An Extra Day of Rest: The Debate over the Proposed New Moon Holiday (1971)

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Exchange with Zevulun Hammer about Bill to Make Rosh Chodesh a Rest Day (1971)

ר' זבולון היקר, כבר עברו כמעט שבועים מאז חזרתי ארצה, ועדיין מבקורי הנעים באנגליה חקוקים בלבי. כמעט טבעתי בים של עבודה שמצאתי לרגלי כמה אסונות שקרו בזמן שנעדרתי מניו יורק. רק עכשו אני מתחיל "למצוא ידי ורגלי בבית המדרש." את ההוצאה של ראש חודש הודעתי לכמה בני אדם חשובים, וההדים היו מאוד חיוביים. בקשתי מכמה ראשי מוסדות ותנועות שלנו להתקשר עם ראש הממשלה.

Rosh Chodesh Plan

Letter from R. Lieberman about Bill to Make Rosh Chodesh a Rest Day (1971)

Dear Rabbi Lamm, Forgive me for delaying my answer to your letter of February 17th. As a matter of principle, I do not mix in in public affairs unless I consider it a problem of urgent importance. I believe that an academician should stick to this principle. Kindest regards and best wishes, Sincerely yours, Saul Lieberman

Rosh Chodesh Plan

Letter from R. Jakobovits about Bill to Make Rosh Chodesh a Rest Day (1971)

Dear Norman, Many thanks for your interesting letter of March 15th. Yes. As a matter of fact, I saw only a few days ago your intriguing proposal, as published in the Jerusalem Post, reprinted in the Chayenu Hadatim, published by the Misvat Hadatot. Your suggestion certainly sounds like a highly ingenious response to an increasingly pressing social problem, and on the whole it commends itself to me as a perfectly feasible project. On the practical side, I only wonder how it will be possible to differentiate between the first and the second days of Rosh Chodesh, and how the rather irregular sequence of non-working days (unevenly spread over 7 to 9 days a year) will be accepted in the working calendar, especially by the increasingly computerized business community. Since I am due to visit Israel for a week starting next Sunday (to attend the Annual Meeting of the Governors of the Hebrew University), I would like to make a few soundings on your proposal and the reaction to it before pursuing it further, possibly on the lines suggested in your letter. I will certainly let you know the results of my soundings and representations. With fondest regards, Very sincerely yours, Dr. Immanuel Jakobovits

Rosh Chodesh Plan