Senate Body Bars Check on Aid to Egypt WASHINGTON, (JTA)—The Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted an amendment eliminating from the foreign aid bill the Keating-Halpern amend- ment which would deny aid to countries like Egypt which use their own funds Kennedy's Move to Amend Vicious immigration Law Editorial Page 4 Vol. XLI I I, No. 23 to buy Soviet arms. The committee also eliminated a policy statement calling for freedom of navigation in international waterways, and the right of Americans of Jewish faith to travel and do business in Arab countries. - THE JEWISH NEWS Fe c) -r A Weekly Review NA Q1-4 of Jewish Events Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper—Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle Printed in a 100% Union Shop 17100 W. 7 Mile Rd. — VE 8-9364 — Detroit 35, Aug. 2, 1963 Better Climate Emerges With Time in Human Relations Commentary Page 2 $6.00 Per Year; Single Copy 20c Washington Wants Israel, Egypt Support of Atom Ban as 'Policy' Fulbright Questions Motives of Jewish Agencies in U.S., Says Israel Too Rich for Aid Heads of national Jewish organizations and Zion- ist leaders are showing concern over the apparent an- tagonistic attitude of Senator J. W. Fulbright of Arkan- sas, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Com- mittee, who insists upon probing the status not only of the American Zionist Council, but also of the activities of the Jewish Ap- peal and other Jewish overseas relief movements. It is believed that pres- sures from the American Council for Judaism are primarily responsible for the evident antagonism. Sen. Ful- bright's attitude has aroused concern also among other Senators who are friendly to Israel and who disapprove of the extreme position taken by Ful bright. Senator Fulbright, who already : Fulbright has questioned a number of Jewish Agency leaders, planned to summon the heads of the Agency for a hearing at an open session of his commit- tee. The relationship between the Jewish Agency and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency was explored by Ful- bright during his questioning of Jewish Agency repre- sentatives as part of his committee's study of non-dip- lomatic activities of representatives of foreign govern- ments. The transcript of the executive hearing held May 23 was issued here on Wednesday. Gottlieb Hammer, who was executive director of the Jewish agency until 1960, told Fulbright how the Jewish Agency had become involved in the JTA situ- ation. He referred to the JTA's financial difficulties in 1950 and declared: "The Jewish Agency stepped into the picture in order to preserve the existence of a news agency which specialized in the dissemination of Jewish news of par- ticular interest to communities in the United States and Continued on Page. 5 WASHINGTON, (JTA) — State Department sources said that Israel and Egypt have been urged to subscribe to the American-British-Soviet ban on nuclear weapons testing as part of the overall policy of the United States, and not because the nuclear potential of the two countries is being taken seriously. There is no current evidence to justify either Israeli or Egyptian fears of nuclear attack from the other, it was stressed. It was emphasized that, in the official American view, neither of the two countries is within sight of nu- clear arms capability, although the United States desires abandonment of any such objectives in the Middle East. (Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser announced in Cairo that his gov- ernment would adhere to the nuclear test ban treaty initialed in Moscow last week by the U.S., Britain and the Soviet Union. At the same time, it was reported in London that Egypt is now operating at least one plant full tim€ producing poison gas.) * * * (Direct JTA Teletype Wire to The Jewish News) JERUSALEM—The Israel government officially announced Wednesday its decision to join the nuclear test ban treaty which was initialed in Moscow last week by the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union. Israel's adherence to the nuclear pact, which was expected to be voted at the cabinet meeting next Sunday, was understood here Wednes- day to have been unanimously approved during inter-ministerial contacts between Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, Foreign Minister Golda Meir and the members of the cabnet. The decision was conveyed to the ambassadors in. Tel Aviv of the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union who were invited by Mrs. Meir to the Foreign Ministry at noon Wednesday. The Israeli decision to join in the pact is in accordance with the third article of the treaty which permits accession at any time by other countries. The offical government announcement stated: "The Government of Israel welcomes the tripartite treaty initialed in Moscow on July 25 banning nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere, outer space and the under the sea. Israel has consistently supported in the past all efforts to ban nuclear tests. The Government of Israel regards this agreement , as an important step towards the relaxation of international ten- sions and expresses the hope that it will be followed by further concrete measures for the attainment of complete and general disarmament. The Government of Israel announces its intent to sign the treaty when it is open for signature." Prime Minister Levi Eshkol meanwhile welcomed the three-power nu- clear agreement as a "positive step towards the relaxation of international prob- lems." Addressing a conference here of an Israel Bond Leadership group from Chicago, Eshkol also expressed hope that the resultant change. of atmosphere would bring about improvement in the situation of Soviet Jewry, and that Rus- Kennedy Tells JWV He May Consider Intervention with Soviet to Relieve USSR Pressures on Jews WASHINGTON, (JTA)—President Kennedy indicated that he may consider friendly intervention with the Soviet authorities to relieve pressures on Jews in the Soviet Union. He also indicated that he was observing the Egyptian rocket build-up, with an appreciation of Israel's concern. The President expressed his sentiments to National Commander Morton London, of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States, who was received in the White House. Citing the prospect of a thaw in American-Soviet relations, London told the President that the time might be ripe for Presidential intercession with Soviet leaders on behalf of Russian Jews. London cited a recent State Department letter to the JWV, containing evidence of the increasing persecution of Jews in Russia. President Kennedy made it appar- ent that he would give the Russian Jewish situation further thought, and that he was concerned. In his half-hour meeting with the President, London also cited aspects of the Egyptian military build-up, and contended that the State Department may not have properly evaluated developments. Mr. Kennedy then revealed that he was following the situation very closely. His response was attentive, sympathetic, and encourag- ing, said London. The JWV commander commended the President on his liberal immigration proposals to phase out the national origins quota system. The President appre- ciated the support of the Jewish community on immigration reform and on his civil rights program. London told Kennedy that the JWV would try to help implement integration by participating actively in local bi-racial committees and on the legislative front. London was accompanied by Felix Putterman, JWV national legislative director. Continued on Page 3 Moscow and Israel Chief Rabbis in Dispute Over Right to Supply Prayerbooks to Soviet Union Jewry JERUSALEM, (JTA)—A protest by Moscow's Chief Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levin to the Israel Embassy in the Soviet capital against alleged distribution by Embassy staff members of Hebrew prayerbooks and prayer shawls to Moscow Jews was received here and it evoked immediate reaction on the part of Israel's Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Nissim. The Israeli Chief Rabbi categorically rejected the allegations contained in the protest of the Moscow rabbi that the Israel Embassy had "disturbed" the peace of the Jewish community in Moscow by distributing religious articles in the synagogue there. In his letter of reply to the Moscow rabbi, the Chief Rabbi of Israel expressed "regret and deep hurt" over the fact that religious leaders of the Moscow Jewish community protested to the Israeli Embassy. "Even if the Embassy officials did provide the members of the synagogue in Moscow with religious articles, how could this be regarded as a disturbance?," Chief Rabbi Nissim argued in his letter. Pointing out that it is generally known that there is a great shortage in the Soviet Union of prayerbooks, prayer shawls, mezuzoth and other Jewish religious articles, Rabbi Nissim expressed hope that "by Divine intervention, all barriers to our Soviet brethren in obtaining needed' religious articles will be lifted." He added that "if Israel Embassy officials did alleviate the dire shortage of such articles, they should be blessed rather than censured." Rabbi Levin's protest had been sent in his name and in the name of the elders of the Central Synagogue in Moscow. They urged the Israeli Embassy to halt the distribution of the religious articles, saying they were not needed by the congre- gation, and asking the Embassy to desist from such further gifts. The letter charged the Embassy with abusing the hospitality of the Moscow synagogue by "sowing confusion and bitterness" among the worshipers. Until the Embassy officials appeared on the scene, the letter stated, synagogue prayers were carried out in joy and holy splendor.