Home Home / Exchange with Michael Tabor about Poem on Elephants (1973)

Correspondence

March 1973

Exchange with Michael Tabor about Poem on Elephants (1973)

Biographical Material

1. Michael Tabor to R. Lamm

1. Michael Tabor to R. Lamm (March 16, 1973)

1. Michael Tabor to R. Lamm (March 16, 1973)

View The Text

This content is currently available in its original PDF format. As we expand the library, we plan to add a text version as well.

Next Letter

RELATED CONTENT

Correspondence

Exchange with Michael Tabor about His Recent Marriage (1974)

My dear Rabbi Lamm, Greetings! Please forgive the delay in keeping up out trans Atlantic correspondence. Regards from Rabbi Rosen just received (my boss!) prompt me to let you know how things are in בית תבור! Please find enclosed wedding photos. Many thanks for your good wishes – from you and your wife – shame you couldn't be there. Well, I was glad that the wedding went off smoothly – these sorts of affairs are not, as we say in olde England, my cup of tea!After 12 weeks of teaching, house mastering and enjoying the privileged demanding experience which necessitates living within a practical dimension, at times banal (כידוע) has done me a world of good – I have actually calmed down inside. The התישבות בכלים that responsibility imposes has has a very stabilizing effect ב"ה...The work here (in really beautiful countryside which we can only appreciate properly in holiday time) is totally demanding. I have only 18 kids in my class but find that they drain me as much as the 30+ I had in Sheffield. I teach everything except Jewish Studies (officially!). שבת is the busiest day of the week – eating with the school, inviting my class to out flat for lots of tuck + a weekly ניגון + story. There is a מנין of frum בעלי בתים here now and step by slow step the character of the school if not changing is being exposed to new horizons... Our shadchan from Bradford (n.e of Sheffield) is giving up his position here as minister and is, with the consent of the Rebbe שליט"א coming to teach English in the senior school – so Na's happy (two more Nancunians!) and so am I – another חבר in the wilds of Berkshire! Carmel is a strange place – it has so many inherent contradictions: An expensive public school copying certain English public school traditions, non Jewish staff on influential posts, vast majority of boys from wealthy assimilated homes – yet הלכה is upheld in שבת + תפילה + כשרות; governors make no pretence of being pro-orthodox – they want a basically secular institution yet an or…
Biographical Material

Correspondence

Exchange with Michael Tabor about His Wedding Engagement (1973)

My dear Reb Lamm and Rebbetzin Lamm, As recently promised I have some good news to tell you – I am getting engaged א"ה around פורים to a Miss Naomi Schwalbe of Manchester! Her suitability is unquestionable since besides being a most charming artistic lady, she somehow understands me!!??!!?? She finds my perpetual oscillation between the profound depths and ridiculous height both entertaining and enjoyable – in fact quite a good reason to accept my hand in marriage – n'est cepas?!בהתעוררות הלבמיכאל ת'Dear Rabbi and Mrs. Lamm,I have made your acquaintance through a mutual friend....... hacking that unusual turn of phrase of our mutual friend, I would just like to say how happy we would be to see you at our חתונה at the end of August א"ה.כל טובNaomi
Biographical Material

Correspondence

Exchange with Michael Tabor about Their Continuing Correspondence (2012)

Dear Hilda, I trust you are well. I know that Rabbi Lamm is not too well and that inevitably our 40+ years correspondence has dried up. But if possible I would love you to be able to pass on to him my love and appreciation for our transatlantic relationship over such a long period. It was truly a most wonderful lifeline for me, full of inspiration and good advice. I miss his letters which became progressively shorter the more responsibilities he assumed. To him and his wife Mindy my fondest good wishes. Thank you. Mike
Biographical Material