Home Home / Exchange with Dr. Domb about Jewish Chr…

Correspondence

August 1969

Exchange with Dr. Domb about Jewish Chronicle Reporting on "Modern Orthodoxy's Identity Crisis" (1969)

Biographical Material

1. Dr. Domb to R. Lamm

1. Dr. Domb to R. Lamm (Aug. 3, 1969)

1. Dr. Domb to R. Lamm (Aug. 3, 1969)

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 R. Jakobovits about Jewish Chronicle Reporting on "Modern Orthodoxy's Identity Crisis" (1969)

Dear Immanuel: The Jewish Chronicle article and editorial came to my attention yesterday simultaneously with receipt of Prof. Domb’s letter. I am sending you a copy of my response enclosed. I assume that by now you have seen my original article in the May–June issue of Jewish Life. I am willing to abide by your recommendation, although my first impulse, as I wrote to Domb, is to ignore them. Although I am still in the country, I do come to the city quite often and so it is best to write to me at the Jewish Center. Mindy and I and all our family are thrilled that you will be with us, hopefully together with Amelle, at the Bar Mitzvah – at least for the Sunday affair. It will be a great honor and a marvelous sign of friendship. Cordially, Rabbi Norman Lamm
Biographical Material

Correspondence

Letter to Aviva Cantor about Jewish Chronicle Reporting on "Modern Orthodoxy's Identity Crisis" (1969)

Dear Aviva: Thank you so very much for your thoughtfulness in sending in the clippings from the Jewish Chronicle to us. Frankly I was happier with your news report than with the editorial. You were objective, practical and competent in digesting the article in Jewish Life for your readers. The editorial, while it was certainly flattering, was inaccurate in referring to my views as a "paraphrase" of those of Louis Jacobs. I have still not decided whether to reply to the editorial but whatever I do I want you to know how well I think of your competence.All of this, you know, could have been foreseen by the marvelous report on the Ramban which a little girl called Aviva Cantor submitted to her seventh grade teacher in the early months of 1952...I would love to keep in contact with you and hope you will stop by to say hello after the summer.Warmest regards,Cordially,RNL:P.S. is there any reason why you omitted mentioning Jewish Life as the source of my remarks?
Biographical Material

Correspondence

Letter to William Frankel about Jewish Chronicle Reporting on "Modern Orthodoxy's Identity Crisis" (1969)

Sirs: Your August 1 issue, containing a news report and editorial concerning my views on “Modern Orthodoxy's identity crisis," arrived during my absence from New York. Hence, the delay in reacting to your comments. The report was accurate in summarizing my position on the need for "Modern Orthodoxy" (a term I dislike, but for which I have found no adequate substitute) to interpret its outlook religiously and unapologetically. My full statement appears in the May-June issue of Jewish Life. Your editorial, however, misstates my views vis-a-vis the differences of opinion that prevail in England. While I appreciate your flattering remarks, I fear that your concluding paragraph vitiates the kind things you said about me. Any objective person who is acquainted with my views and those of Rabbi Jacobs will be astonished to learn that "Rabbi Lamm's thoughts are almost a paraphrase of the approach of Dr Jacobs which made him unacceptable to our Orthodox Establishments." I suspect that Dr Jacobs will take exception to this assertion equally with me.I have consistently insisted that Judaism must be based upon the halakhic commitment and the acceptance of tora min ha-shamayim, and have opposed Franz Rosenzweig's approach permitting a ‘subjective’ selection of which laws and observances to perform. For this reason I am clearly "Orthodox," and am so affiliated, whereas Dr Jacobs has apparently abandoned this position and has so indicated by his membership in the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly.There is no need to belabor the issue. To be critical of Orthodoxy does not and should not make one's Orthodoxy suspect, nor is it grounds for declaring one's views a “paraphrase” of one who is dissociated from this community. Indeed, without in any way committing Dr Jakobovits to prior approval of my opinions, I feel that the Chief Rabbi would not disagree with my contention that our engagement with the world, and particularly our involvement in higher “secular” education, shou…
Biographical Material