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Correspondence

July 1961

Exchange with R. Gotthold about the Israeli Rabbinate and Recruiting a Rabbi for India (1961)

Combating Assimilation Who Is a Jew? India

1. R. Lamm to R. Gotthold

1. R. Lamm to R. Gotthold (July 4, 1961)

1. R. Lamm to R. Gotthold (July 4, 1961)

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Exchange with Haham Gaon about Gittin for Bene Israel (1961)

Dear Haham Gaon, I sincerely regret that because of our different schedules it was impossible for me to meet you personally in England to carry on the conversation we had begun in New York on the problems of Indian Jewry. I do hope, however, that as soon as my reports are written up after my return to New York please G-d, copies will be made available to you. Meanwhile I am turning to you on a problem of immediate importance. I have just returned to Bombay from Calcutta where the community is now paralysed because of controversies precipitated by Beth Din policies and by personality problems with Rabbi [redacted].As of this past week the Jewish Association has terminal the contract of [redacted]. Two factions, pro and anti-Rabbi, are stubbornly opposed to each other. The straw that broke the camel's back was the problem of how strict to be in accepting converts. The Beth Din had adopted a policy which was almost absolutely exclusivist. [redacted] favoured a more liberal attitude. The latter thereupon proceeded to perform his own conversion withoutBeth Din’s authorisation and the entire Beth Din resigned. Since then the local Hazanim have undertaken to perform conversions upon their own authority, but this has largely been stopped due to the exertions of [redacted] and others. The Jewish Association has publicly called for elections to the Beth Din in about two weeks.At a conversation with all factions – and I shall give you many more details at some later date – I have got their agreement to postpone elections to Beth Din, to organise synagogues under the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of India and to have the Union be the sponsoring agency of the Beth Din. All factions agreed to submit to the discipline of the Beth Din provided that all members of the Beth Din will subscribe to the general principles I have proposed pending your approval.I have told them that I will not give them the exact talks of my proposals, but that it will officially have to come fro…
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Exchange with R. Sherer about Bene Israel and Marriage (1961)

Dear Reb Nochem: As you were in India, I would appreciate your personal comments on the enclosed brochure which I received in this morning's mail. Many thanks and warmest personal regards. Sincerely yours, Moshe Sherer Rabbi Moshe Sherer Executive Vice-President
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Correspondence

Letter to R. Gotthold about Marrying Bene Israel (1961)

Dear Rabbi Gotthold: Please accept my expressions of admiration at the dispatch with which you handled the "Indian purity" affair. I must say that I cannot blame the Bene Israel for their agitation. At the same time, I am completely nonplussed by what seems to be Rabbi Nissim's acquiescence to the delegation which visited him and his agreement to affirm the permissive decisions of the two late Chief Rabbis, especially after he hedged when I broached the matter to him several months ago. I am glad to hear, however, that he is now ready to go along with the "heter." I do not recall if I have kept you abreast of my own correspondence on this matter. I have written to Rabbi Rozovsky some four times asking him to publish his essay, then to add, if he feels unqualified, that the discussion is meant as theoretical and not in the form of a legal decision. He has not as much as answered one of my letters, although he promised to when I visited him in Bnai Brak.Neither has Rabbi Unterman in Tel Aviv answered me yet, although I discussed the matter with him too when I was in Israel. I am certainly most interested in receiving a copy of the paper by Rabbi Rozovsky which, I gather from your letter, Rabbi Itamar has in his possession.I am confident that you will do your level best to urge the rabbinate to come to a decision – one way or the other – very quickly and conclusively.With regard to the technical questions concerning Nagavker, I am leaving that and all other matters of this nature in the capable hands of Dr. Samson R. Weiss, who will be contacting you about them.I will discuss with Dr. Weiss your recommendation that Rabbi Shweika be sent to Bombay as a rabbi. Perhaps you ought to send to Dr. Weiss (who is in constant contact with me) a description in somewhat greater detail of Rabbi Shweika's qualifications as well as the expected remuneration, etc.Thank you once again, and do let me hear from you about Tradition.Sincerely yours,Rabbi Norman Lamm
Combating Assimilation Who Is a Jew? India