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Correspondence

March 13, 1970

Letter to Colleagues about Meeting to Organize Exodus March (1970)

Soviet Jewry
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Correspondence

Letter to Rabbinic Colleagues Soliciting Support for Exodus March (1970)

Dear Colleague: In the recent issue of Shedemot, published by the Kibbutz movement, there appears a paraphrase of the Yom Kippur confessional, dedicated to the Six Million. One of the verses reads: על חטא שחטאנו לפניך ולפניהם בחבוק ידים – for the sin of folded arms. This is something which, as Rabbis, we cannot let our people forget. As much as we American Jews did, we didn’t do nearly enough. While the Holocaust raged, too many of us sat by be’chibbuk yadayim, with folded arms. The reason for my writing to you now is to solicit your help in avoiding a repetition of this immoral inaction with regard to Soviet Jewry. Now that so many of them risk life and limb talking out, we must do no less.On behalf of the New York Conference on Soviet Jewry, I therefore respectfully ask your cooperation on the following two matters:(1) Alert your congregation (including your high school and college groups) to the EXODUS MARCH planned for April 26th at noon. Details on this demonstration will be forthcoming shortly. We want Greater New York Jewry to come out in the tens of thousands. We hope you will personally be pre-sent at the head of a group from your synagogue.(2) We urgently need funds to finance this EXODUS MARCH to ensure maximum publicity and thus the greatest possible effect. I therefore ask of you to obtain for this demonstration the sum of $100 either from your Pulpit Fund or congregation or interested individuals.I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important both these requests are.I plead with you to "lend a hand" -- not chibbuk yadgylm.Very cordially yours.RABBI NORMAN LAMMP.S. Your check should be made out to
Soviet Jewry

Correspondence

Letter to Rabbinic Colleagues Requesting Support for Exodus March (1970)

Dear Colleague: In the recent issue of Shedemot, published by the Kibbutz movement, there appears a paraphrase of the Yom Kippur confessional dedicated to the Six Million. One of the verses reads: על חטא שחטאנו לפניך ולפניהם, בחיבוק ידים – for the sin of folded arms. This is something which, as rabbis, we cannot let our people forget. As much as we American Jews did, we didn’t do nearly enough. While the Holocaust raged, too many of us sat by be’chibbuk yadayim – with folded arms.The reason for my writing to you now is to solicit your help in avoiding a repetition of this immoral inaction with regard to Soviet Jewry. Now that so many of them risk life and limb speaking out, we must do no less.On behalf of the New York Conference on Soviet Jewry, I therefore respectfully ask your cooperation on the following two matters:(1) Alert your congregation (including your high school and college groups) to the EXODUS MARCH planned for April 26th at noon. Details on this demonstration will be forthcoming shortly. We want Greater New York Jewry to come out in the tens of thousands. We hope you will personally be present at the head of a group from your synagogue.(2) We urgently need funds to finance this EXODUS MARCH to ensure maximum publicity and thus the greatest possible effect. I therefore ask of you to obtain for this demonstration the sum of \$100 either from your Pulpit Fund or congregation or interested individuals.I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important both these requests are.I plead with you to "lend a hand" — not chibbuk yadayim.P.S. Your check should be made out to New York Conference on Soviet Jewry, and should be mailed to David Geller, Coordinator – New York Conference on Soviet Jewry – 165 East 56 Street, New York, N.Y. 10022.For additional information, telephone PL 1-4000, Ext. 408.
Soviet Jewry

Correspondence

Letter to David Geller about Planning the Exodus March (1970)

Dear David: Welcome back. There's a great, great deal to talk about, but some things are more urgent than others. Hence, this note to bring you up on the most important matters that can brook no more delay than they've been subjected to so far. Frankly, the whole effort has suffered significantly from your absence. I only recently realized the disarray into which we have fallen. I most urgently recommend that you arrange to devote full time, or at least the major amount of your time, from now to April 26 on the Exodus March, lest the event become the debacle of the year.It will be necessary for you to get after every single committee to see what has been done, and what must yet be done. For instance, we still have no speaker. Also no program. Also no money...**Money:** At the March 26th meeting, I twisted some arms and got some people to promise to urge their organizations to help. Zivia Harris took minutes, and you ought to follow through on them at once. But even before that, it will be necessary for you to obtain the two different budgets drawn up by SSSJ on one side, and Bayer-Hill on the other. They look totally different, but that may be because they are bunched differently. This is first on the agenda.When you have set up the budget — both for the March and for regular annual operations — and, I presume, had it cleared with your coordinators such as Birnbaum, etc., please let me have it and I will immediately see Baum and Maslow of American Jewish Congress in an attempt to get from them more than the \$200 they gave so far. The \$2000 of B’nai B’rith depends on how successful I am with Congress, and they won't budge without a budget from us.**Program:** We're no place right now. We haven't got a single speaker. I don't know what you did on this front before you left, but no one has answered affirmatively. Birnbaum, Bayer, and Sheer are on this Committee — no one knows who else — and they must be contacted by you at once. Think about Paul O'Dwyer and Cardinal…
Soviet Jewry