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Correspondence

January 1963

Exchange with R. Strassfeld about "Midstream" Reporting of Meeting with Cardinal Spellman (1963)

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1. R. Strassfeld to R. Lamm

1. R. Strassfeld to R. Lamm (Jan. 3, 1963)

1. R. Strassfeld to R. Lamm (Jan. 3, 1963)

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Correspondence

Exchange with Leo Pfeffer about "Midstream" Reporting of Meeting with Cardinal Spellman (1962)

Rabbi Dr. J. B. Soloveitchik has read and approved of the text of the enclosed statement and will gladly confirm it to you if you so wish. Kindly let us have back the enclosed copy of the statement with your signature for our files. In my article in the recent (December 1962) issue of Midstream I made mention of a visit paid to Cardinal Spellman by two New York Rabbis and reported what I had understood to be the substance of their conversation. I have now been authoritatively informed that the visit was of a purely private nature (following prior consultations with national Jewish communal and rabbinic authorities), and that the facts were not as reported. In the conversations, there was not the slightest attempt made to deny or apologize for any Jewish organizations or attitudes. There was no mention whatever made of the Lord's Prayer or any other religious exercises in the public schools, and no promise was requested or given to issue any statement or pursue any policy with regard to public issues, as alleged in my article. In view of the above, I readily withdraw my erroneous statement, and express my deep regret for any distress or misunderstanding caused as a result of this report. In my article in the recent (December 1962) issue of "Midstream," I made mention of a visit paid to Cardinal Spellman by two New York Rabbis and reported what I understood to be the substance of their conversation. I have now been authoritatively informed that the visit was a purely private and unofficial nature, and the facts were not as reported. The content of their conversation was completely unlike that which had originally been conveyed to me. I regret any distress which may have been caused to the Rabbis in question as a result of this report.
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Correspondence

Letter to R. Joseph Lookstein about "Midstream" Reporting of Meeting with Cardinal Spellman (1962)

Dear Rabbi Lookstein: I really and truly appreciate the time and effort you take to concern yourself with my recent entanglement. I therefore thank you very much for your letter of December 27th and the clipping from The Jewish Chronicle. As a matter of fact, I had already seen this clipping from our friend [redacted]. Your suggestion, "read it and smile," is accepted by me with gratitude. Perhaps when you read the enclosed photocopy of an article by Leo Pfeffer in the recent *Midstream* you will think I ought to howl uncontrollably...As I told you when we met at the wedding, I would like to tell you the whole story and perhaps you will appreciate how a project conceived in good will and executed in what was supposed to be the greatest confidence has been betrayed and maligned in a manner so grotesque as to make the whole thing seem a trifle surrealistic — as if I were living in a world created by a Kafka.At any rate, with regard to the article by \[name omitted], she has far surpassed the malice of which I thought she was capable. The fact is that some three weeks ago I called her and informed her of the real facts in the situation. This means, quite clearly, that she is not only not interested in the truth, but is actively engaged in creating vicious falsehoods in a manner consistent with the feline of the species. But, as you say, "read it and smile." In the future I suspect it will have to be an either-or choice: either read or smile...I am still awaiting that long-promised talk with you which will be, of course, at your convenience.Fondest regards to Mrs. Lookstein.Very cordially yours,NL\:ffRABBI NORMAN LAMMEncl---**Midstream***A Quarterly Jewish Review*December 1962Articles:* HERBERT WEINER – The Case for the Timorous Jew: Reflections on Church and State in America* LEO PFEFFER – Counterreflections on Church and State* SH. YIN'AM – Nehru — Portrait of a Neutralist* NISSIM REJWAN – Israel's Arab Citizens* HENRY KATZEW – Jews in the Land of Apartheid* RONALD S…
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Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Rabinowitz on Leak of Meeting with Cardinal Spellman (1963)

My Dear Dr. Rabinowitz: I just received this morning from Mrs. Max Stern your letter and the enclosed article you submitted for TRADITION. I do regret that we have not had the opportunity to communicate with each other as much as I would have liked to. Hence, as long as I am writing, let me be a bit elaborate, at least sufficiently to clear up certain misconceptions. You mention that you are in touch with my activities through the press, and hence are aware of my visit to the Cardinal with Rabbi Jakobovits. It seems, unfortunately, that in our mortal and imperfect society the impressions a man makes bear but little resemblance to the actual nature of his activities. The visit you speak of was quite innocuous. I was promised that not a word of it would be breathed to the public. Regretfully, and to my great disappointment it was "leaked" by a source whom I never would have suspected. Both Jakobovits and I were deeply distressed. The visit was magnified beyond all proportions. The report you refer to is, no doubt, the one contained in the Jewish Chronicle in the article by [redacted.] Her report is, to put it mildly false in all its main of truth la the fact of the visit. Everything else that she mentions is a complete and hair raising distortion. what complicates the injustice that she has done is the fact that I personally called her some weeks in advance of the articled appearance to inform her of the actual facts as they occurred. But the lady was so passionately interested in condemning Rabbi Jakobovits for a variety of reasons, all quite emotional, that I do not believe she paid attention to what I told her. fey I assure you, therefore, that the report was pernicious, and a conscious distortion and fabrication. I had considered writing to the Chronicle (I had even originally thought of action in the courts against Leo Pfeffer, the first source of these mendacities), but I thought the better of it. Experience has taught that the more you deny, the more the origi…
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