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Correspondence

May 7, 1961

Letter from Saul Penkar Enclosing Palm Print from India (1961)

India
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Correspondence

Letter from Saul Penkar to Moses Feuerstein about R. Lamm's Visit to India (1961)

Dear Mr. Feuerstein, Allow me to address these few lines to you after a considerable lapse of time though correspondence exchanged between Dr. Weiss and myself must have been viewed by you. Rabbi Norman Lamm, the magnificent orator, has done a marvellous job to strengthen the U.O.J.C.I., and the extensive plan he has chalked out with the Jt. Hon. Secretary Mr. A.D. Jhirad will be put into effect as soon as he is able to assume office of the Executive Director.Rabbi Lamm was literally put through the mill with a very tight programme. However he was able to study at close quarters the situation obtaining here. We were also very lucky to have Mr. Max Stern at the meeting of the Executive and he too has been apprised of the difficulties and problems facing the U.O.J.C.I.The gist of sermons delivered by Rabbi Lamm at various institutions is being published in the issue of "Mebasser", copies of which will be posted as soon as ready.Rabbi Lamm was much perturbed to see the conditions of Jews in the villages, and especially the dilapidated and pitiable condition of the two very old Synagogues of Pen and Panvel. He was kind enough to assure the Congregations that he would try and interest some congregations in America to come to their rescue. Principally, salaries of two Hazanim, who will also teach Hebrew and religion to the local children and those of the surrounding villages, are to be arranged.Incidentally, I may bring to your kind notice that both these synagogues need repairs and whitewash. The approximate cost is estimated at Rs 1,500/- to Rs 2,000/-. If any kind donor or institution could come forward to help these institutions, through the U.0.J.C.I., we shall be greatly obliged.A copy of the balance sheet approved at the meeting of the Executive held on 1st February 1961 together with the minutes will be forwarded to you separately.I have also to inform you that a few women met together on 86th February 1961 And decided to form a Women’s Branch of the U.O.J.C.I. A…
India

Correspondence

Letter from Saul Penkar and Abraham Jhirad to Dr. Weiss about Donations to Indian Community (1968)

Dear Dr. Weiss, We were all anxiously awaiting word from you, and your letters of June 6 and 7, 1961 have made us all very happy and we are all very grateful to you for the same. When we say 'We,' we voice the feelings and opinion of all on the Executive as well as our well wishers. Permit us also to thank you for the despatch of all the publications, which we are sure will go a long way, in educating our people and creating a healthy religious atmosphere in every Jewish home. We will request you for further copies, if and when they are required.Rabbi Lamm, that wonderful person has done a wonderfully good job in establishing cordial relations with all those he met. We are also grateful to him, because he made it a point to study the entire situation obtaining here and no effort was too tiresome for him.We are approaching the Import and Export authorities to authorise us to receive shipments of gift parcels of religious books sent by you.It is very of generous of Mr. Max Stern to have donated one years salary for the Hazan at the Beth El, Panvel amounting to 250/- and for having secured for us 700/- for Tefillin from his personal friend. We shall feel obliged, if you could kindly advise Rabbi Gotthold to send the Tefillin via the route, suggested by Mr. I. Kellman, in his letter to Rabbi Gotthold.We are on the look out for a good used typewriter. We suppose we should be able to secure one at the price of five to six hundred Rupees.We give below the financial position and would request you to view it sympathetically.ReceiptsFor Office and publication UOJCA 500/- 2362.50Mr. Baris 100/- 472.00By advertisement so far collected Rs. 65/- 65.00For Tefillin and other purposes 700/- 3309.25(your letter of Dec. 26, 1960)Local collection 1257.007465.75ExpenditureFor Office Stationery Postage and Typewriter hire. 331.89 Publication of Mebasser to date. 2656.12For Tefillin 271.08For Samuel's passage, etc. 1270.92During Rabbis Weinberg and Lamms visit. 1699.006229.01The amount r…
India

Correspondence

Letter from Saul Penkar to David Mazgaonkar about the Visit of Israeli Rabbis to India (1963)

Dear Mr. Maragaonkar, Thank you for your invitation to the Conference of certain individuals convened by you. Although the propriety of your convening such a Conference is questionable, I shall not discourage you by altogether ignoring the issue. I regret, however, that I shall not attend the said Conference. The stand taken by this organisation with regards to the Bene-Israel problem in Israel is indisputable and we shall continue to fight till the issue is satisfactorily settled.Mr. I—the Jewish Agency, Bombay—has neither the authority, I am sure, nor has he the power to direct the moves of Rabbis. Whatever may be the case, the Orthodox Union refused even to discuss with this subject, leave alone accept his Rabbi.However, to put the records straight and to try and set your mind at rest, permit me to inform you that it has been the desire of the Orthodox Union to get a Rabbi to serve our community in India. It has now become possible for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and the Rabbinical Council of America, in collaboration with the Israeli Religious Ministry and the Jewish Agency in Israel, to arrange to deputize two Rabbis to India, of whom one is to stay for a period of one month and the other for four months. Before the second Rabbi leaves the shores of India, another Rabbi shall be with us for a period of at least two years, and before the departure of this Rabbi, our student Rabbi may be ordained and may return to India.All these Rabbis shall naturally be at the disposal of the entire community for all our religious problems, to guide us in the correct way of observing the different Misvoth and ceremonies, to attend to the husband-wife disputes, arrange Get whenever necessary, and also conversion according to the terms of Halacha.I, therefore, earnestly hope and pray that the Lord grant you wisdom not to rush headlong into conclusions which might be detrimental to the cause of the community as a whole.Yours sincerely,Sd/-(SAUL S. PENKAR…
India