Amnesty for War Resisters? .
l
By BEN GALLOII
fered the proposal—by Rabbi Judah Nadich, the Conservative rabbi, and by Rabbi Louis Barnstein, appeared in the current issue of Sh'ma, an independent journal of Jewish opinion edited by Rabbi Eugene B. Borowitz, a Reform scholar. Rabbi Rackman based bis proposal on the proposition there should be formal recognition of "the legitimacy of objection to a particular war even If it is based exclusively on moral grounds and irrespective whether the objectant believes in God or is committed to a divine will." The U.S. Supreme Court has yet to rule specifically on seHospital Releases lective conscientious objection to the Vietnam war and local Soviet Rabbi Levin draft boards have refused to grant CO status to draftees takNew York (JTA) — Chief ing that stand. Rabbi Rackman Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levin of stressed that his proposal would Moscow was released from - provide that such "clemency Moscow Hospital Six after five would be in order when courts weeks' recovery from a serious or administrators" were satisoperation, it was reported by ' fied that the "passive resisRabbi Arthur Schneier of Park tance—and the submission to the indignity of a jail sentence East Synagogue. Rabbi Schneier, after speak- or the privations of flight—was ing with Rabbi Levin by tele- nobly motivated." phone, said the 77-year-old Rabbi Rackman also argued patriarch quoted the doctors' as that such clemency "need hot saying there was "no point in be automatic and gratuitous" maintaining me in the hospital in that the government "could any longer" and that lie was easily provide substitute forms "in need of an extended period of service" so that the war reof enforced rest and convalesc- •• sister would not "altogether ence and total abstinence from evade his duties' and responsibilities as a citizen." He asall work and involvements." The elderly Russian spiritual serfed that such governmental leader is the only rabbi for action "would also induce a M o s c o w ' s estimated 500,000 great respect for law insofar Jews. Speculating on a sue- as citizens would know that : cessor,, especially U Rabbi Lev- strict law is tempered by merin should not live much longer, cy and the legal system is; sento the moral convictions Rabbi Schneier said, "This is sitive of individuals." Uj?.. greatest tragedy — that there is no one to take his The number of such war replace." in Kiev, he added, no sisters who would benefit from replacement has been found in Rabbi Rackman's p r o p o s a l could riot be determined. There four years. A proposal by a leading Orthodox rabbi that—after the Vietnam war ends—the U.S. government should provide amnesty for conscientious war registers who fled to another country and pardons for those jailed for such resistance has been endorsed by a Conservative rabbinical leader and assailed by a second Orthodox rabbi. All three have been involved in providing service to Jewish men' in the armed forces. The statements by Rabbi Emanuel Rackman — who of-
is no validated information on but that figure has not been the number of Americans sen- verified. tenced to jail on such grounds Rabbi Rackman disputed the of conscience, It has been es- usual arguments tliatcsucu litimated that there are 80,000 berality toward war tesisters war resisters now living in might endanger the nation's Canada, of whom about one- safety. He argued that if too third are believed to bedews, many'Americans would seek to
take advantage of such a standard, it would indicate that those in power who bad declared war had failed to ap« praise accurately "the general will" of the American people against that war. In a war sup(Continued on page 6)
Serving Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Lincoln, Omaha OMAHA, NEB., FKL^AtJQ.
6, 1971
Omaha, Lincoln Meetings For Sisterhood Leader Omaha — Mrs. Henry Stein- Education. Mrs. Eli E v n e n , haus, vice-president of the Mid- vice-p r e s i d e n t o f Midwest west Branch of the National Branch for the South District, Women's League, will conduct is in charge of arrangements Group Dynamic and B o a r d for the 11 to 4 p.m. meeting. Omaha Meeting Orientation sessions for board Mrs. Norman Pred, president members • of Tifereth I s r a e i Sisterhood of Lincoln and Beth of Beth El-Sisterhood, will presidei.at the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. El Sisterhood in Omaha. meeting at Beth El on Tuesday, The Monday, August 16 meet- August 17. Mrs. Morris C. Felling, of the Lincoln Sisterhood man, president of M i d w e s t Board will be conducted by Branch, will report on National Mrs. Steinhaus, accredited dis- Women's League and Branch cussion leader of N a t i o n a l activities and achievements. Women's League, at the NeMrs. Steinhaus, a past presibraska Center for Continuing dent of Beth Shalom Sisterhood of Kansas City, Missouri, is a vice-president on Inter-Faith of the Coordinating Council of Synagogue and T e m p l e Sisterhoods, discussion leader and division chairman of the Kansas' City Jewish Federation and member of the Campaign Cabinet. She serves as chairman of Plays for Living .of Johnson
County, Kansas, and a board member of the Family and Children Services of Greater Kansas City. '•;• .
More Than Half of Aliyah Group of 242 Sailing for Israel on T. S. S. Anna Maria Under 21 Years of Age
Mrs. IIiur> Steinhaus
Gary Rubin Heads ICC Committed
Whan 242 Americans recently tailed for Israel en Greek Liner T.8.B. Anna Maria, ever-half of the group, 1M< were under 21 year* of age. included In this youth movement ,wae ons family of eight children, a two monthe eld, child, * pair of one year, old twlns—112 children under tht age* of
sixteen, (Above left) Mr. and Mr*. Thoma* Link of Hartford and their one year old twine. (Abov* right) Mr. and Mr*. Hyman Cabin of Kew Gar* dene, New York, and their three and two year pld daughter*. (Below) Mr, and Mr*. Alex Kaplan of Long- Beach, N.Y. and their eight children.
Des Moines—Gary Rubin has campaign be conducted, •" been appointed chairman of a • That the Center during th« committee to implement recomInterim period consider leasmendations that a new Jewish ing of recreational facilities, Community Center facility be •That space be provided for Constructed or acquired. His. possible future expansion. appointment was announced by •That an existing building be Mose Waldinger, president of leased foi^temporary Center the Board of Governors of the use, with ^relocation schedJewish Welfare Federation. uled for January 1972. The new c o m m i t t e e is charged with the responsibility of looking for a suitable site, securing the services of an architect, and .studying the financial capacity of the community for capital funds and the type of support possible from membership dues. The Board accepted recom' mendations of the community planning committee which wero formulated after two public hearings. The recommendations which were accepted include the following items: • That, land be acquired to house a limited building and to provide; grounds for day ! ; camp program. ; ,v, ' T h a t a modest capital funds
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