Council for Judaism Receives
Moscow's Rabbi Levin, Cantor

communities—the American and
the Russian."
Asked by a newsman whether
his visit was permitted by the
Soviet government as a means of
defending its policies toward Jews,
Rabbi Levin replied: "The Soviet
government does not need me to
defend it; it can defend itself."
Korn said in a statement that
other Jewish organizations are
"perfectly free to deal with Rabbi
Levin and his colleagues at their
own discretion and in terms of
their own interests and concerns."
He said the council would only
serve as an "advisory and proto-
col host to the Soviet Jewish dele-
gation." A council spokesman said
that he did not know what plans
the delegation had beyond Wed-
nesday, although he understood
that Rabbi Bernard Poupko • of
Pittsburgh had extended an invi-
tation to visit that city.
He said that many invitations
had been extended by other rabbis
and organizations to the delegation
but did not know which, if any, had
been accepted.
Rabbi Levin and Cantor Stiskin
are staying in the Essex House
hotel here. Since they adhere
strictly to kashrut, a special set of
dishes was purchased for their
suite and a "glatt kosher" cook
had been hired by the council to
prepare their meals, the council
said.
Both Russians will participate in
services at the Mount Eden Jewish
Center, a synagogue in the Bronx
whose spiritual leader is Rabbi
David Hollander, today and Satur-
day.
Rabbi Hollander, who accompa-
nied him on the flight from Mont-
real, said Rabbi Levin expressed
pleasure at the prospect of meet-
Reform Rabbis Told
ing American Jews who have
visited him in Moscow. Rabbi
of New Low in Jewish Levin
also brought a suitcase full
Life in This Country of new prayerbooks recently issued
BOSTON (JTA) — The president by the Soviet government.
* * *
of the Central Conference of Amer-
Rabbis,
the
Reform
rabbinic
ican
BBC Panel Rejects
association, Monday called for ac- Arab Position in Debate
tion to combat the "dangers to the
LONDON (JTA)—A 30-man panel
American Jewish religious commu- on BBC television rejected the
nity stemming from the secular- Arab case in the Middle East
oriented synagogue in a God-ignor- which was presented by speakers
ing society."
who included Rabbi Elmer Berger,
Rabbi Levi A. Olan, of Dallas, in executive vice president of the
his address before the 79th annual anti-Zionist American Council for
meeting of the CCAR, also urged a Judaism. The vote against the
redefining of the role of the rabbi proposition that the Arab case was
"who is heir to a tradition of an stronger than the Israel case was
affirmative God-faith" but "now 20-7 with three absentions.
confronts a congregation whose
The Arab position was spear-
members are successful and afflu- headed by Labor MP Christopher
ent without the help of God" and Mayhew in an hour-long debate.
who "is troubled by the increasing His witnesses were Rabbi Berger,
irrelevancy of his high calling to members of an Arab refugee fam-
the busy schedule in which he is ily, the Arab League delegate here,
imprisoned."
and former Jerusalem Mayor
Rabbi Olan described "our age Rouhi el-Khatib.
as the most secular since the days
Jo Grimmond, a former leader
of Constantine" in which one-third of the Liberal Party, led the pre-
of the world has dedicated itself to sentation of Israel's case, calling
communism while others have be- on three British speakers and
come convinced by technological Moshe Pearlman, former director
and scientific advances that they
of the Israel Information Services
"can do almost everything without
as supporters.
God."
He said that the Jewish future
"is threatened by the colossal ig- Belgium, Israel to Open
norance of Judaism of the modern Air Traffic Talks Soon
Jew more than by any other force
BRUSSELS (JTA)—Air traffic
without or within the community."
and that while it is still essential negotiations are expected to open
to emphasize community fund-rais- here soon between Belgium and
ing to ensure Jewish physical sur- Israel to work out a snag that de-
vival, "we must find new funds for veloped after last year's negotia-
our work in which we have ne- tions when Israel's national air-
glected to a large extent the reli- line, El Al, complained of Belgian
gious needs of our congregations." competition.
According to last year's agree-
Rabbi Olan said that the rabbi's
traditional scholarly function has ment, the Belgian airline, Sabena,
been subordinated in the congre- was authorized to add a second
gation to that of an officiant, an weekly flight to Tel Aviv to cater
administrator and a public rela- to an anticipated increase in tour-
tions expert since "it is the se- ist traffic between the two coun-
cularized layman who today tries.
El Al claimed that the increased
defines the office of rabbi." The
result, he stated, is a spiritual traffic does not originate in Bel-
leader "left with a vacuum gium but consists of American
which is then filled with disquiet, tourists who pass through Brussels
often frustration and, at worst, on their way to Israel. The Israeli
airline said the added Sabena
despair."
The rabbinical leader restated flight is directly competitive to
the CCAR's position in opposition El Al's regular flights from New
York to Tel Aviv.
to the war in Vietnam.

