Report U.S. Firms Dealing with Arabs Are Firing Jewish Personnel

A national Jewish leader indicated today that there is mounting evidence that when Arab nations deal with American firms this results in the firing of Jews. Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, warned that “the weapons of boycott and blackmail” which Arab nations are using against Jewish banking houses in Europe “may also be operating to jeopardize the civil rights of Jewish individuals in the United States who are employed by firms doing business with Arab countries.”

He told members of the UAHC’s executive committee that such evidence had come to his attention both through personal meetings in various parts of the country and through the UAHC’s regional offices. Rabbi Schindler called for the convening of a high level Jewish conference of experts in finance, industry and economy to privately explore the problems and develop action guidelines for the Jewish community. He asked the UAHC’s 715 member congregations to serve as “listening posts” and provide such a Jewish study committee with information.

He further asked that both the Ford Administration and the State Department “maintain a forthright vigilance” and he hoped that members of Congress would participate in this process.

CITES TWO EXAMPLES

Rabbi Schindler cited, as one example of discrimination, a West Coast engineering consulting firm. The firm was asked to serve as a principal aide and advisor to King Faisal in his efforts to industrialize Saudi Arabia. Before signing the contract, the owner, who is Jewish, though his name did not readily identify him as such, was asked for references on his religious identity to which he provided the names of several rabbis. As a result, negotiations immediately ceased and the contract was withdrawn.

Another West Coast firm was then employed and upon the signing of the contract immediately dismissed three of its leading Jewish executives. Rabbi Schindler said he would prefer not to identify either firm at this time. He added: “We cannot afford to revive the cancer of discrimination and religious bigotry which prevailed in our past dealings with Arab nations, especially the memory of Saudi Arabia and its insistence that Jewish military personnel be excluded from a U.S. military base there.”