Correspondence
Exchange with S.R. Taitz about Offer to Become Rabbi in Durban, South Africa (1965)
Dear Rabbi Lamm, I doubt very much if you remember meeting me when you came to South Africa for the Education Conference in Johannesburg and also in Durban. I am writing to you in my capacity as Chairman of the Durban United Hebrew Congregation about a problem we have which I hope you can help us solve. Rabbi Shrock, our Rabbi and Chief Minister, is leaving us at the end of July to go on aliyah to Israel and we are looking for a successor. We have a large Congregation here in Durban, with three Shuls, and require a Rabbi. Durban itself has a population of about 600,000 of all races, of whom about 5,500 are Jews. Our Congregation, the only orthodox one, has a membership of about 800 men and 650 women. Our members, I am sorry to say, are neither very observant nor knowledgeable as Jews, but with a young and energetic Rabbi to lead them, could, I am sure, be guided to take an interest in what is best in Judaism. We have the potential and with strong leadership, our Congregation could be encouraged to take an active interest in the beauty and logic of Judaism. We have a Jewish Day School, which in another year will produce its first batch of matriculants, able to form the nucleus of a society basically educated in Judaism. For the third year now the Natal University has Hebrew as a subject. You will no doubt remember lecturing at the Durban Jewish Club, which offers facilities for cultural activities and sport. The basis for missionary work amongst our own people is therefore present and under stimulating leadership, our Community would flourish. The Congregation employs officials for all aspects of work connected with Jewish observance, such as for services in the synagogues, milah, shechita, etc. Your views made a deep impression on me and I would very much like to have you here as our Rabbi. When I recommended that you be approached to come to South Africa, I was told that you would not consider this. If this is so, and I hope that I am wrong, could you possibly re…
