What was going on when I was born?

Both major party candidates for Governor of New Jersey made lastminute appeals for votes yesterday, with the Republican, Thomas H. Kean, receiving a visit from Vice President Bush and the Democrat, Representative James J. Florio, accompanied on campaign stops by Senator Bill Bradley. Mr. Florio and Mr. Kean appeared earlier in the day in a televised debate, and then both campaigned in the populous northern counties of the state. The personal appearances, which were buttressed by heavy television advertising by both candidates for the final weekend, wrapped up a campaign that has been dominated by a discussion of Reagan Administration economic policies and their effect on the state. But Mr. Bush, who last month characterized the race as a referendum on Mr. Reagan's policies, seemed to back off that opinion today. He told 1,200 people in Paramus: ''What's being decided on Tuesday is the governorship in Trenton. The people of New Jersey a year ago registered their positive feelings on Ronald Reagan.''

In a religious ceremony with political overtones, Czar Nicholas II, his family and tens of thousands of others killed since the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in 1917 were canonized as saints at a Manhattan church over the weekend. The canonization took place at the world headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia at 75 East 93d Street. Two other Russian Orthodox sects, as well as other Christian faiths, rejected the granting of sainthood. As a result, the canonization was expected to stir passions among the Russian emigre community in New York.

A "colored" South African fights for better schools A2 In the Sudan, 200 miles can last forever A3 Canada's premiers gather for a last meeting on constitution A3 French Socialist test: taxing wealth A5 Around the World A7 Australia is actively seeking skilled Americans A10 Fifty percent cut in Asia's popula- tion growth rate urged A13 Private health care is a booming business in Britain A14 Government/Politics Racial issue emerges in cam- paign for governor of Virginia A21 Top U.S. prosecutor in Manhattan focusing on organized crime B2 Nassau County Executive race has generally been low key B7 Democrats see a chance to gain in Suffolk County Legislature B7 Washington Talk Briefing A20 Unlikely duo works into White House position of power A20 White House does far more than guess who's coming to dinner A20 The Calendar A20 Energy Oil dealers say trucked-in heating fuel violates standards B1 General Around the Nation A16 Leftists' allies meet in Greens- boro to mark '79 killings A17 Health/Science Foster-care agencies faulted in review by New York City B3 Religion Disagreements again arise at forum of Christians and Jews A17 SportsMonday Baseball: George Bamberger confident of himself and Mets C1 Basketball: Isiah Thomas gives Pistons hope for revival C8 Columns: Dave Anderson on Jets' Bruce Harper C4 Red Smith on Pete Reiser C10 Features: Question Box C14 Football: Jets triumph over Giants, 26-7 C1 Jets sack Simms nine times C5 Cowboys conquer Eagles, 17-14 C3 Bills set back Browns, 22-13 C3 Chargers edge Chiefs, 22-20 C4 Miami enhances reputation with defeat of Penn State C14 Hockey: Rangers top Flames, 4-2 C1 Sabres defeat Flyers, 6-2 C6 Islanders' Smith angry at por- trayal in news media C8 Horse Racing: Jameela wins Ladies Handicap by six lengths C9 Horses: National Horse Show pre- pares for tomorrow's opening C9 Outdoors: Going north for grouse C14 School Sports: St. John's beats Holy Cross in football C8 Soccer: Long Island University builds a powerhouse C6 Arts/Entertainment "Guernica" stirs Spanish memo- ries and awe C15 Vladimir Horowitz gives piano re- cital at Met Opera C15 Michigan Opera Theater presents Armenian classic, "Anoush" C16 Five are new to City Opera's "La Boheme" C18 "Elvis," a rock biography by Al- bert Goldman, is reviewed C19 "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg" restaged in New Haven C19 Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal ap- pears at Lehman College C20 Metropolitan Opera presents first "Tosca" of season C21 Edith Wharton's "House of Mirth" is on public TV C22 Israel Philharmonic names Mehta director for life C22 Style Relationships B9 Improving the self-image of older women B9 The new separates in fashion B9 Obituaries George Cochran Doub, former Justice Department official D14 News Analysis Bernard Gwertzman examines new U.S.-Israeli dispute A1 Drew Middleton examines effect of U.S. defense on Soviet A11 Michael Goodwin on negotiations for one-officer police cars B4 Douglas Martin discusses dura- bility of OPEC's new unity D1 Editorials/Letters/Op-Ed Editorials A22 Showing off on secret agents Still cutting school lunches Amber light on foreign aid Jack Rosenthal: sushi Letters A22 Anthony Lewis: dangerous nu- clear misperceptions A23 Flora Lewis: propaganda vs. skill in the Western Hemisphere A23 James M. Shannon: President Reagan's human nature A23 Jeffrey Record: ground the F-18 program A23

The future of Britain's only domestic auto maker was thrown into doubt today when employees of BL Ltd. went on strike for larger wage increases despite a threat that the company would be liquidated in the event of a walkout. Faced with losses of nearly $3 million a day, Sir Michael Edwardes, chairman of the company formerly known as British Leyland, had sought to allow a pay raise of just 3.8 percent next year, well below the inflation rate of about 11 percent. BL, a manufacturer of motor cars with such allowed names as Triumph, Jaguar and Austin, made minor concessions late last night but not before the strike deadline. A vote on the revised offer is scheduled for Tuesday, but rejection by the 58,000 assembly-line workers is considered quite possible. The specter of shutdown does not appear to frighten the workers, apparently because BL has often warned of dire consequences in previous labor negotiations.

