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Correspondence

Feb. 9, 1971

Letter from Chaim Billet about Israeli Ministry of Education Endorsement of Gesher (1971)

Gesher Israel
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Correspondence

Letter from Chaim Billet with Financial and Organizational Updates for Gesher (1971)

Dear Rabbi Lamm: As per our telephone conversation, allow me to give you a brief summary of Gesher progress in the United States. Finances: In the last twelve months we have solicited pledges and contributions totaling approximately $38,000. This excludes the $10,000 pledge of Mr. Stanley Stern which occurred well before this period. Nine individuals have pledged $1,000 or more, including well-known philanthropists like Mr. Ludwig Jesselson and Mr. Louis Striar. The balance of the $38,000 has come from smaller donations, membership dues, and profits from our various social functions.In addition, Gesher has received grants from various agencies of the Israeli Government, and a grant from the Rothschild Foundation of England. I am requesting a precise breakdown of the nature of these grants from our Israeli office.Organization:We began the building of a broad-based membership organization here in the United States, in September of 1970. Since that time we have attracted 340 dues-paying members and expect to pass the 500 mark by the end of February 1971.A Gesher branch in Los Angeles-Beverly Hills has already raised over \$1,500, and we have firm commitments from Mr. Herbert Joshua to organize a Gesher function in Minneapolis, from Mr. Murray Cohen in Cleveland, and from Rabbi Emmanuel Forman in Toronto.In New York City we have been organizing various types of functions for our membership. The latest of these is the Champagne & Silver affair of last Saturday night which, as you know, attracted hundreds of people and was an unqualified success.We have established liaison with the National Council of Synagogue Youth, with the ultimate ambition to create a junior Gesher for pre-college youth, with NCSY youngsters at the base.In addition, we have made close contact with the Zionist Youth Foundation of America, and are presently negotiating for an office and free secretarial service at the Jewish Agency.All of these activities are being supervised by a very active Gesh…
Gesher Israel

Correspondence

Letter to Chaim Billet about Correspondence with Prime Minister Golda Meir regarding Gesher (1971)

Dear Chaim: This is the correspondence dealing with Gesher, which I discussed with you when we met. I assume that by now you have not only received a telephone call from my secretary but also acted on it in notifying Danny to send the material about Gesher to the Prime Minister as soon as possible. I have sent copies of this material to Eliezer Shefer, who is a shaliach to Mizrachi youth in New York and who, together with Mr. Shiff of Hatzofe were the ones who told me about Mrs. Meir's proposal and recommended that I act on it. It was a pleasure spending time with you this past week and I very much appreciate the efficiency with which you responded to my request. Be well. Cordially yours, Rabbi Norman Lamm
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Correspondence

Letter to Chaim Billet about Reference to R. Lamm in "The Jerusalem Letter" (1971)

Dear Mr. Billet: Your latest The Jerusalem Letter was very interesting and made informative and enjoyable reading. I am curious as to the identity of the man you mention on page 4, by the name of Rabbi Norman Lamm. It will be quite interesting if we were related since he too, according to the report, teaches at Yeshiva University. I tried to locate him at the synagogue you mention, the West Side Jewish Center and I learned from them that he was a rabbi there for 10 months in 1952. If you contact him, please ask him to call me. If you have other things of greater important to do, do them. Cordially yours, Rabbi Norman Lamm.
Gesher Israel