesday when a car suddenly pulled up near the crash site, and out popped five camp staffers, wearing shirts with Hebrew writing and carrying two large Israeli flags Shai Orny, deputy director of the JDC operations in Romania told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that only after checking the Internet for more information on the helicopter crash did the Jewish camp director realize that Israelis had been involved.

"As soon as we heard, we got ourselves organized, making sandwiches and preparing hot Israeli coffee for the Israeli search and rescue teams," he told the Post. "We even took them Bamba and Bisli snacks that we had brought from Israel for the camp participants." The camp is located about 15 kilometers away from the crash site.

Those coming here to help "are all part of the Jewish people and it's very important for us to do what we can to help them," said Orny, highlighting that one of the JDC's goals was to provide humanitarian assistance after any tragedy and that this was another opportunity to do so.

There are afternoons at the Birmingham Jewish Federation that are pure magic. One of these occurred the other day when Birmingham businesswoman Karen Grace, a member of our Lion of Judah group who has been profiled previously in Update (see link below), came to the BJF to meet with Holocaust survivor Max Herzel.

Karen, having discovered that she had Jewish ancestors several generations ago, has been on a journey to learn more about her heritage and the traditions, triumphs and tragedies of the Jewish people. With some of her other ancestors being German, Karen has felt a particular responsibility to do all that she can to support Israel and the Jewish people as she has pondered the magnitude and horrors of the Holocaust.

What brought her to the BJF office was a desire to meet with one of our local Holocaust survivors, so she could understand the tragedy through the recollections of someone who survived this dark area, and take from that encounter information and further motivation to educate others.

PERFECT MATCH

Max was a perfect match for Karen. His story and the Holocaust saga that he and his family endured (see below link) deepened Karen's understanding, and their warm conversational styles made for a great exchange between the two of them.

They talked about struggle, determination, fate and overcoming bitterness and anger, as Karen was deeply moved. More and more she has become interested in the welfare of the Jewish people and over the past few years has generously supported the BJF Campaign. It was noted during the meeting, in fact, that it was money raised by the Jewish Federation movement that helped Jews before, during and after the Holocaust.

The meeting was arranged by Daniel Odrezin, a second year law student interning at the Birmingham Jewish Federation. In addition to Daniel, BJF Executive Director Richard Friedman and Associate Executive Director Joyce Spielberger participated.

Karen was deeply moved by Max's ordeal and he, in turn, was touched by Karen's odyssey. Knowing that the BJF was a vehicle for bringing these two unique people together was extremely gratifying; watching them interact was a privilege; and witnessing them form a friendship was uplifting -- and one more reminder of the countless lives touched and enriched by the BJF everyday in so many ways.

Click for more on Karen Grace.

Click for more on Max Herzel.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has criticized filmmaker Oliver Stone (pictured here) for comments he made to The Sunday Times of London that the group considers anti-Semitic.

"Oliver Stone has once again shown his conspiratorial colors with his comments about 'Jewish domination of the media' and control over US foreign policy. His words conjure up some of the most stereotypical and conspiratorial notions of undue Jewish power and influence," Abraham H. Foxman, the ADL national director, said in a statement. "This is the most absurd kind of analysis and shows the extent to which Oliver Stone is willing to propound his anti-Semitic and conspiratorial views."

The 63-year-old Oscar-winning director of "Platoon" and "Born on the Fourth of July" has issued an apology. "In trying to make a broader historical point about the range of atrocities the Germans committed against many people, I made a clumsy association about the Holocaust, for which I am sorry and I regret. Jews obviously do not control media or any other industry. The fact that the Holocaust is still a very important, vivid and current matter today is, in fact, a great credit to the very hard work of a broad coalition of people committed to the remembrance of this atrocity -- and it was an atrocity."

During an interview for a new documentary, the British newspaper asked him why there was such a focus on the Holocaust in Hollywood. Stone pointed to "the Jewish domination of the media. They stay on top of every comment, the most powerful lobby in Washington. Israel has f----- up United States foreign policy for years."

Earlier this year, Stone caused controversy for calling Adolf Hitler an "easy scapegoat" at a television critics conference.

Above is from TV Guide. The Anti-Defamation League, which monitors and combats anti-Semitism, is one of 32 agencies funded by dollars raised through the Birmingham Jewish Federation Annual Campaign.

email: update@bjf.org

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