The top tax officials in the Reagan Administration and the Senate agreed today that any tax increases to help cut future Government budget deficits should be put off until 1983 and 1984. But both Treasury Secretary Donald T. Regan and the Senate Finance Committee's chairman, Bob Dole, disagreed on what size tax increase there would be in the future. Mr. Regan pushed for major spending cuts, and only a last-resort tax rise while the Kansas Republican indicated that a large tax increase would have to be part of any program to try to reach a balanced budget by 1984. Mr. Dole said that he did not want to raise taxes with a ''laundry list'' of little taxes, such as excise tax rises on cigarettes and liquor, or reducing various business tax benefits and deductions for home mortgage and installment credit. Broader Rises Suggested Instead, he suggested broader tax rises, such as an import fee on oil or a ''windfall profits'' tax tied to the deregulation of natural gas prices. These are increases that have not been favored by the Administration. These tax increases, he made clear, did not involve any change in President Reagan's previously enacted three-year 25 percent tax cut for individuals.

Mayor Koch, running on both the Democratic and Republican lines, is strongly favored to win a second term tomorrow and lead a Democratic sweep of municipal and judicial offices in the city - the most visible of local elections across the state. Even the Mayor's political foes acknowledged publicly or privately his almost certain victory. ''If I had the money, I could have exposed him completely and could have defeated him,'' said Assemblyman Frank J. Barbaro of Brooklyn, the Unity Party candidate who launched an independent candidacy after his defeat by Mr. Koch in the Democratic primary. Mr. Barbaro and another Democrat, Councilwoman Mary T. Codd of Staten Island, the Liberal Party candidate, are generally considered to be the Mayor's principal opposition in a seven-candidate field.

Although experiencing heavy losses, most of New York City's savings banks are not in danger of immediate failure, and many have enough surplus reserves to sustain current losses for five years or more. At least four, however, are apparently in a precarious position as a result of high interest rates, a survey by The New York Times has found. If the cost of money remains at or near current levels, the four could be in danger of failing within the next 12 months. These are the New York Bank for Savings, the city's 3d-largest state-chartered savings bank, with total deposits of $3 billion; the Greenwich Savings Bank, the 8th-largest, with deposits of $2 billion; the Union Dime Savings Bank, the 17th-largest with deposits of $1.3 billion, and the Central Savings Bank, the 25th largest with deposits of $734 million. All deposits of up to $100,000 in savings banks are insured for both principal and interest by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, an agency of the Federal Government. Officials last week stressed that even those individuals with more than $100,000 on deposit would be fully protected by the agency.

The unified oil price that OPEC members agreed on last week can be viewed as a peace treaty between Saudi Arabia and the group's 12 other members. But the new peace may be fragile, largely because of pressures in the marketplace and lingering animosities caused by the previous 10 months of sometimes bitter dissension over prices. The members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries achieved the consensus that had eluded them in two previous meetings here this year by setting a common base price of $34 a barrel - replacing a system that had permitted Saudi Arabia to use a $32 base while other members used $36. The 13 thus displayed a sense of common purpose that had been lacking for more than two years. But the fact that Subroto, Indonesia's oil minister and president of the conference, made a point in OPEC's communique of the organization's continuing ''relevance'' seemed distant from the group's former image of being all-powerful.

Major military contractors in the New York metropolitan area expect long-term gains in revenues and jobs from the Reagan Administration's increase in military spending, but the impact has yet to be felt, according to most company officials. Some companies, particularly those supplying sophisticated electronic equipment to the armed forces, are projecting employment increases over the next few months, largely to fill military contracts already in the Pentagon pipeline. Some companies on Long Island, for example, are preparing new hiring programs in case Congress approves President Reagan's plan to revive the B-1 bomber and deploy the MX missile. Shifts From Nonmilitary Work But at many of the largest military contractors in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut - the corporate giants that build the bigticket items ranging from submarines to jet aircraft and the engines that power them - employment has stabilized rather than expanded.

Top White House and Senate tax officials agreed that any tax increases to reduce budget deficits would be put off until 1983 and 1984. But the officials, Treasury Secretary Donald T. Regan and the Senate Finance Committee's chairman, Bob Dole, disagreed on how large the future tax rises should be. (Page A1.)

The Auction column in Weekend on Friday listed the wrong days for the Impressionist and modern art sales at Sotheby Parke Barnet. They will be held on Wednesday and Thursday. An article in Metropolitan Report on Saturday incorrectly described the profit in the 1978 sale of The Washing- ton Star to Time Inc. An estimated profit of $70 million was made on the combined sale of the paper and other units of its parent company, Washing- ton Star Communications Inc.

Mount Sinai Medical Center is planning a $425 million renovation of its patient care facilities. The redevelopment of the medical complex, under a design by I. M. Pei, would be one of the most extensive reconstructions of existing medical facilities in this country. The plan would affect all seven of the inpatient buildings on the 21-building campus, between Fifth and Madison Avenues from 98th Street to 101st Street. The older buildings, three of which were built in 1904, would be replaced and the others extensively renovated.