JERUSALEM (JTA)—A
new battle loomed in the government over the perennial issue of state support for the religious establishment.
Minister of Justice Yaacov Shimshon Shapiro, of the Labor Party, made it clear to his National Religious Party colleague, Interior Minister Moshe
Shapiro, that the government would not defend in court the NRP's insistance that conversions by Reform rabbis cannot be recognized in Israel.
There was pressure for the NRP to quit the government if the issue is not settled to its satisfaction. Zevulun Hammer, an NRP Knesset
member, returned from a visit to New York with word that Rabbi Menahem Schneerson,
the Lubavitcher Rebbe, is opposed to the recognition
of Reform conversions in Israel. According to Hammer, he thinks the NRP should leave
the government unless Israeli law is amended to provide
for conversions only according to Halakha—Jewish religious law.
In effect that would invalidate conversions performed by other than Orthodox rabbis.
The issue came to a head when Mrs. Helen Zeidmann, who was converted to Judaism by a Reform rabbi, demanded that her conversion
be recognized by the state though there is no official reform rabbinate here and the Orthodox establishment recognizes only Orthodox rabbis. The
NRP demanded that the state attorney general testify in court
against Mrs. Zeidmann. It was the justice minister's rejection of their demand that
brought about the present disagreement. An amendment to Israel's Law of Return, passed under heavy Orthodox pressure last year, did not spell
out that conversion must be in accordance with Halakha. and Orthodox protests at the time were of
no avail.
Reform
Again
an Issue
in Israel
JEWISH NEWS
FEAR NOT:
Slogan for
Survival and
Guideline
for Action
Michigan Weekly
Editorial
Review of Jewish News
Page 4
Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper — Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle
VOL. LVII, No.
11 m q
iii°27
17515 W. 9 Mile Rd., Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075, 356-8400 May 29, 1970
The Horror
That Stems From
Inhumanities
in a Distorted
Attitude
Toward Israel
Commentary
Page 2
$7.00 Per Year; This Issue 20c
Frantic Meir Plea That U. S.
Recognize 'Ominous Situation'
Hart Joins Senatorial Call
For Jets to Defend Israel
WASHINGTON—Seven leading Senate critics of President Nixon's
Vietnam policy, including Senator Philip A. Hart of Michigan„ joined in a
letter to the White House asserting that America's "vital national interests
in the Middle East" required that Israel be permitted to buy the Phantom
jets and other military equipment she needs
"to defend her freedom."
The letter, which stressed the "funda-
mental differences" between the Indo-China
and Middle East situations, was made pub-
lic by Senator George McGovern (D-S.D.),
one of the signers, in an address to the
American Jewish Congress national biennial
convention in the Shoreham Hotel.
The other signers were Senators Alan
Cranston (D-Calif.), Harold Hughes (D-Iowa),
Charles Goodell (R-N.Y.), Stephen Young
(D-Ohio) and Thomas F. Eagleton (D-Mo.).
The full text of the letter reads:
"We who are among those who believe
SEN. PHILIP A. HART
that our country must disengage from the
Indo-China war are concerned that the
Soviet Union may be misinterpreting the spirited national debate in America
over that war as a sign that our nation will not take effective steps to
prNect our vital national interests in the Middle East.
"We are joining in this statement to make plain our deep conviction
that our vital national interests are, indeed, involved in preserving the
balance of power in the Middle East pending a final settlement of the
Arab-Israeli dispute.
"There are fundamental differences between the situation in Indo-
China and the situation in Israel.
"The government of Israel is a democracy. This is not true of the
regimes our armed forces are supporting in Southeast Asia. Israel asks
only that we sell her the military equipment- she needs to defend her
freedom.
"South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos ask that we give them—not sell
them—the military equipment to defend their own forms of repression
against other forms of repression. Worse yet, they ask that we spill Ameri-
can blood and spend American lives in their behalf. Israel makes no such
demand on us.
"But now we see the open use of Soviet pilots and Soviet troops in
Egypt--an unprecedented assertion of Soviet power which threatens not only
Israel but world peace.
"In providing Israel weapons to retain the balance of power in the
Middle East, we would be fulfilling the doctrine which you announced at
Guam, and your subsequent call for 'a more responsible participation by
(Continued on Page 5)
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Premier Golda Meir delivered an urgent, almost des-
perate appeal to the United States Tuesday to supply Israel with more Phantoms
and other jet planes requested by Israel. In a lengthy political report to the Knes-
set, Mrs. Meir declared: "I find it inconceivable that the United States will not
carry out its declared undertaking" of maintaining the balance of power in the
Middle East. She warned, however, that "any delay in granting our request is liable
to injure our interests and be interpreted by the Soviet Union as "condoning its
intensified involvement" in the Mid East conflict.
