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January 21, 2004

Beit Midrash Talk re: Cardinals' Visit to YU (2004)

Yeshiva University Interfaith
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Correspondence

Exchange with R. Bergman about Archbishop Visit to Hebrew University (1967)

Dear Dr. Bergman: Earlier this week I called you over the telephone in order to inform myself of the particulars concerning your charge against the Hebrew University and their invitation to Archbishop Cody of Chicago. I met with the officials of the Hebrew University that same day, this past Monday, and I think it important to relate to you impressions of that meeting and my opinions, whatever they are worth, on the matter. First, I think it is exceedingly important to refrain from any exaggerations or extravagances, lest we vitiate the true merit of our argument. Therefore, I would not confuse the proposed “Archbishop Cody Chair in Canon Law” with the teaching about Christianity in general and, in fact, with instruction in Canon Law itself at the Hebrew University. I cannot see any objection to the teaching of Christianity at a university. I am a shomer mitzvot and the chairman of the comparative religion department is a warm, observant Jew who is a shomer mitzvot. Furthermore, I do not believe that the proposal is at all one of giving aid and comfort to Christian missions in Israel. Nevertheless, I was upset by the report of the establishment of this chair, and that is why I called you and attended the meeting with the people from the University. The information that was given to me, and which I believe to be correct, is that the entire matter was excited by a local public relations man who had failed to clear the plan with the proper authorities of the Archbishop – who is a most friendly man and had been visited – and the association mentioned, it was obviously impossible to withdraw and amounted to a slap in the face to him and the entire Catholic community of Chicago. Moreover, despite the local radio and television announcements, there was no mention in print, or impression given to the Archbishop, that there was to be a chair at the University for Canon Law. Mr. Charwik of Jerusalem specifically told the audience in Chicago that what was planned was a visit…
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Exchange with R. Zwiebel about Catholic Cardinals Visiting YU (2004)

Dear Rabbi Lamm: I hope this letter finds you well. Upon my return this week from a brief visit to Eretz Yisroel, I found several clippings in my in-box (from the New York Times and the Anglo-Jewish weeklies) relating to last week’s visit to the beis medrash of Yeshiva University by several visiting Catholic priests. I also heard from one of our constituents that you were on Zev Brenner’s radio program on Motzoei Shabbos to discuss this matter, and that there was some talk between the two of you about how this interaction with Catholic religious leaders was of a kind with the types of interactions that Rabbi Moshe Sherer, z”l (and Agudath Israel of America still has today) with the Catholic Church. Not having heard the radio program, and not being familiar with the background of last week’s visit beyond what I read in the clippings, perhaps there are some additional details that would help me understand this better. However, having had the honor of serving at Rabbi Sherer’s right hand for the last fourteen years of his life, and having the responsibility today on behalf of our organization to work with the Catholic leadership on a variety of issues, I must respectfully tell you that last week’s event strikes me as a giant step removed from what Agudath Israel of America has been doing with the Catholics over the years. Yes, we do work with the Catholic Church behind the scenes on matters of mutual concern, and enjoy good professional (and on occasion even personal) relationships with some of their leaders. However, to the best of my knowledge, we have never participated in a public event of the nature that occurred last week at Yeshiva University. Indeed, I recall instances when Rabbi Sherer specifically declined invitations from Cardinal O’Connor to join together publicly, notwithstanding the worthiness of the cause to which the invitation was attached. As a general rule, such public undertakings would be inconsistent with the guidelines we have received from our…
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Letter from R. Cherrick about Archbishop Visit to Hebrew University (1967)

Dear Rabbi Lamm: It was a pleasure to have had the opportunity of meeting you the other day together with our good friend Mr. Jakob Michael. I appreciated the great understanding you showed for the work of the Hebrew University. I hope that I will have an opportunity of discussing other aspects of the University's work with you in the not too distant future. May I repeat what I said to you when we met with reference to the publicity which has been given to the program for Canon Law at the Hebrew University. The first thing I would like to make clear is what the Rector of the Hebrew University stated categorically last week, namely that there will be no chair in Canon Law at the Hebrew University. He further added that all academic programs at the Hebrew University, whether of teaching or research, cannot be decided upon by outside bodies but only by the faculties concerned and subsequently these decisions must be approved by the Senate and the Board of Governors.All that has been agreed to by the University is that a Visiting Lectureship in Canon Law is to be set up. From time to time, outstanding experts in this field will be invited to deliver lectures in Jerusalem on aspects of this subject. There will be no regular course for students or others. The University has several similar lectureships such as the Samuel Paley Lectures in American Culture and Civilization, and the Lionel Cohen lectureship in Law. These visiting lectureships provide a very useful addition to the regular curricula of the University enabling us to bring outstanding figures to Jerusalem periodically.A very important point which seems to have been confused due to some of the statements in various newspapers is on the nature of Canon Law. This is a specifically legal subject and is not concerned with the teaching of Catholicism as such. This is a discipline which belongs within the field of legal studies. It should be borne in mind, incidentally, that marriage, inheritance and other matters of…
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Chag Hasemicha 5763 (2003)

Rabbi Lamm addresses newly-ordained rabbis at the Chag Hasemicha 5763.
Yeshiva University