Nikita S. Khrushchev has said that the Jews of the Soviet Union have isolated themselves and do not like collective work or discipline. However, several examples of Jews in high-rank- ing positions have been brought to light. Khrushchev could not think of any Jews in the building indus- try, but one of the best known Soviet bridge builders is the Jew Isaac Barenboim. Born in 1910, he was unable to receive any formal education until his teens, because of the untimely death of his father. After learning plumbing in a factory trade school, he was chosen to study at the Odessa engineering school and grad- uated with a degree in road and bridge building. He was a major during the war, and when the Red 'Army liberated Kiev and forced the Dnieper, Barenboim achieved the impossible: In three weeks he built a railway bridge across the mighty river, so insuring sorely needed supplies for the great Soviet offensive which lib- erated the rest of the Ukraine. His innovations speeded the economic reconstruction of the country. In 1957, he represented the Soviet Union at the San Fran- cisco conference of experts in prestressed ferroconcrete con- struction. Another "legendary" Jewish worker in the Soviet Union is Vera Abramova Rivkina, "the Mistress of the Copper Moun- tains." In 1941 she was evacuated to the Urals from Moscow. Being a geologist, she never left the mineral-rich area, but has spent the last 22 years in the Northern Urals in charge of geological expeditions. She still takes part in field work, often covering a couple of hundred miles on horseback in summer and on skis in win- ter through the mountains of the rugged country. Yosi Zeltser, chief foreman of the Nizhny Tagil Metallur- gical Combine, is known to everyone as Poltora Yevreya — "One-and-a-half-Jew" — because of his height and strength. Born of a poverty-struck home in Bessarabia, his father died at 52, leaving five small children. Zeltser served in the Red Army and was wounded twice. After his release, he went back to - the Urals, where after years of work and study he reached his present position of authority. This year, the Soviet Union WWI will complete one of the high- est roads in the world. Link- ing Frunze and Osh by cross- ing the Tienshan range, it will provide a communication link essential for the further eco- nomic development of Kirghi- zia. This highway in the clouds is often well over 10,000 feet above sea level. In charge of the tunneling work is Emil Gur- Arye, one of the builders of the Moscow Underground and the GUM store in Red Square. Responsible for the machin- ery used in the construction of the 400-mile-long highway is Samuel Pevsner, another Jew, who, from the poverty and ig- norance of a Ukrainian child- hood, has risen through a dis- tinguished military career to his present position. Numerous other examples could be cited in direct opposi- tion to Khrushchev's Jewish statement. The Jews of the So- viet Union have, and are, con- tributing greatly to the develop- ment of that country. War Wi w th itn srael Imminent, Paper Quotes Nasser LONDON, (JTA) — Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser believes that war with Israel is "imminent," according to Al Ahram, a leading Cairo news- paper. Al Ahram printed an inter- view Nasser had given to a cor- respondent for the Indian left- wing newspaper, Blitz, in which the Egyptian president was quoted as saying: "There is no escaping another war in Pales- tine. I expect it at any mo- ment." Nasser warned against inter- vention in an Arab-Israeli war by the Western powers, saying: "It is necessary to realize that, if the Western allies of Israel threaten the Arabs with action or sanctions, as they did dur- ing the Suez affair in 1956, we can cut off supplies from hostile nations, nationalize their oil refineries and installations, and even take over the oil wells. We could also halt their rights of aviation over flights and, thus, cut A f r i c a off from Europe." Thant Refuses Stand on Waters Issue Mapam to Eye Invitation to Join Cabinet JERUSALEM (JTA) — The leftist Mapam party announced that a decision about accepting Prime Minister Levi Eshkol's invitation to join the govern- ment coalition would be made Feb. 21, when the party's coun- cil is scheduled to meet. Tension was reported be- tween Mapai and the National Religious party, which is insist- ing that its approval of the broadening of the coalition to include Mapam would be con- ditional on the cancelation of plans by the Zim-Israel Navi- gation Co. to include a non- kosher as well as a kosher kitchen on its new liner, the S.S. Shalom. The Religious party reiter- ated that one kitchen, a ko- sher one, on the S.S. Shalom was its condition for any changes in the present coali- tion government. Religious party officials said that the deadlock over the kosher kitchen might lead to a coalition crisis since the reli- gious wing in the cabinet was thinking about quitting the gov- ernment on the issue. Haim Shapiro, Religious party leader, said that the proposed two-kitchen arrangement for the Shalom, which is schedul- Mordechai Magali, an Israeli ed to make its maiden voyage track coach, is now in the in April, was a violation of the U.S.A. for an international religious status agreed to by the present coalition and, un- coach's course. UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. (JTA) — Secretary Gen. U Thant refused to take a position regarding a possible Arab- Israeli dispute in the United Nations around the problem of Israel's plan to draw Jordan River waters and Arab opposi- tion to that plan. At a press conference in Tunisia—according to a trans- cript of that conference re- leased here he was asked what the position of the United Nations would be "if Israel carried out its plan to divert the Jordan River." He replied: "This matter is not before the United Nations. For such issues which are not brought to the attention of the United Nations, I am sure you will agree that in my position I should not offer an opinion. "Of course, any time a mem- ber state wishes to bring this up before the competent organ of the United Nations, the United Nations will take it up, discuss the problem and make any necessary recommendations or decisions," he said. "For the moment, I do not think it pro- per for me to assess the situa- tion." less the agreement was kept, there would he no consent by the party to a broadening of the coalition. Medals Go to Veterans of Pre-Israel Irgun Underground Army JERUSALEM — Menachem Beigin, leader of the Herut party, political successor to the pre-State underground Irgun Zvai Leumi, pinned "Captivity Medals" on Irgun veterans in a special ceremony. It marks the 20th anniversary of the Irgun "revolt" against the Brit- ish mandatory regime. The vet- erans were those who had been imprisoned or exiled by the British. The ceremony, which was held in the yard of the Jeru- salem Central Prison, was at- tended by Gen. Pierre Koenig, chairman of the Franco-Israel Friendship League; Raymond Schmittlein; deputy speaker of the French National Assembly; and representatives of the Bel- gian and Dutch assemblies and the Dutch wartime undegrround movement. Gen. Koenig presented Beigin with a medal on behalf of the National Organization of the French Underground. The pres- entation took place at a recep- tion which was attended by cabinet ministers. The Q u seal of approval of THE UNION OF ORTHO- DOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA is on more than forty Heinz Varieties, including Heinz Vegetarian Beans, six Heinz Soups (Vegetarian Vegetable, Tomato, Tomato with Rice, Cream of Mushroom, Cream of Pea, Cream of Celery), Heinz Tomato Ketchup and many others. About 600,000 children are enrolled in Jewish schools of all types in all parts of the country. More than half of these attend such schools only one day a week. • BY HENRY LEONARD1 • EG E TA R IA N t). & p rt I sB il g hw J. HEINZ COMPANY 13 -THE DETROIT JEWISH NE WS—Friday, Februar y 14, 1964 Jews Are Bridge Builders for Their 'Mother Russia'