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Correspondence

Oct. 16, 1973

Letter to Hans Bachrach about Educational Material and Kashrut for Counterpoint Australia Seminar (1973)

Australia & New Zealand
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Correspondence

Letter to Hans Bachrach about the Hashkafic Makeup of the Counterpoint Australia Seminar (1973)

Dear Hans: It was a pleasure hearing from you again, as well as from Gini and Nurit. Your letter displays the same mood that prevails amongst Jews all over the world—depression, weariness, and a sense of foreboding. I share in it fully, but I do hope that before long we shall have every right to a renewed sense of optimism. I do hope that Gini will regain her health. Of course, I know very little about such matters, but I do not think that acupuncture can be considered a "traumatic" method of treatment. I would try everything if I were you!Dr. Stern is working "full steam ahead," and is in constant consultation with me on it. I prefer that all correspondence proceed between the two of you, even while I am kept aware of the proceedings.Incidentally, while I will tell Dr. Stern the same thing separately, I do think you should make every effort to "seed" the seminar population with both extreme types: those who have virtually no Jewish background, and those who have an intensive Jewish background. Furthermore, I would make every effort to get children from other communities—such as Sydney and including New Zealand—so that the children from Scopus should not feel that seminar is simply a repetition of the Scopus experience.I did not obtain the tapes from Rabbi Appel, and would be extremely grateful to you were you to encourage him to send them to me.Please give my warmest regards to Gini and the children, and to all the wonderful people whom it was my privilege to get to know during July and August.Cordially yours,RABBI NORMAN LAMM
Australia & New Zealand

Correspondence

Letter from Hans Bachrach to Abraham Stern about Booklets for Counterpoint Australia (1974)

By the time this letter arrives I hope you will have enjoyed the Sedarim – and well-earned rest. Meanwhile, we have been rushing things here a lot and I enclose (Prehscar broke) the first copies of the booklet which we have just produced. The symbol 'CP' naturally stands for Counterpoint and the lines indicate ideas which are flowing to and fro as they shall be at the many discussion groups which we are going to have. You will also notice that our motto is engraved on it. It shows that life is precious and the pre-requisite to the carrying out of the tasks ahead. It urges us to make His way our way.It also reminds me of one of the speeches of Rabbi Lamm where he points out that whilst the making of images of God is strictly prohibited, He made us and established us in His image. Our life has to be a reflection of His ideals.By our life we have to show and bear witness to His creation, and through our life we have to aim at realizing His teachings. Only when we value our life and enjoy it with vigour and strength can we carry out the above ideals and serve Him in joy.We are positively instructed to rejoice. We are told not the dead can carry out the tasks, always pointing to the sacredness of life.In the legal prescript, we are directed to push commandments aside to heal the sick. During the Holocaust this principle enabled some to survive and bear witness to that dark period and to thank God for the deliverance and the establishment of our State of Israel.The above is not explained in the leaflet as it has been pointed out that it would be much better to lift the people up to this understanding during the seminars.Continue to enjoy the rest of Passover.Greetings,
Australia & New Zealand

Correspondence

Letter from Hans Bachrach about Counterpoint Australia Booklets, Mikvah, and Kashrut (1974)

My Dear Rabbi Lamm, Down under we were glad to hear from you and hope that all your prayers and wishes will be fulfilled for you, your family and your congregation and all your friends. I received a very nice letter from Doctor Abraham Stern and I’m delighted that you were able to induce him to think of possibly visiting us here. Will Rabbi Steve Ristow come too? So far I have not got Rabbi Gromer’s approval that Yeshiva and Beth Rivkah can participate in the Seminar, except a promise that if pupils choose to do so they will not be expelled. However, I shall try for a little more positive action. The material which was sent with Arnold Roth is also most interesting and a lot of it can be used as set out, however some of it is of special interest to Americans only and can be eliminated in case time material has to be condensed. I am also surprised that in certain booklets only the English translation of the Hebrew is given without the passage in the original. If the material is specially prepared, please consider whether we should not insert the quotations in both languages. On 23rd August I wrote, at your advice, to Mr. Friedman regarding a suction pump for a Mikvah, but I have not heard from him. If your secretary could be good enough to pass on the phone call to enquire the answer it would be of considerable help. Another matter for the advancement of Kashrut would be a list of items which do not require a Hechsher, such as vegetables, fruits, groceries and many basic staples. Of course I know that such a list would be incomplete and each individual has to make his own decisions, but it would be most helpful for housewives and travellers alike. I must close now and many thanks, but as the tendon has gone in her left hand, Gini will undergo a small operation next week. We hope that all will go well and she will be better by Sukkoth. With kind regards, Sincerely yours, Hans
Australia & New Zealand