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Correspondence

June 11, 1973

Letter from R. Mandel about State of Jewry in Auckland, New Zealand (1973)

Australia & New Zealand
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Correspondence

Letter to R. Mandel about Kosher Accommodations in New Zealand (1973)

My dear Rabbi Mandel: About two years ago, I gave a series of lectures at the Harry Fischel Institute in Jerusalem. At that time, I believe you were connected with the Institute. I may be mistaken, but that is my impression. At any rate, whether you are or are not the person I have in mind, I do hope you will permit me to impose upon you with a number of queries for information. Mrs. Lamm and I plan to spend about four weeks in Australia on a series of lectures this coming summer (winter for you). On our return trip, we were thinking of spending a week or ten days in New Zealand. We would want to leave Australia for New Zealand some time immediately after תשעה באב.Now, my question is whether you know of any strictly kosher people who are willing to accommodate travelers in Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch. Of course, we are willing to pay for all accommodations.This will considerably facilitate what we hope will be a brief motor tour through your country. In the event that kosher facilities in any or all of these communities, would you be kind enough to let me know if there are any hotels or motels nearby should we decide to spend a Shabbat in such community.Do let me hear from you as soon as possible, and many many thanks in advance for responding to me.Cordially,Rabbi Norman LammNL:cw
Australia & New Zealand

Correspondence

Letter to R. Mandel about Lecturing and Kashrut Arrangements in Auckland, New Zealand (1973)

My dear Rabbi Mandel: It was a genuine pleasure hearing from you and receiving your most gracious invitation, which my wife and I cordially accept. Your description of the condition of New Zealand Jewry is certainly depressing, and I can appreciate the tone of your letter. I have always felt that it is people such as yourself in the rabbinate who are manning the loneliest outposts of Jewry, and therefore deserve all the more credit than those of us who have the good fortune to be in the large centered. It will be my pleasure to preach in your congregation on Shabbat נחמו and to be your guest for that Shabbat. I do hope that we are not imposing upon you and your kind wife.In answer to your inquiry, I expect to be arriving in Auckland on Thursday, August 9 אי"ה, 12:45 P.M. aboard Quantas #850. My wife should be arriving the same day, at 3:15 P.M. aboard TE #222. I certainly do not want to inconvenience you, and therefore it will be more than adequate if you meet me at the airport at the later date, because I prefer to wait for my wife end greet her upon landing.Your description of the deplorable condition of kashrut in New Zealand certainly makes travel more difficult for observant Jews. Nevertheless, we are determined to do the best we can, and will attempt to survive on what little kosher processed food you have and what we can bring in with us from Australia. Our present intentions are to rent a car in Auckland from Sunday morning, August 12 and from there to visit Waitomo and Rotorua and from there proceed to Wellington. We there would like to leave the car and take the overnight ferry to Christchurch, and perhaps take the air excursions which I have read about.I wonder if you know how we can make provisions for kosher food were we to spend Shabbat in Christchurch or Wellington. If that is impossible, we shall try to be back in Auckland for the second Shabbat, because we expect to leave for the States on August 19 and 20 (my wife and I do not travel on the same a…
Australia & New Zealand

Correspondence

Letter to R. Mandel about Spending Shabbat in Wellington, New Zealand (1973)

Dear Rabbi Mandel: I was lust visited by Chief Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovitz, and he recommended that I spend my second Shabbat in Wellington. He mentioned the name of Rabbi Rosenfeld. Would you be kind enough to let me have his name and address so that I may write to him? If you answer before 1 July, please write to me at my New York address. Otherwise, c/o Bachrach, 1003 Howey Court, 234 Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000 AUSTRALIA.Rabbi Jakobovitz and his wife send you their fondest regards.Cordially yours,Rabbi Norman LammNL:cw
Australia & New Zealand