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Correspondence

Feb. 23, 1971

Letter to Ari Goldman about Publicizing Rosh Chodesh Issue in The Commentator (1971)

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

Dear Norman: I occasionally get regards from you, and the reports are unanimous in praise of your efforts and achievements. I trust that you and your wife are enjoying your life in South Africa and that you are getting a feeling of סיפוק נפש. What brings me to write to you now is a matter of some urgency. I am enclosing a Xerox copy of an article which was published in the Jerusalem Post concerning the Plan that I devised and which was subsequently introduced to the Knesset. The Plan is designed to benefit not only orthodox Jews but secularist Jews as well. It is non-political in nature and takes as its major interest both Shabbat and Klal Yisrael. In several weeks the Knesset will take up the Plan. The probability is that it will be defeated this time, but if we collect enough signatures of people in the Diaspora who look favorably on the Plan, then the next time a Sabbath Srists rocks the country the Plan will be recalled and may be of some use in effecting a reconciliation. The people who are pushing it in the Knesset have asked me urgently to get as many people as possible to sign a telegram to Golda Meir. I enclose, in addition to the Jerusalem Post article, a copy of a letter I have sent to a number of prominent Americans and a copy of the cable going to Golda. A strong expression from people in South Africa who are known to the Israeli Government, i.e., anyone who has achieved prominence in the wider community will go a long way in helping bring the matter to the attention of Golda and to members of the Knesset, to whom I shall be writing and sending a list of the signatories. My most urgent request to you, therefore, is that you speak to prominent people in the country, explain the Plan to them and solicit their consent for a cable to Golda. Now, if you can obtain such consent by a week after Pesach I would request that you call me by phone and give me their names or else cable them into me. When that comes I will simple add them plus the cities of their re…
Rosh Chodesh Plan

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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