i Sisco Visit Crucial . . . Sadat Threat Sets Timetable JERUSALEM (JTA)—United States Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Joseph J. Sisco, is expected in Israel today. The impending visit of the Ameri- can diplomat was a subject of discussion at a cabinet meeting attended by Israel's ambassador to Washington, Itzhak Rabin, who reported on the present status of Israeli-American relations. According to political sources here, the government does not expect Sisco to bring any message that might indicate a positive move on the part of Egypt to break the current impasse over an interim agreement to reopen the Suez Canal. A grave view was taken in official Israeli circles of the latest speech by Egyp- Addenda to Historic Facts About Theodor Herzl and Max Nordau Commentary Page 2 Vol. LIX, No. 20 tian President Anwar Sadat to the Arab Socialist Union in Cairo, the only Egyptian political party. Sadat in effect laid down an ultimatum giving Israel until the end of this year to meet Egyptian terms for a settlement. Alhough he gave no specific dead- line, Sadat indicated that he would give the cease fire only a few more months to endure unless progress was made toward a settlement. He coupled that remark with a vow that Egypt would sacrifice "millions" in a new war against Israel. While government sources say there was nothing new in Sadat's latest speech they indicated that pros- pects for ending the stalemate seem more remote than ever. THE JEWISH NEWS Michigan Weekly Review of Jewish News Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper — Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle 4"°"' 27 17515 W. 9 Mile Rd. ; Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 Nezakh Israel . Redeemed Some Truths to Dispel M. E. Fantasies Editorials Page 4 356-8400 $8.00 Per Year; This Issue 25c July 30, 1971 Eased Asian Tensions Toward Israel Seen From Paris Talks With Chinese Bustin Pleads for USSR Jewry • Prisoners Are Reported Starved NEW YORK (JTA)—A petition signed by 40 Soviet Jews was presented to the Supreme Court of the Russian Republic backing up an appeal filed by the nine Jews convicted at the second Leningrad trial, the JTA learned from reliable sources. The Soviet court on July 20 rejected the appeal, which had asked only for a reduction of the sentences. The accompanying petition, however, demanded that the accused be set free because they were innocent of complicity in an alleged plot to hijack a Soviet airliner at Lenin- grad in June 1970. Moshe Deeter, coordinator of the Commission of Inquiry on the Rights of Soviet Jews, has released the text of a letter from the black civil rights leader Bayard Rustin to United Nations Secretary General U Thant. The letter disclosed that six of the nine defendants at the second Leningrad trial were among 37 Soviet Jews whom the. authorities prevented from presenting a petition to Thant when he was in Moscow on June 14, 1971. Rustin wrote: "The very fact of their inability to petition the United Nations, through your person, must in itself be a matter of great concern to the organization." The petition had asked Thant to intercede personally on behalf of Jews prevented from emigrating from the USSR in violation of the UN Declaration of Human Rights to which the Soviet Union sub- scribes (In London, a Labor MP and a London University nutritionist charged that the Soviet Union was "slowly starving to death" Jews and other prison- ers in their "strict regime" forced labor camps. (Greville Janner and Dr. Arnold Bender were referring to the 1,200- calorie-per-day. diet in the camps which they likened to the diet provided in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. (Janner said that no civilized country would submit prisoners to any- thing like it. "Having commuted the death sentences after the outcry follow- ing the first Leningrad trial, the Russians are now condemning them (the Jewish prisoners) to slow death by starvation," he said.) An interfaith delegation representing the Appeal of Conscience Founda- tion, returning Friday from its fifth visit to the Soviet Union in five years, reported that Jewish religious life in the USSR has "further deteriorated" over the past year because of the "critical shortage" of rabbis and the laek of teachers, books and students "to make (a yeshiva) a reality." The ,.. group' nevertheless saw a glimmer of hope in the future of religious life in Rup.sia; including that of the Jewish community. The delegation consisted of Rabbi Arthur Schneier of Park East Syna- , gogue here; who is president of the foundation; The Rev. Dr. Harold A. Bosley, of Christ Church, Methodist; The Rev. Thurston N. Davis, of the TTnited States Catholic Conference; and former Congressman Francis E. rn, a Catholic lawyer, all vice presidents of the conference. Their re- nt said in part, "While the Soviet Union continues its officially atheistic position, we found a new willingness of government officials to discuss (Continued on Page 6) frankly the state of religion in their nation. ri By EDWIN EYTAN Chief of JTA European Bureau PARIS (JTA)—Repeated contacts between Chinese diplomats of the People's Republic and Eli Ben-Gal, representative of the Israeli .Mapam Party, were reported here, the last of a series of meetings between the representative of the left-wing Zionist party and the diplomats from Peking in Paris having been held July 26, it was