Orthodox Group Calls on U.S., USSR to Reduce Size and Deployment of Nuclear Weapons

A resolution proposing action for the immediate reduction in the size and deployment of the nuclear weapons arsenals of both the United States and the Soviet Union was adopted by the 1,200 delegates and guests attending the 84th anniversary national convention of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (UOJCA) at the American Great Gorge Hotel.

In proposing reversal of the Reagan Administration policy of stockpiling more nuclear weapons and of escalating the production of such weapons, the delegates urged immediate ratification by the two nuclear superpowers by treaty agreements to achieve such reductions.

UOJCA officials said that the adoption of the resolution made the UOJCA the first American Orthodox Jewish organization to come out in public disagreement with the Reagan Administration’s policy of nuclear weapon expansion and deployment. The resolution stressed that any such United States action to reverse the nuclear arms race must be bilateral with the Soviet Union.

URGES CONGREGATIONAL INVOLVEMENT

The resolution urged the 1,000 member UOJCA congregations to become involved in the issue of control of nuclear weaponry. The resolution urged rabbis of member congregations to learn more about "the possibilities of peace as well as the potential for nuclear war in our lifetime."

A UOJCA spokesperson added that the UOJCA program in this area will advocate working with other national and local groups which favor bilateral reductions in weaponry, and that the UOJCA plans to join in communicating the concerns to Washington of the Jewish community on this life and death issue.

The resolution declared that the UOJCA supports "the ultimate goal of the SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) and START (Strategic Arms Reduction Talks)" as steps toward "a bilateral reduction in the size and deployment of nuclear weapons." The resolution authorized the organization "to testify in favor" of ratification of a nuclear arms treaty.

Ambassador Moshe Arens of Israel told the convention that President Reagan’s September I peace initiative, which calls for a federation of the West Bank with Jordan, resulted from a "difference in perception" between the U.S. and Israel. Declaring that Israel will not yield to pressure to give up Judaea and Samaria, Arens said the Reagan Administration "does not understand the degree of risk that Israel is being asked to take" under the Reagan proposal.

Julius Berman of Forest Hills, N.Y. was elected to a third term as president of the UOJCA. Berman also serves as chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.