NEW YORK (JTA)—Rabbi Ye-
huda Leib Levin, spiritual leader
of Moscow's Choral Synagogue,
and Cantor David Stiskin of Lenin-
grad, were squired around New
York this week by members of the
American Council for Judaism,
sponsor of their visit to the United
States.
With the pair were Richard
Korn, council president, and Bill
Gottlieb, public relations director.
Rabbi Wolfe Kelman, _executive
vice president of the Rabbinical
Assembly (Conservative), has aid-
ed Rabbi Levin as a translator
here.
Korn said that hundreds of Jew-
ish and Christian leaders had ac-
cepted their invitations to meet the
74-year-old rabbi and the cantor.
The religious delegation arrived
Monday night at Kennedy Airport
after landing in Montreal in a
Soviet airliner.
They received a tumultuous wel-
come, with many Orthodox repre-
sentatives present. Rabbi Levin
said that during his stay in the
United States, which is expected to
last two weeks, he would lecture on
religious life as well as economic,
legal and social questions concern-
ing Soviet Jews. Rabbi Levin
described his trip as nongovern-
mental and "for the Jewish com-
munity" of Russia.
During the welcoming cere-
mony, Rabbi Pinchas M. Teitz
of Elizabeth, N.J., read a state-
ment in Hebrew which said: "We
consider this visit not a private
one, but as representing the
entire Jewish community of
Soviet Russia. We hope that this
visit signifies a new era—an era
of closer relationship between
the world's two largest Jewish

•

V +

.or

Two Auschwitz Inmates Given Life Sentences; Official Urges End to War Trials

FRANKFURT (JTA) —Life sen-
tences—a rarity in West German
court trials—were imposed here in
the third trial of Auschwitz death
camp personnel, on two camp in-
mates, Bernhard Bonitz, 61, and
Josef Windek, 64.
Both had been charged with
multiple murders. Both said they
would appeal.
The prosecution asserted that
they were "professional criminals"
who had been assigned especially
to Auschwitz.
Windek also was given a concur-
rent additional sentence of 15 years
at hard labor. Windek collapsed
when his sentence was pronounced.
Meanwhile, Franz Josef Strauss,
the federal finance minister and
chairman of the Christian Social
Union Party, has spoken out
against the continued prosecution

of Nazi war criminals beyond the
end of next year.
He told a CSU youth group
that the "cleansing operation
conducted for more than 20 years
cannot go on that way." He said
the time had come to call a halt.
Three years ago, the Bundestag
voted to extend the 20-year statute
of limitations for war crimes until
Jan. 1, 1970.
Strauss said he did not sympa-
thize with the Nazis but indicated
enough was enough in prosecuting
offenses of years ago.
The West German government
has not yet decided whether to
ask parliament to abolish the
statute of limitations on war
crimes or prolong it.
If it takes no action, war crimi-
nals who were not indicted before

Dec. 31, 1969 will be free from
prosecution in Germany, unless
dossiers have been built up and
cases are planned against them.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, June 21, 1968-7

Gina) ELECTRONIC

GARAGE DOOR

OPENER

Ifs because
of J. 11. F.
that:

465,000 DUNAMS OF LAND HAVE
BEEN RECLAIMED IN ISRAEL

making possible the establishment of 2,000 very productive farming
units

—helping the soil to support thousands of people and narrowing the gap
between production and consumption

—providing pasture land for 2,000 cows, 2,000 sheep, and 80,000 fowl

— making available enough water to support one of the world's most
massive irrigation projects

— eliminating wide expanses of malaria-ridden swamp and countless pools
of dangerous stagnant water

giving work to thousands of immigrants in dire need of employment

allowing the construction of 2,500 kilometers of roads providing
greater access to many parts of the country

helping populate border territory and thus aiding national security

It's Because of You

that so much has been done by the

JEWISH NATIONAL FORD

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