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Correspondence

June 1970

Exchange with Dr. Marvin Schick about R. Yitz Greenberg Correspondence and "The Moral State of Orthodoxy" (1970)

Modern Orthodoxy

1. Dr. Marvin Schick to R. Lamm

1. Dr. Marvin Schick to R. Lamm (June 16, 1970)

1. Dr. Marvin Schick to R. Lamm (June 16, 1970)

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My dear Rabbi Lamm, In a way I would like to continue our conversation of last time, when we met at your office. The fact is that there are two types of Orthodoxy. For lack of a better terminology, I think we’ll need the “doctors” and the “historians.” Writing to you, I need not elaborate. I feel very strongly – and I hope you agree with me – that the time has come to organize a working group in which the present Orthodox camp is well-represented, in which the great thinkers on its distinctive problems meet to establish its own ideals, and reach a definition of the character and nature and specific purposes it should have. Such a group should be built on the most powerful qualities and personalities we have in our generation. It should include men of the younger generation, who already today are great possibilities, and it should be evident that this group speaks for Orthodox Jewry in its most representative way. I believe many thoughtful younger people will feel themselves much more identified with an Orthodoxy which has a self-clarified and well-articulated position. Next beyond the purely congregational and communal, such a group would also have to provide the background to the undertaking of those essential scholarly programs that are discussed on the occasion of such meetings. Needless to say, not all that needs doing can be undertaken at once. But a beginning must be made. It is long overdue. I plan to be in N.Y. at the week-end of March 19, arriving Friday. If necessary, I may be able to stay to the 22nd. Would you be able to interest a few like-minded people to meet in order to discuss the idea? Shortly, I’ll write and suggest names of people. But if not, almost any time should be convenient for me. I am not writing on similar terms to Rabbi Rackman. Kindest regards, Sincerely, Eliezer Berkovits
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Dear Rabbi Lamm, I want to write to you in order to tell you that I deeply admire your religious convictions, your broad range of learning, and your ability to write clearly with much depth. No one more than I appreciates it since I along with you like to base a personal philosophy of life within the framework of Judaism. I have read your reply to the questions posed in Commentary on the August symposium and have also had occasion to read your lecture Why be Orthodox in which particularistic insights like this in common with those who are firm in Tradition and Jewish life are meaningless. In general I am very happy you have taken this stand because nothing but harm and confusion is produced among those who have long since left Orthodoxy or to those Jews in the United States whose perspective of Judaism is one brought anything but learned and committed minded scholars. As a young man of age 26 and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin in Madison in political science along with having a religious background, I have been influenced strongly by such distinguished Orthodox Jewish writers and Jewish leaders by Leo Jung, Studies in Judaism by Solomon Schechter, Man and Judaism by Eliezer Berkovits, Judaism Eternal by Samson Raphael Hirsch, Judaism, Scholasticism and Islam by Louis Ginzburg, Jewish Law and Jewish Life by Pinchas Peli, The Philosophy of Judaism by Samuel Belkin, Reconstructionism, a Critical Appraisal by Eliezer Berkovits, Judaism, A Historical Presentation by Solomon Freehof, A History of the Jewish People by Max Margolis and Alexander Marx. I have a regular subscription for the past ten years to the Jewish Observer newspaper. I usually do not buy or read Commentary except on special occasions. However I find much dignity and honesty in what is expressed. I have wondered whether there were times when both the Orthodox and the Conservative were when Judaism was being trampled under by the numbers from Eastern Europe to the United States. Certainly West…
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