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April's People

By: Gad Nashon

A surprise party has been thrown, recently for the famous Israeli - Yemenite dancer Moshe Ariel who returned to his homeland Israel after an 'exile' of thirty years in New York City. His family probably will follow. The party was organized by his niece Ofira Yaish and it's M.C. was the famous dancer-singer Ezrd Zahaui who, also, owns the Ezra Tours company located in Queens. Many celebrities attended the party - a farewell to the beloved Moshe Ariel.

Bibi, Israel's Prime Minister is the most attacked Prime Minister on the entire globe. He did not gain any special credit from the fact that he was the first one to be elected by direct election of the Prime Minister according to a new basic law. Some claim that he is much too Americanized and that we can not apply American capitalistic values to the life of Israeli society.

Arthur Kurzweil President of the Jewish Book Council announced the following: Allen Ginsberg received a special award for literary achievement. He is the most famous winner of the council's annual award for Jewish-Israeli books. Among the other winners: Evan Zimroth (Gangsters) David Horowitz and the Jerusalem Report Staff for "Shalom Friend: The life and legacy of Yitzhak Rabin", Howard Schwartz (Next Year in Jerusalem) David Gitlitz (Secrecy and Deceit : The religion of the Crypto-Jews) Neil Folberg (And I Shall Dwell Among them : Historic Synagogues) Deborah Dwork and Robert Jan Van Pelt (Auschwitz: 1270 to Present).

Mel Parnes and Edna Maayani of B'nai Zion are hosting the Exhibition of the Russian Photo Journalist Arkavy Yayud-aev this month. The exhibition takes place at the B'nai Zion House, 136 East 39th Street in Manhattan. Yagudaev lived in Moscow. He is an editor of 'Russian America'. The exhibit has two parts. A. 'I am from Russia : pictures of his former country'. Part B : life in N.Y.C. The exhibit is also documenting the life of Bukharian Jews in the Big Apple.

Two celebrities like to fly to Israel only on EL-AL : The well known novelist Anne Rice (The Witching Hour). She toured Israel in December. The second celebrity also flew with EL-AL recently on a visit in Israel : Actress Kathleen Turner. Turner is known to be a good friend of Uri Savir Israel's popular ex consul-general in N.Y.C. The story is sad EL-AL needs more and more passengers since it is losing money.

Rosina. K. Abramson was appointed as the new Women's American ORT's, National Executive Director - "Rosina Abramson will be instrumental in redoubling our organizations to foster job skills development and technical training." said Ruth S. Taffe the national president. Ms. Abramson has a superb experience as a public official she, for example, served from 1993 through 1995 as the first president of the Queens West Development Corporation.

Ms. Abramson also was a well known lawyer. Many praised her unique talents and honesty and her human touch as well. ORT has 60,000 members, 800 schools in 60 countries and a total of 252,000 students.

Phie Baum, executive general of the American Jewish Congress is the recipient of the 1996 Herman Guittman Award of B'nai Zion. Mel Parnes executive general of B'nai Zion was the M.C. of the ceremony which took place at B'nai Zion Hall. Among the many celebrities who attended were Alan Hevesi, Malcolm Hoenlein, Abe Foxman, David Harris, Ken Bialkin, Harry Steinberg, David Herman, and Edna Maaini. Mel Parnes explained : "We must encourage the Jews who dedicated their life to the Jewish establishment."

American ORT honored Lenore Janis, president of Professional Women in Construction (PWC), Philip Aarons and David Gross at the Annual Tribute Luncheon held recently at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City." Lenore Janis has served the real estate and construction industry with dedication and distinction as an advocate for women..." said the luncheon host Barbara Laskin.

The new publication, Interface, documents again the contribution of the Weizmann Institute to Israel's strength and to the world's civilization. Its pride is based also on the new generation of young scientists the new talents such as Dr. Avishai Danon, Dr. Michael Tsodyks (He immigrated to Israel from the USSR in 1985) and Dr. Roman Alon.

Elinor Carucci is here again: the young beautiful grass root Israeli artistic bold photographer exhibits her unique photos at the prestigious Ricco-Maresca Gallery (152 Wooster) until March and Carucci tends to depict her own extended family which lives in Jerusalem. She documents human relations and human situations. She exposes the truth behind the masks. And she does not ignore, of course, the erotic aspects.