Exchange with Myron Kaufmann about His New York Times Letter to the Editor on Middle Eastern Soviet Policy (1969)

1. Myron Kaufmann to R. Lamm (Apr. 29, 1969)

1. Myron Kaufmann to R. Lamm (April 29, 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

Exchange with M. Jaffe about the Protestant Attitude Toward Israel (1969)

Dear Rabbi Lamm, I understand that during the Arab–Israeli conflict of ’67, some of the important members of the Union Theological faculty, who incidentally were good friends of Dr. L. Finkelstein, issued a statement on behalf of the Arabs that was critical of the Jews in Israel. Will you please drop me a note as to what you know pertaining to this subject? I do not know whether or not you are acquainted with two articles that appeared in the Christian Century (7/12/61, 6/24/64) on behalf of the Jews. If you desire to read same, or do not feel like going to the trouble of searching for these articles, I will mail same to you.With best wishes, Sincerely, M. Jaffe

Zionism

Exchange with R. Isaac Freilich about State of Israel Bonds on Jewish Center Letterhead (1967)

Dear Rabbi Lamm: I am enclosing herewith two drafts of letters to be sent out on the Jewish Center letterhead, in line with our practice in the past. May I ask you to please advise me whether I can go ahead and send out these two letters as they are. In case you wish to make some corrections, you are, of course, free to do so. I would appreciate your kindness in authorizing me to send out these letters as soon as possible. Thanking you in advance, I am, Cordially yours, Rabbi Isaac B. Freilich, Director, Manhattan Div., State of Israel Bonds

Zionism

Letter to R. Siegman about His Article Regarding Criticism of Israel (1970)

Dear Henry: I am not normally the type that writes fan letters, but I received today from the R.C.A. a copy of your letter of March 26th to The Village Voice. It was more than a letter; it was a classical essay. I cherished reading every single word. You have my unbounded admiration for having said what you did so forthrightly and so well. Cordially yours, Rabbi Norman Lamm. Voice, Published weekly (Thursday) by The Village Voice, Inc.Dan Wolf, president, Edwin Fancher, secretary-treasurerSHERIDAN SQUARE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10014**March 26, 1970****A Question of Truth**Dear Sir:Simple ignorance might explain why a Michael Zwerin (“Outside: London," March 5 and 12) would not know how Israel voted in the United Nations on the subject of South Africa. To assert, however, as he does, that “Abba Eban always voted against the U.N. resolutions condemning South Africa" when the very reverse is in fact the case (Israel has repeatedly voted in the U.N. to condemn South Africa and in favor of economic sanctions, even though national self-interest would have dictated at least an abstention), is to be guilty not of ignorance, but of a deliberate lie, and reveals Zwerin, or his Israeli anti-Israel friends, or both, as malicious persons intent on defaming Israel and Jews.This maliciousness is a disease that is regrettably as common as it is unsightly—a Jewish self-hatred born of an embarrassment and an inability to come to terms with the “tribalism” of Jewish faith and Israeli nationalism.That this phenomenon is indeed a disease and not a noble universalist impulse is evident from the fact that generally the very same people who find Israeli nationalism “racist,” “tribal,” and “parochial" are entirely uncritical in their support of the nationalisms of Third World Asian and African countries, which are invariably described as “progressive,” “revolutionary,” and strangely compatible with their universalism.One is stunned by the depth and ugliness of the pathology. Zwerin’s London h…

Zionism