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NEW YORK (JTA) — Sybil Milton, an American historian of the Holocaust, died Oct. 16 at 59.

The cause of death was not immediately known. Milton was vice chair of an international commission of historians that issued a report last December criticizing Switzerland's policy toward Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.

She was senior historian at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington until 1997.

House abandons bill condemning Turkey

WASHINGTON (JTA) — The House of Representatives dropped a resolution that would have blamed Turkey for a genocide of Armenians 85 years ago.

The Turkish Jewish community asked U.S. lawmakers to consider the ramifications of the resolution after Turkey, an ally of Israel and the United States, threatened trade sanctions and withdrawing military cooperation with the United States. President Clinton and U.S. Jewish groups voiced concern over the timing of the House action in the wake of Mideast unrest.

Meanwhile, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution in support of full and immediate recognition of Israel's Magen David Adom relief agency, with its emblem of a red Jewish star, by the International Red Cross movement. In addition to the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, the symbol of Muslim aid groups, and Iran's relief symbol are currently recognized.

Jewish-school degree offered by Catholics

NEW YORK (JTA) — A Chicago organization promoting Jewish day schools is partnering with a Catholic university to offer a joint master's of education and administration degree, and day-school principal certification.

The program, run by the Jewish Education Leadership Institute and Loyola University in Chicago, will start next fall. It comes at a time when day schools throughout North America face a severe shortage of qualified principals and teachers.