U.S. Report

NEW YORK (JTA) -- The U.S. Reform movement plans to ask its members to donate to charity their $300 tax rebate checks.

Congregants can decide where to send their contributions, but the Reform movement will provide them with a comprehensive list of programs under-funded by the current federal budget, including such areas as education, health care and low-income housing. The Reform movement opposed the tax rebate, saying the money should have been used for social service programs.

Fired Orthodox Jew awarded $100,000 in compensation

NEW YORK (JTA) -- A U.S. jury awarded $100,000 to a former telephone company employee who was fired months after he became a practicing Orthodox Jew.

The jury agreed Monday with Jeffrey Bander, who says a supervisor told him to shave his beard and stop wearing a yarmulke and said he couldn't work with Bander because "you people think you're better."

BellSouth, which says it will appeal, maintains Bander was fired because he failed to follow procedures for taking time off. Bander became Orthodox following the drunken-driving death of his eldest son.

Summer camp in Maine off-limits to Palestinian kids

NEW YORK (JTA) -- Because of the ongoing violence in the Middle East, no Palestinian children will be attending a camp in Maine this summer designed to promote cooperation among Israeli and Arab teenagers.

Despite the decision by the Palestinian Authority's Education Ministry, children from Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco are still slated to attend the Seeds of Peace camp. But an Israeli official said the violence could force Israel to pull its campers from the program.

White supremacist gets 3 years for defacing 2 synagogues, offices

NEW YORK (JTA) -- A U.S. white supremacist who defaced two synagogues and the offices of a Jewish congressman was sentenced to three years in prison.

California resident Alex James Curtis pleaded guilty Monday to the charges, which included placing stickers with swastikas that read, "Yabba Dabba Doo, Kill Every Jew," on the office of Rep. Bob Filner (D-Ca.).

Fate of John Demjanjuk now rests with judge's decision

NEW YORK (JTA) -- A U.S. judge is deciding whether John Demjanjuk, who is accused of being a Nazi death camp guard, should lose his U.S. citizenship.

The judge now has the non-jury case after Demjanjuk's trial ended June 7 following seven days of testimony. A decision is not expected for several weeks.

Legislation would extend sanctions against Libya and Iran

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- The Senate introduced legislation to extend sanctions against foreign companies that invest in Iran's and Libya's energy sectors, mirroring a measure that will be debated this week in the House of Representatives.

Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) said the bill, which would extend the sanctions for an additional five years as a deterrent to business with the two states, already has 75 co-sponsors.