A large part of Mrs. Meir's 6,000-word report was devoted to detailing the
steady escalation of Soviet aid to the Arabs, principally to Egypt. "At a time when
in New York and Washington Soviet representatives are participating with repre-
sentatives of the Western Powers in discussions on the renewal of the Jarring mission
and on a peace settlement, Soviet cargo ships were sailing to Egypt laden with
cargoes of SAM-3 ground-to-air missiles and thousands of Soviet experts were arriving
in Egypt to install and operate them," Mrs. Meir said. She said the "gravest step
so far" in Soviet involvement was the introduction of Soviet pilots into Egypt
who have Egyptian air bases at their disposal and fly operational missions in
Egyptian jets.
Mrs. Meir insisted that the military victories Israel has achieved "have never
intoxicated us to such an extent that we might give up our yearning for peace."
She rejected Arab claims that Israel has refused to accept the United Nations
Security Council's Nov. 22, 1967, Mid East resolution. Mrs. Meir did not say Israel
accepted it but quoted a statement to that effect by the Israel ambassador to the
United Nations on May 1, 1968.
Addressing herself to the United States, she pointedly reminded the Nixon
administration of statements it has made in the recent past. "I paid attention to
what the President of the United States
said at his press conference on May 8
31.E. Issue Concerns
about one ominous situation in the re-
gion if reports were true and if the
escalation continued, this would dras-
NATO Ministers
tically shift the balance of power and
ROME (JTA)—The Nixon administration
make it necessary for the United States
believes that the introduction of Soviet pilots
to re-evaluate its decision with regard
into Egypt has added a new "qualitative ele-
to the supply of jets to Israel. President
ment" to the Arab-Israeli conflict but has not
Nixon also said that the United States
yet necessarily altered the Mid East balance of
had already made it perfectly clear that
it is in the interests of peace in the Mid-
power, Secretary of State William P. Rogers
dle East that no change be permitted
reportedly told the NATO foreign ministers
in the balance of forces and the United
here Tuesday, at the two-day meeting of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Council, at
States will abide by this obligation,"
which the Middle East situation was high on
Mrs. Meir said. She also cited a March
But Premier Mariano Rumor of Italy opened
24 statement by Secretary of State Wil-
the NATO session with a warning that the
liam P. Rogers who said the U. S. would
Middle East conflict could spread war through-
not permit the security of Israel to be
out the entire Mediterranean region.
(Continued on Page 5)
Jewish News City Editor Gets Headliner Award
Jewish News City Editor Char-
lotte (Mrs. Harold) Dubin received
the coveted Headliner Award of
Detroit chapter, Theta Sigma Phi
women's journalistic society, May
23.
in Journalism and Communica- torial staff of the Pontiac Press.
tions, awards its Annual Head- She was editorial director of the
liner Award to Charlotte Hyams Wayne State University Daily Col-
Dubin for her outstanding legian, and a number of her ar-
achievement in journalism."
ticles have been syndicated by the
Mrs. Dubin, Jewish News city
It was the first time that a wom- editor since 1964, was a part-time
an writer for other than the daily member of The Jewish News edi-
torial staff while a student at
press had received that award.
Wayne State University. She was
The presentation, made at the the first recipient of the Theta Sig-
Ladies of the Press Breakfast at ma Phi Lucy Corbett Scholarship
Veteran's Memorial Building by 10 years ago. This year's scholar-
Mae Derdarian, Headliner chair- ship winner, announced at the May
man, and Leontine Rita Keane, 23 function, is Paula Ann John-
president of the Detroit chapter, son, a Michigan State University
reads:.
senior.
"Detroit Professional Chapter
Mrs. Dubin, prior to returning to
National fulltime duties on The Jewish
Professional Society for Women News, was a member of the edi-
of Theta Sigma Phi,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Her newspaper career is a heri-
tage from her father, the late
Lewis G. Hyams, who was man-
aging editor of the Strathmoor
Leader and a freelance writer.
Married to Harold Dubin, commu-
nity affairs associate of the Jew-
ish Community Council, she is the
daughter of Mrs. Gertrude Hyams.
Liz Carpenter, former press sec-
retary to Mrs. Lyndon Johnson,
was guest speaker at the function
at which Mrs. Dubin received the
Mae Derdarian (right) presents Headliner Award to
Headliner Award.
Charlotte Hyams Dubin.