*** American woman, 102, immigrates to Israel

An American Jewish woman aged 102 has taken the plunge and immigrated
to Israel, the Jerusalem Post newspaper reported Tuesday. It said
Belle Goldstein, born in New York City, was the oldest immigrant to
arrive from North America since Israel was founded almost 50 years
ago. "It was time," Goldstein's daughter Raisel, 74, was quoted as
saying. "When something has to be done, she accepts it." Goldstein,
who arrived Monday night, was born before the First Zionist Congress
in Basel launched the movement for political Zionism in 1897. The
report described Goldstein as "sound of mind and in good health." The
writer, Jerusalem Post reporter Judy Siegel, is Goldstein's great
niece.

3/31/98