Letter from R. Joseph Lookstein about "Spring Piyyutim" from The Jewish Center (1960)

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My dear Norman: Thank you very much for your lovely note. I wish I could answer it in Hebrew, but my dictaphone doesn’t understand the language. Of late I have had to resort to a dictaphone. That’s how heavy correspondence has been. I am glad that you found the article interesting. As a matter of fact, I am now translating it into English, and it will be ready very soon. Maybe, you have some idea as to how it can receive the prominence that I would like it to receive, not for my own honor but for the sake of the University.

Thank you also for the lovely "good word" that you conveyed in your letter. It certainly fits the subject that I discussed.

I want to thank you for sending me the "Spring Piyyutim" published by the Center. I envy you that your congregation did it. I had it in mind for a long time. As a matter of fact, not only these "Piyyutim", but "Selichoth" and other supplementary prayers really beg for proper publication, proper translation, and proper rendition. Maybe, one of these days something will be done about it.

Thanks again.

Very cordially yours,

Joseph H. Lookstein

JHL:js

Letter to Herman Gottesman about Endeavor to Solicit Members of The Jewish Center to Raise Minyan Attendance (1964)

Dear Mr. Gottesman, I have prepared the enclosed letter and return postal card, with the approval of Rabbi Jung in an attempt to improve our minyan attendance. This has been done with the understanding that you will be kind enough to lend your services to the endeavor. Previous experience has shown us that a follow-through by the Ritual Director or Executive Director simply does not work. Our laymen will have to be contacted, by a fellow layman. I feel that whereas some work will have to be done to get the initial agreements of our membership to the project, afterwards it will be able to work more or less automatically, supervised by either one of the two people mentioned above. I would like you, first, to make one decision: do we solicit every member of the Center, and therefore try equally hard to enroll each and every one in our project; or do we concentrate only on those who most likely will give their consent? If we decide to contact every member, then the letter can stay as is. If not, then the first sentence of the fourth paragraph must be changed, substituting the word "You" for the underlined words in that paragraph. I leave that decision to you. Please inform me as soon as possible of your decision. I do not think it proper to proceed on the whole project, unless we can be sure there will be significant follow-up. Sincerely, Rabbi Norman Lamm

Prayer The Jewish Center

Letter to Morris Green about Minyan Attendance and Jewry Duty (1964)

Dear Mr. Green: Rabbi Jung and I are very grateful to you for having presented a luminous example of consistently punctual attendance during the two weeks of your "Jewry duty." May I hope that in good health and spirits you will be able to perform a similar Mitzvah for many years. With warmest wishes to you and your dear ones, Sincerely, Rabbi Norman Lamm cc: Mr. Julius

Prayer The Jewish Center

Letter to Harvey Litt about Minyan Attendance and Jewry Duty (1976)

Dear Harvey: I have contacted four people who, together with yourself, will constitute the committee to implement the ideas we discussed concerning minyan attendance. All of them agreed that they would await your phone call, attend the meeting, and divide the names of those who are likely candidates to attend either once a month, in response to your “Choose a Number from 1-30” plan, or more often, such as a two-week period during the year, or once every week. I suggest that you call the meeting and make sure that either Rabbi Wermuth or Cantor Wietschnr attend together with you. Rabbi Wermuth will prepare for you a list of likely candidates who should or will respond to such an invitation. Your committee can then divide up the names and make the calls. You ought to decide upon a common approach to the people who are called. The five people who are awaiting your call, and who have agreed to serve, are as follows: Sol Gold (home number: SU7-5668; business number: 787-7815), Irving Kobrin (home number: 787-1087; business number: SW5-2100), Sam Scher (home number: TR7-3578; business number: 873-4160), and Abraham Tennenbaum (home number: SU7-0756; business number: WA5-1020). Please let me know what progress you make, and thank you ever so much for volunteering to head up this committee. Warmest regards to Jane. Cordially yours, Rabbi Norman Lamm.

Prayer The Jewish Center