The 20 Arab Nations and Their Begrudging of Sovereignty to Tiny Israel Commentary, Page 2 VOL. LXXI, No. 15 THE JEWISH NEWS A Weekly Review f Jewish Events 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 424-8833 ZOA Appeal for Jerusalem Must Be Heeded Strong Defense of Begin Role by Noted Authority Editorials, Page 4 ,$10.00 Per Year; This Issue 30 4 June 17, 1977 garter Clears Sharansky Name: Finds No Link to CIA, State Dept. Israel's Political Changes Create Religious Concerns NEW YORK (JTA)—Leaders of Reform and Conservative Judaism in America have indicated serious concern that the rights of non-Or- thodox congregations in Israel will be further abridged under a Likud- led government headed by Menachem Begin. Expressions to that ef- fect were voiced in the past few days by Rabbi Arthur J. Lelyveld, president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) and Dr. Gerson D. Cohen, chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, the academic institution of Conservative Judaism. In a statement released in advance of the 88th national convention of the CCAR, the rabbinical branch of Reform Judaism, to be held next week, Rabbi Lelyveld urged Reform and Conserva- tive Judaism to "stand together in de- fense of responsible Jewish pluralism. Our circle is large enough to take in all our fellows," he said. "We must not allow extremists to place us...outside the circle of accept- able Jewish difference." Rabbi Lely- veld said that he "joined whole- heartedly with my colleague, Rabbi Stanley Rabinowitz, president of the Rabbinical Assembly of America (Con- servative) in warning that if the Con- servative and Reform movements allow themselves to be divided in their RABBI LELYVELD struggle for full recognition both in Is- rael and in the Diaspora, they will be defeated by the extremists of the right." Rabbi Rabinowitz made his re- marks at the Rabbinical Assembly's convention last month. Chancellor Cohen, addressing the an- nual dinner of the Synagogue Council of America last Thursday, called on Begin to commit Israel's new government to protect the rights of non-Orthodox Jews in Israel. He referred to reports that Begin would seek legislation drastically restricting the authority of Conserva- tive and Reform rabbis in Israel as the price of a coalition partnership wit the religious parties. (Continued on Page 5) DR. GERSON COHEN WASHINGTON (JTA)-Presil dent Carter rejected the charge by Soviet authorities that Moscow Jewish activist Anatoly Sharansky who has been charged with treason, worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The President said he had "double checked" with both the CIA and the State Department and was told Sharansky had no connections with the American govern- ment. Carter made his statements at a press conference when he was asked if he had plans to meet Sharansky's wife, Natalya, who is in Washington to seek help in obtaining her husband's freedom. Mrs. Sharansky, who lives in Israel, said she hoped to see the President but Carter said he has no plans to meet her. However, he noted that he asked the CIA and the State Depart- ment to check the Soviet allegations against Sharansky. He said he had been hesitant about making any public statements but now was assured that Sharansky never worked for the CIA. Carter's statement was hailed by the Union of American Hebrew Congre- gations, which called on the 1.25 million Reform Jews in the U.S. to ANATOLY SHARANSKY launch a massive protest campaign. The State Department said on June 2 it was "deeply-concerned" about the treason charge against Sharansky which had been reported from Moscow a day earlier. Sharansky has been held in a Moscow prison since his arrest March 15 while talking to two American corre- spondents. The 29-year-old computer specialist is a member of a group monitoring the Soviet compliance with the human rights provisions of the. Helsinki accord and frequently briefed Western correspondents because of his fluency in English. He and fellow Jewish activist Vladimir Slepak were accused in an Izvestia article early this year of working for the CIA. Whether the detention in Moscow of Los Angeles Times correspondent Robert Toth is connected with Sharansky was raised at the State Department. Another, but wider, question was whether the harassment and Soviet public criticism of Western correspondents in recent months are employed to inhibit them from continuing to report on the continuing difficulties of Soviet dissidents and Jews whO wish to emigrate to Israel. Toth is being prevented from leaving Moscow by Soviet author- ities on charges of receiving illicit documents. He was about to return WASHINGTON (JTA)—A Jewish Telegraphic Agency to the United States with his family correspondent, approaching President Jimmy Carter after his press conference on Monday, began to say, "There is this past weel'end after completing uneasiness in the Jewish community..." this tour in Moscow as a corre- The President, replying before the question was com- spondent. Two official U.S. protests pleted, said, "They are unjustified—their concerns are un- have been lodged with the Soviet justified." There was no opportunity to follow up the ques- government. (According to reports tion. from Moscow, Toth told r Sorters Following a meeting with Carter last week, Sen. Hubert after his latest session with t1.5%' 0 KGB Humphrey (D-Minn.) said Carter is "an unswerving sup- porter" of Israel and that he is "carefully moving in the -- that the questioning had ckScen- right direction" toward a Middle East settlement. (Continued on Page 22 Uneasiness 'Unjustified' "isabled Israeli Veterans-Enjoy Visit Ten tired—but happy— bers of the Detroit Jewish disabled Israeli war veter- community. ans returned to their coun- The veterans, who range try today armed with me- in age from 22 to 55, all suf- mentos, photographs and in- fered serious disabilities in numerable stories about defense of Israel. They enjoyed lunch at the their love affair with the De- Plaza Hotel, a tour of De- troit Jewish community. Paul Zuckerman, presi- troit, a welcoming party at dent of the United Jewish the Zuckermans and two Appeal, started arranging days in New York. The vet- the two-week visit several erans were on the go al- months ago after learning most constantly. With the help of his wife of similar programs in Pitts- burgh and Washington, D.C. Helen, who served as "logis- tics expert", Zuckerman ar- The 10 Israelis, who left ranged for them to see the Thursday,1 were the first races at Hazel Park, a con- group to visit Detroit. All cert at Pine Knob, the GM expenses were met by mem- Tech Center, Bob-Lo Island, the Detroit Zoo and a De- troit Tigers baseball game. Attendance was arranged at a Great Lakes Yacht Club regatta, with dinner af- terwards, and a trip to the Fresh Air Society's Camp Tamarack. Eytan Shifman, 24, an am- putee who used crutches in- stead of an artificial leg, joined the others in riding the giant slide at Detroit's Belle Isle. Shifman climbed to the top of the three-story slide without difficulty, but had a hard time coming down. "I'll have to try that again and see if I can do it better," he said, and promptly mounted the steps a second time. As guests of Henry Ford II, the Israelis spent a full day touring the Dearborn Assembly Plant, Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Mu- seum. Transportation, guides, and an elegant lunch were part of the wel- come Ford extended to the visitors. The Israelis were surprised and pleased to see a floral centerpiece, with the flags of the United States and Israel, decora- ting the luncheon table. (Continued on Page 6) Ten disabled Israeli war veterans on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the United States are shown with Detroiters Paul and Helen Zuckerman, who arranged their stay here. Pic- tured are, from left, standing, Ephraim Adam, Ephraim Merinsky, Reuven Schleicher, Doron Levinson, Iram Sha- ham, Mr. and Mrs. Zuckerman, Eytan Shifman, Elimeleh Goffer and kneeling, Israel Dahari, Dov Neiger and Ishai Zimmerman.