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(former PIZZATIME THEATER)

Huairou, which is about 30 miles diverse group: A contingent of
from Beijing, to attend the open- women prison guards will travel
ing of the first conference. It runs alongside civil libertarians,
from Aug. 30 to Sept. 8. As a na- peaceniks, Christian fundamen-
tional delegate, she has special talists and pro-choice activists.
observer status to attend the
"Most people are going for the
U.N.-sponsored conference Sept. excitement of it, to be with 30,000
4-15. Luminaries who are ex- to 40,000 women to rub elbows,
pected to attend are activist Bella exchange ideas," Ms. Katz said.
Abzug; Donna Shalala, head of
The opportunity for face-to-face
the U.S. Department of Health discussions with women all over
and Human Services; Madeleine the world drew Ms. Lipner, of
Albright, U.S. ambassador to the Southfield, to China. She'd like
United Nations; and possibly first to talk to French women, for ex-
lady Hillary Clinton.
ample, about how they were able
During her 2 1/2-week stay, to get and keep the controversial
Ms. Katz, a retired mathematics "morning after" birth control pill
teacher from the Oak Park and on the market.
Birmingham school districts, will
As policy chair of the Michigan
caucus with other Jewish worn- Jewish AIDS Coalition, Ms.
en and teach Home Instruction Lipner is also adamant about ed-
for Pre-School Youngsters work- ucating women about their risk
shops, an NCJW program.
for the disease.
On Aug. 30, the Jewish
"In some way, Jewish women
Women's Caucus will meet to dis- — those I've come in contact with
cuss the role of Jewish women at — believe they are not at risk the
the conferences. On Friday, Sept. same way the general population
1, the international Jewish com- is at risk for AIDS. It's very im-
munity will gather for a Shabbat portant to me that we understand
service.
The goal of the two-week
event is to help establish a
platform for action for gov-
ernments worldwide in the
area of women's rights. The
ongoing workshops and
speeches will address birth
control and reproductive
rights, environmental is-
sues, human rights and eco-
nomic empowerment.
Ms. Katz will join 40,000
others from around the
world who have applied for
attendance. Although the
Chinese government bid for
the chance to host the con-
ference, special visas for
many of the hopeful atten-
dees, Ms. Katz included, are
still on hold.
The government has
made a few geographical
changes, too. Both the UN-spon- Pearl Lipner
sored conference and the NGO
Forum were originally going to that we are as much at risk for
be held in Beijing, but officials de- any communicable disease in our
cided to move the NGO Forum to society. Jewish women, once they
Huairou after a deluge of appli- get their teeth in something, work
cations flooded their desks.
very, very hard at it. They are ex-
"It has been, I would say, eight cellent advocates and tireless
months of foul-ups," said Pearl workers. Once we can make them
Lipner, another traveler who has understand this is an issue they
hotel accommodations and a have to take as seriously as oth-
tourist visa like Ms. Katz but not ers, I think we'll see a vast im-
a special visa to attend the NGO provement in the communication
Forum. "We wavered back and of the dangers," she said.
forth whether to boycott the con-
On her way to China on
ference — whether it's Harry Wu, Wednesday, Ms. Lipner, 50,
the fact they aren't going to let stopped in San Francisco to pick
lesbians in or whether it's confu- up her 25-year-old daughter, Lisa
sion over the whole attainment Drostova, a frequent companion
of visas. But it's far more impor- at rallies and political demon-
tant to go to make our voices strations.
heard to support our sisters in
She wants her daughter to
China and all over the world," have the powerful experience of
Ms. Lipner said.
sharing a Shabbat service with
Ms. Katz is confident her the likes of Bella Abzug and oth-
tourist visa and hotel reserva- er "extraordinary" women, she
tions will get her into Beijing, but said.
some women will probably can-
Edwina Davis, of West
cel Hcir
,:he said.
Bloomfield, is also bringing a
The local pilgrims make up a BEIJING page 10