Reform Leaders Hold In-depth Talks with Democratic Presidential Hopefuls

The leaders of two Reform Jewish groups met here with eight declared candidates for the 1976 Democratic Presidential nomination in what was described as in-depth discussions to ascertain their views on “major domestic and international issues concerning the nation’s more than six million Jews and their institutions.”

The discussions, sponsored by the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, were held at the UAHC building here. Each candidate spent about an hour in dialogue with Rabbi Alexander Schindler, president of the UAHC, and Rabbi Ely Pilchik, vice-president of the CCAR.

The Democratic hopefuls who participated were Gov. George Wallace of Alabama; Sargent Shriver of Massachusetts; Morris Udall of Utah; Lloyd Bentsen, of Texas; Gov. Milton Shapp of Pennsylvania; Henry M. Jackson of Washington; Fred Harris of Oklahoma; and Jimmy Carter, of Georgia.

Sen. Birch Bayh of Indiana was unable to attend and Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia did not participate because he announced his candidacy after the dialogues were arranged. Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey, who is regarded as a leading candidate, was not present because he has not officially announced his candidacy.

Rabbi Pilchik said the sponsors tried until the last minute to have President Ford and Ronald Reagan, the two leading contenders for the Republican nomination, attend, but were not successful.

NOT A ONE-ISSUE ELECTORATE

Schindler and Pilchik stressed that the purpose of the dialogues last Wednesday and Thursday was not to endorse any candidate but “to convey our concerns to the candidates” on international and domestic issues and obtain their views. They said another purpose was to “sensitize the congregations” on the candidates’ positions “because we are not unconcerned with the apathy of voters.”

Pilchik emphasized that Jews do not vote as a “block.” Schindler noted that “the candidates may think we are limited to so-called Jewish issues–the Middle East, Soviet Jews, the Arab boycott, Syrian Jews.” But, he added, “Jews certainly are not a one-issue electorate.” He stressed in fact that domestic issues “predominated in the dialogues” among which were “unemployment in America as a first concern”; civil liberties; civil rights; welfare programs; national health services; crime; and gun control.

The rabbis said that in foreign affairs, “first and foremost, Israel has to be supported.” Pilchik reported that “every candidate in expressing unquestioned support for Israel was not doing it as a favor for Jews or a come-on for Jewish votes but as a necessity for the geopolitical position of the United States.”

Schindler said “The question of Soviet Jews was very heavy upon us.” He said the dialogues also covered “Jews remaining in Arab lands, particularly Syria, and the Arab boycott that discriminates against American firms whose officers happen to be Jews.”