Arabs
Deny Israel
Breathing Space:
Study in
Population
Density
Commentary
Page 2

How

THE JEWISH. NEWS

A Weekly Review

of Jewish Events

Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper

L. LXVI, No. 16 '

17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 424-8833

Congressional
Obligations
in a Year of
Great Distress

2% Readers
Among 6,000,000

Editorials
Page 4

$10.00 Per Year; This Issue 30c December 27, 1974

1975 Crises Mounting for Jewry;
Theologians Pledge Aid for Israel

U.S. Quiet Diplomacy
Seeking M. E. Peace

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Rabbi Israel Miller, chairman of
the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organi-
zations, said last week after a meeting of Jewish leaders with
President Ford that the President felt the best way to achieve
a peaceful settlement in the Middle East was by a period of
quiet diplomacy. Rabbi Miller said the President expressed the
hope that step-by-step negotiations would succeed.
Rabbi Miller said the meeting between 20 Jewish leaders
and Ford was the first opportunity "for the American Jewish
leadership to meet with President Ford. We talked for more
than an hour and had a very warm and friendly conversation."
When asked about their discussions on the issue of Soviet
Jewry, highlighted by the release last week of a letter from
Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko repudiating any
"understanding of a linkage between freer emigration and trade
concessions from the United States," Rabbi Miller said, "It is
our feeling, as well as the President's, that rather than judge
the Soviets by letters and communications, we should judge
them by what they do."
Rabbi Miller added, "We will have the opportunity to learn
within the next few weeks" whether the Soviets "take these
matters seriously. I feel we have made strides." He said the
Jewish leaders would not be satisfied until every Jew who wants
to leave the Soviet Union has the right to leave but that he was
"satisfied with the good will of the administration. We asked
the President to be watchful from day to day" on the problem.
•
Rabbi Miller also reported that Ford repudiated the U.S.
commitment to Israel and said he supported a strong, viable
Jewish state. Asked if he thought the President would continue
to support Israel if there was another Arab oil embargo, Rabbi
Miller said the President did not link any future embargo with
the question of Israel but spoke about it as an American
problem.
The meeting between the Jewish leaders and Ford took
place as the Senate and House passed a sweeping trade bill that
allows Ford to authorize non-discriminatory tariffs to the Rus-
sians for 18 months if he certifies that he has received "assur-
ances" that Moscow will adopt practices promoting free emigra-
tion.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Ron Nessen re-
fused comment on a report by columnist Joseph Alsop that
President Ford thinks' chances are high of a new Middle East
war within the next six months.
Alsop, in a syndicated column Monday, based on an inter-
view with Ford, wrote: "Like everyone else of consequence in
'nis administration, the President considers there is a horribly
gh chance of renewed war in the Middle East."

Threatened by a multiplicity of crises, the eve of a New Year is marked by dangers of
a new war in the Middle East, tightening of Russian restrictions on emigration and tensions in
Washington over pressures to limit U.S. support for the embattled Jewish state.
While congressional and administration leaders minimize the rumors of a lowering of
interest in Israel in the nation's capital, the spreading reports of damaging Arab influence
and reduction of concern for Israel is taken seriously in many ranks.
A heartening note for Israel is renewed backing from theologians and scientists, especially
since the prejudicial action by UNESCO. From Montreal comes the report that a -group of
Canadian Christian theologians has issued a statement supporting the claims of Israel to "secure
and recognized borders," the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports. The statement, which affirms
"solidarity with our Jewish brethren in Israel" was signed by 12 theologians including Terry
Anderson, Lloyd Gaston and James Lindenberger of the Vancouver School of Theology, and
William Nicholls, head of religious studies at the University of British Columbia.
The statement said the Middle East situation is a. "proper matter of Christian concern"
because "the maintenance in the land of Israel of the
Jewish people and their faith is an integral part of their
witness to the one God."
It adds: "We call on all members of all Christian
churches, and the political leaders of Canada, to take all
possible measures to uphold the security and integrity
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Christmas Eve for
of the state of Israel." It notes that Israel's claim to
Christians was the 10th day of Tevet,
statehood' derives from United Nations resolutions of
the day Jews mourn the beginning of
1947, and says the same resolutions envisaged a
the siege of Jerusalem which led to the
Palestinian-Arab state.
destruction of the Temple. And for Mos-
But, the theologians say, Arab states have rejected
lems, it was Id-El-Adha, the feast of
these resolutions and engaged in armed aggressions
sacrifices. But the Mideast was marked
with a state of alert declared by the,
against Israel, and this releases Israel from the,resolu-
Syrian and Egyption armies. •
tions. They urge Israel to make "withdrawals from occu-
Israel carefully watched the Arab
pied Arab territory in exchange for progress towards
alert, and sources noted that the Arab
recognition of her own final borders.
armies usually go on alert during Moslem
The statement says that the recent resolution of the
armies usually go on alert during Moslem
UN General Assembly recognizing the Palestine Libera-
holidays. However, Arab sources say the
tion Organization as legitimate claimant to Israel terri-
alert was because of fear that Israel
tory is "illegal, null and void, and a threat to peace."
would strike on the most sacred holiday __
for Moslems in retaliation for the Syrian
"We hope for the emergence of legitimate repre-
and Egyptian Yom Kippur attack of 1973.
sentatives of the Palestinian people with whom it will
On the eve of the holiday, several
be possible for. Israel to negotiate on the setting up of
Americans boarding a tour bus were
an independent Palestinian state," it says.
injured in a grenade attack, and the
PLO said it would not guarantee the
- The statement adds that ownership of land where
safety of tourists in "occupied Palestine."
Christian holy places are situated is not a legitimate
The 18-year-old Florida tourist who
Christian concern, provided that freedom of access to
was injured by the grenade had to have
pilgrims and worshippers is assured. "We therefore
her leg amputated above the knee be-
consider that Christians have no specific interest in the
cause of damage to veins. The Israeli
form
which the future of Jerusalem should take," it says.
government is paying her hospital fees

War Vigilance
Mars Season

and is bringing her parents to Israel.

`Affirmative Action' Splits Jewish Leaders

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Allied Jewish Campaign stories> on
Page 10. Flint story on Page 12.

By JOSEPH POLAKOFF
WASHINGTON — A U.S. government memorandum suggesting the quality of applicants - as
the major consideration in campus employment under the "affirmative action" program has again
divided Jewish leaders within the civil rights movement. . •
Peter E. Holmes, director of the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health, Education
and Welfare, said the 3,500-word memorandum "reiterates the principle that colleges and univer-
sities are entitled to select the most qualified candidate, without regard to race; sex or ethnicity,
for any position" and that "further, it makes clear that colleges and universities, not the fed-
eral government, determine what constitutes qualification for any particular position."
Denouncing the HEW memo of Dec. 12 as "a real blow to hiring and promotion of blacks,
browns and women," Joseph Rauh Jr., counselor for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights,
blamed it on three Jewish organizations and two of their Washington representatives whom he
characterized as the leading lobbyists against meaningful affirmative action." Jewish organiza-
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