World Report

PARIS (JTA) -- France's minister of education appointed a commission of historians to examine the influence of Holocaust-denying professors at the University of Lyon III.

The move by Jack Lang was prompted by a campaign waged by the Union of Jewish Students of France and other student organizations to publicize the Holocaust-denial research of a group of scholars with strong ties to extreme right groups.

The students also want some recent doctoral theses that sought to minimize the Holocaust to be nullified.

The commission, which is headed by a leading historian of wartime France, Henry Rousso, plans to render its judgment by April.

The students hope the commission's conclusions will play a role in the selection of the next university president in July 2002.

The current president, Gilles Guyot, has defended the scholars and theses in question, and has threatened legal action against the students.

Canadian bookseller yanking 'Mein Kampf'

TORONTO (JTA) -- The largest book retailer in Canada has pulled Hitler's "Mein Kampf." Indigo Books banished what it called the "hate literature" from its store shelves and from the chain's Web site.

The move came after Indigo CEO Heather Reisman said she was appalled to find a copy of the book prominently displayed in one of the chain's stores. Indigo also operates stores under the names Chapters, Cole's, SmithBooks and World's Biggest Bookstore.

Ukranian Jews combat messianic proselytizing

MOSCOW (JTA) -- Ukrainian Jews formed an anti-missionary organization. Dozens of rabbis from across the country joined other Jewish leaders to form the Magen League last week in Kiev.

One of the group's first resolutions warned that Jews "who systematically participate" in events organized by "messianic Jews" such as Jews for Jesus would be denied any help from Ukrainian Jewish communities. The group also called on the Israeli Embassy in Kiev to deny these people the right to make aliyah to Israel. Russian Jewish leaders formed a similar group in May.