U.S. Report

WASHINGTON (JPS) -- A new survey commissioned by an American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee has found that a majority of Americans, while supportive of the creation of a Palestinian state, have an unfavorable perception of the Palestinian Authority and Chairman Yasser Arafat.

The survey, conducted by Zogby International , was meant to determine American attitudes toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The pollsters interviewed 1,000 likely U.S. voters.

In related news, most Americans support Israel over the Palestinians in the ongoing conflict, according to a new Gallup poll. The poll, conducted for CNN and USA Today, also found that 64 percent of respondents believe there will never be peace between the two sides.

In addition, 65 percent the United States should not play an active role in trying to end the violence.

Yeshiva students get a N.Y. subway break

NEW YORK (JTA) -- Subway officials here extended free student-pass hours until 10:30 p.m. for yeshiva students who attend classes late in the evening.

Most student passes are only good through 8:30 p.m., and some yeshiva students had been arrested for jumping subway turnstiles when their passes didn't work after late classes, according to a spokeswoman for Assemblyman Dov Hikind.

Missing frum hiker found dead in N.H.

NEW YORK (JTA) -- The body of an Orthodox Jewish businessman from Brooklyn was found dead in New Hampshire's White Mountains, where he had been hiking.

Abraham Hauer is believed to have died of a heart attack. Hundreds of Orthodox Jews from Brooklyn to Montreal had joined in the search for Hauer, who disappeared earlier this week.

Magen David Adom aided by federations

ATLANTA (JTA) -- The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta is launching a campaign to raise at least $60,000 to buy an ambulance for the Magen David Adom, Israel's version of the Red Cross.

Recently, the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston raised enough money to purchase two ambulances, according to the American Red Magen David.

A Jewish syllabus at Texas Christian?

DALLAS (JTA) -- Using almost $3 million in donations from the local Jewish community, Texas Christian University in Fort Worth has introduced a substantial Jewish studies program, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

"If you know about early Judaism, you have more tools to interpret the New Testament," one student at the Disciples of Christ-affiliated school told the newspaper. "This is very important because Jesus was a Jew."

Post editorial pages agitate the pro-Israel

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- A handful of people protested last Tuesday outside the editorial offices of the Washington Post.

The protesters accused the paper of having a pro-Israel bias and of running more op-ed pieces that were pro-Israel than pro-Palestinian.

During the last week, three prominent columnists appearing in the paper suggested that Israel escalate the conflict and use more military force against the Palestinians.

Birthright grads get more than a free trip

NEW YORK (JTA) -- Alumni of free 10-day trips to Israel are being offered two free Jewish-themed books and a year's subscription to a Jewish publication.

In a new project funded by the New York-based Avi Chai Foundation, the 22,000 young adults who have participated in Birthright Israel trips -- as well as future alumni -- will be able to choose from 170 fiction and nonfiction titles and 14 publications.

Jewish-black relations still a toss-up for many

NEW YORK (JTA) -- U.S. Jews are split over the state of relations with blacks, according to a new survey by the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding.

The survey found that 51 percent of Jews outside of New York City consider Jewish/black relations fair or poor, while 37 percent think them excellent or good. Blacks were more optimistic, with 41 percent rating relations with Jews as fair or poor and 43 percent as excellent or good.

The survey has a margin of error of 6 percent.