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Correspondence

July 1968

Exchange with Anne Weiner about Mikvah in Chicago (1968)

Marriage & Sexuality

1. Anne Weiner to R. Lamm

1. Anne Weiner to R. Lamm (July 14, 1968)

1. Anne Weiner to R. Lamm (July 14, 1968)

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Correspondence

Exchange with Dr. Morrow about Statement on Judaism's View on Sex Education (1967)

Dear Dr. Morrow: Enclosed please find the statement on Judaism's view of sex education which you solicited from me. Would you be kind enough to let me know when it is to appear in print, and to let me have two or three copies of the journal when it is published. Sincerely, Rabbi Norman Lamm: Judaism has no "official" view on sex education; only recently have efforts been made to introduce such study into the curriculum of Jewish schools. Nevertheless, the following guidelines may be said to be in consonance with the classic sources of Judaism:**Sex education should concern itself with the attainment of mental health** as part of the striving for holiness, which is the self-transcendence achieved by conscious conformity with the divine Law.**Optimally, such instruction should take place in and form part of the religious education** of the youngster. The parents’ responsibility is primarily that of holding up to the child a model of trust and love; the elementary biological information should preferably be given by the teacher.**Sex should be viewed as part of the total personality** and not restricted to the act and apparatus of reproduction. Therefore, in addition to biology plus a short course on marriage and family, it should also be related to all the other relevant religious and ethical studies in the curriculum.**While the facts should be transmitted openly and without embarrassment,** care should be taken not only not to weaken but to reinforce the youngster's natural sense of modesty.Rabbi Norman Lamm, Ph.D.
Marriage & Sexuality

Correspondence

Exchange with R. Feuchtwanger about Family Purity Education in England (1968)

Dear Colleague Professor Lamm, Shlita, I was delighted to hear last night from our revered Chief Rabbi that Anglo-Jewry may look forward to welcoming you in its midst next month D.V., as it is I had already decided some time ago to support you in the following matter. I am enclosing a copy of an essay on שמירת הנפש ומניעת מחלות which I have recently written at the request of the Rabbinate of the Federation of Synagogues, and which will be published in the forthcoming 70th Issue of their Journal Yalkut. Even before looking at the Bibliography at the end, you are sure to notice while reading that on a number of points I have based myself on your Hedge of Roses. Whoever has time to peruse the whole of the letter book obviously needs no further persuasion, but most young couples in this country prefer shorter pamphlets, such as the one which I am also enclosing. A few slightly different ones are distributed by other bodies but I am not aware that any one of them would attempt an improvement in the existing position. If you think so, I could have it reprinted as a pamphlet and add the necessary practical instructions. I have asked the printers of the above-mentioned Journal to keep the lead type of my essay intact until further notice, which however must not be delayed too long. If you rather think these matters well done, kindly do not hesitate to say so. On the other hand if you consider it worthwhile for easy distribution to reprint the complete essay as a booklet, I am just wondering where you might find it possible to ask, say, a Psychologist or a Sociologist and/or a Gynecologist amongst your colleagues at Yeshiva University to add their comments which I would want to include, since even when not valid in detail, I am sure they will be greatly helpful to contribute to our common aim of strengthening שמירת הנפש ומניעת מחלות. In this gain they will add no doubt too. I am greatly looking forward to hearing your kind reaction to all this.
Marriage & Sexuality

Correspondence

Exchange with R. Siegman about Proposed Synagogue Council of America Guidelines for Sex Education (1967)

Dear Rabbi Lamm: Representatives of the Synagogue Council of America who are serving on an interfaith commission on marriage and family have come up with a proposed statement on sex education, containing guidelines for groups responsible for the development of school and community programs in sex education. Enclosed is a copy of the proposed statement. We would be most grateful if you were to let us have the benefit of your thoughts regarding this statement. A particularly difficult problem is the extent to which religious values, “common” or otherwise, are to be injected into the suggested programs. What are the criteria by which we are to judge a proper and an improper intrusion of religious teachings into the public school curriculum? Your advice regarding this question, as well as other aspects of the statement, will be of great value to our Executive Committee determining policy on this issue. With many thanks and warm personal regards, I am Sincerely yours, Rabbi Henry Siegman Executive Vice President
Marriage & Sexuality