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March 8, 1971

Letter from R. Lieberman about Bill to Make Rosh Chodesh a Rest Day (1971)

Rosh Chodesh Plan
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Letter from R. Jakobovits about Bill to Make Rosh Chodesh a Rest Day (1971)

Dear Norman, Many thanks for your interesting letter of March 15th. Yes. As a matter of fact, I saw only a few days ago your intriguing proposal, as published in the Jerusalem Post, reprinted in the Chayenu Hadatim, published by the Misvat Hadatot. Your suggestion certainly sounds like a highly ingenious response to an increasingly pressing social problem, and on the whole it commends itself to me as a perfectly feasible project. On the practical side, I only wonder how it will be possible to differentiate between the first and the second days of Rosh Chodesh, and how the rather irregular sequence of non-working days (unevenly spread over 7 to 9 days a year) will be accepted in the working calendar, especially by the increasingly computerized business community. Since I am due to visit Israel for a week starting next Sunday (to attend the Annual Meeting of the Governors of the Hebrew University), I would like to make a few soundings on your proposal and the reaction to it before pursuing it further, possibly on the lines suggested in your letter. I will certainly let you know the results of my soundings and representations. With fondest regards, Very sincerely yours, Dr. Immanuel Jakobovits
Rosh Chodesh Plan

Correspondence

Letter to R. Rosenbaum about Lobbying for Israeli Rosh Chodesh Bill (1971)

Dear Irving: We owe each other a conversation about the Jerusalem Seminary project, and I hope that we will have that opportunity right after Pesach. Meanwhile, I am pleased at the help you gave to Rabbi Cohen and I know that I have been working hard for him too. Meanwhile, I wonder if I can solicit your assistance on the problem of my Rosh Hodesh Plan, with which you are acquainted. Zevulun Hammer tells me that the more interest I can obtain from prominent American Jews, the more seriously will the Mapai take the whole idea. Personally, I think it will fail on its first attempt, but if we can get enough support behird it, then, when the next big crisis over Shabbat arises, they may dig it up again and use the Rosh Hodesh Plan in one form or another. Hence, my request: can you show this letter, or preferably send a from of this letter by yourself, to people who might be interested? Among the signatories so far are Reiman and Siegel of the Conservatives, Borowitz of the Reform, bellyveld of the American Jewish Congress, Hershel Schacter of the American Conference on Soviet Jewry, and Solomon Sharfman of the Synagogue Council of America, and industrialists such as Max Stem and Jakob Michael• I need many more names and I am very, very anxious to get it done as soon asppossible. Since this is non-political and not in the form of pressure but rather in the form of request, it should be less difficult to obtain the consent of prominent pro-Israel Jews. My warmest regards to your wife and best wishes for a Cordially yours, Rabbi Norman Lamm
Rosh Chodesh Plan

Correspondence

Letter to Member of Knesset Advocating for Rosh Chodesh Bill (1971)

חבר-כנסת נכבד, הנני מתכבד לשלוח אליך ר״ב העתק של מברק שנשלח אתמול לכבוד ראש הממשלה. החותמים הם מבני עלייה ביהדות ארה״ב, ראשי מוסדות וארגונים ציבוריים, דתיים ואקדמיים מכל הזרמים והעדות, וגם בעלי צדקה מפורסמים ואנשי מחשבה והוגי דעות. מגמתנו בזה היא לא הפעלת לחץ כלשהי אלא הבעת דאגת כמה ממנהיגי יהדות אמריקה על המתח הדתי במדינה. אם כי מדברים היום בעיקר על בעיות של אישות, הלא הפרובלימה של שבת במדינה עדיין לא באה על תיקונה. החותמים מבקשים שהפתרון שהוצע בעניין ראש חודש יזכה לדיון בכובד ראש. יודעים אנו היטב על המצב הכלכלי במדינה, ובאנו רק לחזק ידי אלה הסוברים שגם איחוד האומה והשלום הפנימי אין לזלזל בהם. הפולמוסים הדתיים, כפי שהם מתנהלים לרוב, אין בהם משום הנאה יתירה לתדמית המדינה כאן. החותמים על המברק, שכולם הינם שוחרי טובתה של המדינה בכל המובנים, מפצירים בכם לעזור לפתרון הבעיה, לפחות פתרון חלקי וזמני, על-ידי הצעת תכנית ראש חודש. תודתי נתונה לך מראש. בכבוד, נחום לאם.
Rosh Chodesh Plan