Exchange with Teddy Kaplan and Ludwig Jesselson about Bar-Ilan Real Estate Purchase (1973)

1. Teddy Kaplan to R. Lamm (March 20, 1973)

View Text View Original

March 20, 1973

Dear Sir,

I hope that this letter finds you in the best of health as it leaves me.

Since your departure from Israel I have not heard anything further from you in connection with Dr. Bergglas' villa in Schchunath Hillel, or Dr. Bar's Villa in Ramat Chen.

I know of the two houses that you and your good wife saw, Dr. Bergglas's house in Schchunath Hillel interested you the most. Dr. Bergglas's address is as follows:

Ave. Leopold-Robert 108

La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland)

Sir, could you kindly let me know what developments have taken place since your departure.

Thanking you, I remain, Dear Sir,

Sincerely yours,

Teddy Kaplan

Director.

Next Letter

Exchange with Dr. Werblowsky about Declining Offer for Bar-Ilan Presidency (1973)

לכ' השם הטוב ר' נורמן לאם יצו',I am asking Walter Wurzburger to act as a שליח מצוה and take this letter and enclosure to New York. At home I has heard rumours that דיברו בך נכבדות in corr. with the Bar-Ilan University and I fervently hoped that things would work out and that you'd come. I was very disappointed when I learned that there was little likelihood of your immediate coming to Bar-Ilan. You know that I am not orthodox (and in many areas – including the public, social & political re – even military antiorthodox) but I wish you and the like of you were in Israel. After all, even as "opponents" one wishes people whom we can respect, honour and love.

Biographical Material

Exchange with Ludwig Jesselson about Invitation to Groundbreaking of SAR Academy (1971)

Dear Rabbi & Mrs, Lamm: November 21 is a day of very special celebration for us and for the Jewish community. I want to invite you to share and grace this occasion. On November 21, 1971 at 10:30 A.M. the ground-breaking for our new S/A/R Academy building will take place at the Toscanini estate, 655 West 254th Street, in the presence of leading notables in communal, public and religious life. Our new building is pioneering - the first Jewish day school with an open plan structure - and an architectural landmark as well. It is another major step, we hope, toward the building of Jewish life in America on the firm foundation of intensive Jewish religious education. I feel that as a friend, a leading figure in American Jewish life and one who treasures Jewish education, your presence would add importance and joy to the occasion. I therefore am happy to extend this invitation to you to join us as our guests at this occasion. I look forward to greeting you personally. Sincerely, Ludwig Jesselson

Biographical Material

Exchange with Rabbi about Academic Opportunities (1974)

Dear Norman and family, This letter and especially the return address on the envelope may come as a surprise to you, unless your parents, from whom I got your address when I met them at [redacted] about a month ago, have brought you up to date on the facts. Just in case they have not, I will try to do so as concisely as possible so the shock will not be great. On Friday, August 3, my mother a”h passed away. Not having a place to live at once, I was entertained in Queens for a time, and it inconvenienced the household. In my present condition, I came to reside at this nursing home in [redacted], and I accommodated myself tightly. It is also near a lot of people that I know from the Synagogue, so it is thoughtful and the best place to live at the present. The home and nursing schedule is nice, and I have many other familiar schoolmates and friends of mine, and the brothers and sisters do not lack company. In fact, the recreation is on a certain scale and I can come once weekly and listen to Sunday music, and I admit that it adds all with. Besides that, we taken out quite a few of my $730 with me, and eventually will bring out the rest when the year of rent is up. I hope to bring out my high fidelity set and records so that perhaps I will begin to feel at home. Several of the boys are able to visit and call every once in awhile, but I suppose that is over for the time being, or at least as long as our Orthodox cousins prefer to be haughty and fight the hand that tries to pull them into itself. Some of us announced their quiet evening Friday services when they recite their Krias in Bible, which they also conduct on Shabbos and Yom Tov and wanted to take me at times to picnics or gala affairs where everyone was arranged to taste of the Torah. Otherwise many of the youth home and camp projects for the children have items in common with our projects here and there. But I perioded for me a convenient place to sit and sleep and all necessaries provided including strictly K…

Biographical Material