In Ladispoli
Volunteers Ease Anxiety Of Transmigrants
For some Jewish families,
the long but happy journey out
of Eastern Europe to Western
freedom often includes a long
and frustrating delay en route.
Ladispoli, a suburb of Rome,
Italy, has become in recent
years a major transit point for
Eastern European
transmigrants.
For these people Ladispoli is
a name that evokes a mixture
of bitter-sweet emotions. It is
their gateway to new life, but
it is also a point at which they
part with their old life and live
with uncertainty about their
future.
Ralph Goldman, Executive
Vice President of AJJDC,
points out the significance of
this interim step in the
transmigrants move
westward:
"It takes between two to
four months to process the
transmigrants from the day
they arrive to the time they
complete their immigration
process and are able to
relocate in the United States.
This is a very serious problem,
not only economically, but
culturally. They need spiritual
support during this difficult
time in their lives, and JDC is
offering this support."
There is a great deal of anx-
iety and tension in the life of a
transmigrant, caused by the
many questions he cannot
answer: When will he relocate?
And where? How will he learn
a new language? What will
happen to his professional
skills in the new country? Will
he be able to adapt to a new
and unfamiliar culture?
The American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee pro-
vides care and support to the
transmigrants in Ladispoli,
consisting of medical and
social services, Jewish educa-
tion and cultural and religious
activities. Despite these
Jewish communal efforts and
the moral support of their
brethren, time weighs heavily
on the transmigrant: the
longer the wait, the deeper the
frustration.
To help ease some of the ten-
sions generated by these very
real questions, JDC provides a
comprehensive cultural sup-
port program to the
transmigrants. They can use
the in study time in Ladispoli
to learn English as well as
Jewish values which they may
not have been able to express
for years, perhaps for genera-
tions. JDC has established
clubs to ease the long stay,
providing leisure-time ac-
tivities and informal courses.
During the last six months,
there has been a dramatic in-
crease in the number of people
assisted by this program.
While only 550 people were
helped in Ladispoli in 1986, the
projected number for 1987 is
more than 6,000! As Heinz Ep-
pler, President of AJJDC, has
stated:
"We have intensified our ac-
tivities, helped to find housing,
met medical needs and arrang-
ed for schooling; costs are
high, but we cannot foresake
these Jewish families in
transit."
The work of volunteers can
be very valuable in supplemen-
ting the efforts of JDC person-
nel in Ladispoli. To this end,
JDC has adopted a volunteer
program, The Jewish Service
Corps, that invites profes-
sionals from abroad to work
alongside JDC Staff.
Two of the American
volunteers that arrived in
Rome this month are David
and Naomi Greenberg, a cou-
ple from West Hempstead,
New York. Naomi Greenberg
is a professor of occupational
therapy at LaGuardia College,
who earned her doctorate from
Columbia Pacific University
and has more than 30 years ex-
perience in her field. Her hus-
band, David, is an educator
who received his Master's
degree in education from CW
Post College. He has a
background in computer
science and in school ad-
ministration and has
developed an innovative com-
puter program to assist school
counselors.
Says Naomi Greenberg:
"We can't believe it's been just
a little over a week since we've
arrived and we've already ac-
complished so much. We've
already set up a day camp,
hired volunteer teenage
counselors, organized a special
Shabbat, reviewed the library
holdings, selected games for
the camp, and planned an
American night schedule for
Wednesdays for adults."
Adds David Greenberg:
"We're exhausted but very en-
thusiastic: Everyone is
cooperative and committed
and there is a tremendous
need for our service. We feel
we are doing a significant
Friday, September 18, 1987/The Jewish Floridian of Tampa Page 7-b
humanitarian work done
there. They will develop a
school program for children of
ages three to fifteen, will help
adults prepare to search for
employment in the United
States, and will assist in a
variety of other cultural
programs.
The American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee
welcomes applications from
skilled volunteers who are will-
ing to serve abroad for a
period of at least six months.
job."
In Ladispoli, the Greenbergs
will join the staff of JDC for a
seven-month period of service
and will contribute to the in-
tensive social and
U.S. Closes PLO Office
WASHINGTON, D.C. The Palestine Liberation
Organization's office here has been ordered closed by the
United States State Department, climaxing a long and dif-
ficult campaign to end its activities on behalf of the PLO
and other anti-Israel causes. The order becomes effective
within 30 days of this week's directive.
James E. Nolan, director of the State Department's Of-
fice of Foreign Missions, notified the Palestine Information
Office of the Presidential directive authorizing the expul-
sion. His letter to Hassan Abdul Rahman termed the
Washington office "a foreign mission representing the
PLO."
In a State Department briefing, spokesman Charles E.
Redman said the order will not include the PLO observer
mission at the United Nations.
He said the United States is "particularly disturbed by
the PLO's ongoing links to terrorism, incuding membership
on the PLO executive committee of Mohammed Abas." He
is said to be prime mover in the 1985 hijacking of thelltalian
cruise ship Achille Lauro. The murder of an America Jew
during the seizure has been traced to Abbas by U.S. and
Israeli intelligence services.
Redman also cited contacts between the PLO and
master terrorist Sabry al-Banna, better known as Abu
Nidal, and the participation by Syrian-backed factions of
the PLO in ongoing terrorism.
The Administration's decisive action came as a bill in
the Congress sponsored by leading Republican urged the
PLO ouster. The American Israel Public Affairs Commis-
sion and the American Zionist Federation have spearhead-
ed efforts to close down the offices both here and at the
UN.
AP/Wide Work* Photo
Mordechai Vanunu, Si, had
his trial for aMeged treason
and espionage indefinitely
postponed when Israeli Judge
Zvi Tal suffered a heart attack.
The jurist, member of a three-
man panel also hearing the
trial of accused Nazi war
criminal John Demjanjuk, is
recovering at Shaare Zedek
Hospital in Jerusalem.
Vanunu was being tried behind
closed doors.
vrfyvx**.
Best Wishes for the
New Year from
WNN (@PiXlE