reliably learned by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Ben-Gal met various embassy staff members repeatedly, and some of these conversations were held at their own request. It was reported that possible diplomatic relations between Jerusalem and Peking were not discussed. On the other • hand, Ben-Gal and the Chinese covered all the Middle Eastern problems in their talks. In spite of the f'unofficial" character of the talks, further underscored by the fact that Ben-Gal is not a diplomat, and is not representing the state of Israel, or even his own party, the conversations, nonetheless, have considerable political significance. Israel recognized the People's Republic of China de facto as long ago as January 1950. Since that time, however, no amelioration ever was noted in, the relations between two countries. Beginning with her stand at the Third World Bandung Conference, China always has taken up unconditionally the defense of the Arab cause, and since the June 1967 war China has supported the Palestinian organizations by extending both ideological and material help to the more extreme guerrillas—the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Popular FrOnt. Fatah guerrillas, too, have been trained in special Chinese camps. Since President Nixon announced his forthcoming Peking trip next spring, political observers seemed to note some improvement in Chinese Middle East politics. The contacts between Ben-Gal and the Chinese diplomats must be seen in this context. The JTA learned from a telephone conversation with the ministry of foreign affairs in Peking that China's basic Middle East poisition had not changed since Premier Chou En Lai made his statement on the Middle East, three years ago, that only a "military and revolutionary solu- tion to the Palestinian problem" was possible. Nonetheless, one might see in the very readiness. of the Chinese People's diplomats to talk to the JTA some change, if not of the Chinese stand,, at least of their tactics. A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Paris, Tsa Kwei Seng, told the JTA that "no . . Quietest Week in Israel . TEL AVIV (JTA) Security officials said Tuesday that last week was the most quiet along Israel's borders and cease fire lines since the cease fire went into effect almost a year ago. Six incidents were re- ported in the Gaza Strip but only one along the Jordanian border where an elec- tric pylon was sabotaged in the Arava dis- trict north of Eilat. Three incidents were reported on the Egyptian cease fire line, all overflights of Israeli positions on the east bank of the Suez Canal by Egyptian war planes. member of the embassy had .met Bea-Gal.." • To the question whether Ben-Gal might have met the Chinese diplomats outside the em- bassy's premises, Mr. Seng answered: "This information is pure fabrication and a pro- vocation. I continue. to affirm that there were no talks, neither at the embassy nor outside it, in fact, in no possible way whatever." The denial is typical of 'Chinese diplomatic tactics. The Chinese never acknowledge conversations, as long as no high-ranking political decisions have been taken. These tactics were used a few weeks ago, before President Nixon announced his Peking trip. At that time, Chinese-American costa _ ets were formally disavowed by Peking. Agencies Uncertain How to Meet Growing Incidence There 'Jewish Response' on Drugs? By CHARLOTTE DUBIN joing to write a book some day, and I'll • call it 'A Thousand Deaths.' " It was a Jewish father talking—the father of a 22-year-old heroin user who has seen his son cross the road to a living death. Five years ago, there would have been a collective gasp at such a revelation, for drug addiction was not found among mid- dle-class, suburban Jewish families. Today, the shock is dulled by repetition. have been drug related. Chesed shel fused parents, who aren't quite sure, but Rabbi Irwin Groner of Cong. Shaarey maybe the kid's on something, and if he Emes reported four such deaths—in it- Zedek recently had the jarring experience is, what do we do about it?; among com- self a record for that funeral chapel. of officiating at the funerals of two young Those buried through Kaufman were munal agencies which themselves are un- people whose deaths were blamed on drugs. He has noticed increasingly that the sub- evenly divided between men and women, dergoing a self-searching as to what should ject is reaching an "anecdotal level." There their ages from 18 through 28, and their be a "Jewish response," if any, to the are few gatherings at which someone residences in Oak Park, Huntington Woods, question. Drug abuse within the community was doesn't have a story to relate about a rela- Franklin and Southfield. Two were living viewed at length by The Jewish News as in other states, one attending school. tive or acquaintance on drugs. But, again, the problem is no longer far back as March 1968. Afterward, there For at least 16 young adults in the theirs. The problem is among the living— were many organization meetings devoted Detroit area, the drug problem went away among an increasing number of elemen- to the subject. But lectures petered out in the past 14 months. In that period, tary and junior high school children flirt- And drugs proliferated. Kaufman Chapel recorded 12 drug-relat- (Continued on Page 17) ing with marijuana or pills; among con- ed deaths, plus four suicides which may