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Correspondence

January 1967

Exchange with Rabbi about R. Lamm's Participation at Interdenominational HaDoar Dinner (1967)

Orthodoxy & Other Denominations

1. Correspondent K to R. Lamm

1. Correspondent K to R. Lamm (Jan. 17, 1967)

1. Correspondent K to R. Lamm (Jan. 17, 1967)

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Correspondence

Exchange with Baruch Litvin about His Misgivings Concerning R. Lamm's Participation at HaDoar Dinner (1966)

Dear Rebbi, Shalom: I hope this letter finds you and your family well in every respect. You will note by the above address that I am in Florida trying to recuperate from the illness and the operation. I do make progress but as yet have not completely recovered, but have hope that Hashem will help me. I was greatly distressed and depressed – mildly speaking – that Dr. Belkin was going to the Synagogue Council who has chosen to honor the heads of our 3 major seminaries, unquote. But I have no words to express my pain reading the following words in the Jewish newspaper (enclosing the announcement): “Three Religious Yiddishe Firerers will be honored,” and to my great astonishment—Reform and Conservative—and your being with them will naturally give status to them, recognition that they are religious leaders. Vehamaskil Yavin...So *Ani Hakoton*, Rabbi Lamm's *Chosid*, Baruch ben Moshe Ber, Ben Shlomoh, appeal to you to withdraw your name and declare publicly why.I am quoting to you what Rav Maimon זצ״ל wrote to Ben-Gurion in the matter of “Who is a Jew?” I quote:> “As a friend, I advise and wish that you, like other great men of Israel, will know how to rise above any considerations of personal honor. Acknowledge the truth and publicly declare: ‘As for the word I have spoken, I have made a mistake.’ This will be your greatness and your glory.”Should you ask yourself, what will be the gain? I then will quote again Isaiah, chapter 6, verse 9 and on. Look up the Malbim: when G-d tells Isaiah that he will fail, the prophet asks: then why should I go? And G-d answers him why he should go.And in the words of Buber on his essay “Plato and Isaiah,” at one place he states: Isaiah's failure is an integral part of the way he must take, and finishes his essay:> “But when the prophet feels like one who finds himself surrounded by wild beasts, he cannot withdraw to the role of a silent spectator, as Plato did. He must speak his message. The message will be misunderstood, misinte…

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Exchange with R. Maurice Schwartz about Allowing a Conservative Rabbi to Give Yavneh Lecture at The Jewish Center (1976)

Gentlemen: I was greatly distressed to learn that the lecture on Marriage vs. Divorce in Halacha scheduled for this Sunday at the Jewish Center will be given by a conservative rabbi. The Yavneh organization was founded to perpetuate Torah Judaism, and by inviting non-Orthodox rabbis to lecture you are undermining the very aim and goal of Yavneh. We have hundreds of capable Orthodox rabbis in the New York area to speak on this vital subject. Members of the RCA Beth Din, I believe, would be most qualified as they deal with this subject daily. Trusting you will take this matter under advisement, I remain, sincerely yours, Rabbi Maurice L. Schwartz

Correspondence

Letter from the "Torah Action Committee" Threatening R. Lamm about Position on Interdenominational Dialogue (1966)

Rabbi Norman Lamm... We were shocked to read that you too are throwing overboard tradition and loyalty to the Gedolim... and have accepted to join a Reform and Conservative rabbi... as guest of honor for the Hadoar Dinner... We shall wait 10 days... until Dec. 8th. If no retraction in paper... we shall appeal to leaders of The Jewish Center to dismiss you because of your dissent and abrogation of Torah authority. Please remove this Chilul Hashem at once. Have mercy on Torah and your Roshei Hayeshiva. Torah Action Committee – YU Branch
Orthodoxy & Other Denominations