Home The Rabbi as Spiritual Leader / The Rabbi as Spiritual Leader / Letter to Michael Hazani about Sherut Le'umi Dispute (1971)

Correspondence

Oct. 21, 1971

Letter to Michael Hazani about Sherut Le'umi Dispute (1971)

Zionism
View The Text

This content is currently available in its original PDF format. As we expand the library, we plan to add a text version as well.

RELATED CONTENT

Correspondence

Letter to Consul Zohar about His New Year's Gift (1963)

My Dear Mr. Zohar: Please accept my sincerest thanks, in which Mrs. Lamm and the children join me, for your kind and thoughtful gift and your generous sentiments on the eve of this new year. May G-d grant that this year be for you and your family one of health, happiness, and success, and for the State of Israel and all our people throughout the world one of peace, greater dedication to Torah, and serenity. Sincerely, Rabbi Norman Lamm.
Zionism

Correspondence

Letter to R. Zev Segal about the Internal Strife at Shaarei Zedek Hospital and its Effect on Communal Leaders (1969)

Dear Zev: Some time ago, I appeared at a meeting of the RCA Executive Committee, together with Dr. Irving Greenberg, and discussed with you and the Executive the means whereby RCA could help in the unfortunate disputes surrounding Shaare Zedek Hospital and [redacted]. At that time, the decision was to postpone any action until you personally could seek some means of solving the problem through quiet negotiation. Since I have not heard from you these past several months, I assume that these efforts were unsuccessful.I think the time has come for all of us to stand up and be counted in the matter of Shaare Zedek.I am not referring to the actual controversy concerning [redacted]. I myself happen to be a supporter and admirer of his. However, I can understand that honorable men can have a point of view different from my own, much as I might disagree with them.What I am concerned about is the degradation of this controversy into the ugliest kind of polemics that our community — often bedevilled by disruptive disputes — has suffered in a long, long time.While Orthodox organizations, who frequently express themselves on issues remote from immediate Torah concerns, have remained thunderously silent, three distinguished Orthodox Jews have suffered scandalous humiliation and insult because of their support of Shaare Zedek and \_\_. I think you will agree that Max Stern, Ludwig Jesselson, and Charles Bendheim are three of the most philanthropic Jews in Orthodox Jewry throughout the world. There is not a single worthy Jewish cause that has not benefited from their munificence. Without them, Shaare Zedek Hospital would probably not survive, let alone expand.Because of the \_\_, groups of unscrupulous hotheads, from various circles, have been picketing their offices at odd times and distributing scurrilous literature with their pictures printed on these sheets. The Chillul Hashem has been enormous, as you can well understand. Non-Orthodox Jews who have witnessed these spectacles…
Zionism

Correspondence

Letter to Nathan Offenbacher about Religious Problems at Hebrew University (1972)

Dear Nathan: It was a pleasure receiving your New Year’s card with your enthusiastic message on it. I am genuinely pleased at your affirmative reaction to Israel and that you are satisfied with and making progress in your studies. Most of all, I am delighted about your attitude to the religious problems that beset Hebrew University. Israel is a country where if you do not assert yourself you will be ignored, and if you do, you will be respected even if you are opposed. Mrs. Lamm joins me in wishing you a happy new year and a year of great success in all your works, of personal growth and happiness. Cordially, Rabbi Norman Lamm
Zionism