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Friday April 9, 1999

Jewish groups mobilize for Kosovar refugees

NEW YORK (JTA) -- Jewish organizations are taking an active role in aiding the hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the war
Agim Nesho, the Albanian ambassador to the United Nations, met this week with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee o

As of Monday, the JDC already had received about 650 donations totaling more than $78,000 -- an "unprecedented" response in such a short time, according to the JDC.

The American Jewish Committee has contributed $25,000 toward the relief effort as an initial donation.

"We cannot stand silently while a human tragedy unfolds in Kosovo," said Bruce Kramer, AJCommittee president.

Jewish leaders are showing their support for the Kosovo refugees in other ways as well.

World ORT Union officials have met with about 20 non-governmental organizations in Albania. At the meeting, a group of human-rights activists and lawyers was established to interview Kosovar refugees now in Albania in order to document human-rights violations that occurred before they fled their home province.

Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, spoke last week at an Albanian-sponsored rally opposing the Serbian policy of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.

"As Jews, we certainly understand ethnic cleansing and hate crimes," Foxman said. "And as complicated as the history is, one of the lessons of our history is not to be silent in the face of hatred."

About 300 people took part in the Albanian American Civic League-sponsored rally March 31 in front of the United Nations in New York.

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