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Correspondence

March 19, 1959

Letter to R. Klavan about Article on "Separation of the Sexes in the Synagogue" (1959)

Separate Pews
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Letter from R. Haskel Lookstein on Separate Pews (1958)

Dear Rabbi Lamm, Thank you very much for your congratulations and wonderful wishes. It was really very nice of you to have taken the time to express them. By the way, my father showed me your speech on mixed pews (not in mixed pews) and I thought it was literally out of this world – in the right direction, of course. I read it, reread it, tried to memorize the arguments, and then put it in my file cabinet in case I shood forget its contents. I think that it is far and away the best treatment I have seen or heard on the subject. Congratulations! I hope you can keep doing this sort of work. It’s really excellent, Sincerely, Haskel. Regards to the rebbetzin
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Correspondence

Letter to R. Klavan about Reprint Order for "Separate Pews in the Synagogue" (1959)

Dear Rabbi Klavan: I am ordering 4,000 reprints of my article on "Separate Pewes" from Book Craftsmen. Mr. Saul Bernstein told me yesterday that The Union wants 1,000. which will amount to $91.74 without postage. (Rabbi S.R. Weiss approved of the order). Rabbi Finer asked me this morning far 2,000 copies for the Yeshiva, This comes to $151.44 without postage. Another 1,000 – at the reduced rates of a bulk order of 4,000״ – will cost the R.C.A. only about $40 or so for its thousand. However, we must calculate about $40-$50 for total freight plus customs, etc.Hence, I suggest you charge as follows: a) 1000 for U. O. J. C. A. – $98.00b) 2000 for Y. U. – $165.00The rest should be absorbed by us.I an informing Book Craftsmen that we will handle the reprint situation, i.e. we will collect from The Union and Yeshiva, and have him add the total unto our bill far TRADITION.Rabbi Finer informed me that while ho will be able to make an initial payment soon, the final payment will have to wait for the end of the summer.Sincerely,Rabbi Norman Lamm Editer
Separate Pews

Correspondence

Letter from Baruch Litvin about Tradition Article on Mixed Pews (1958)

Dear Rabbi: At the outset I must first say "Mazel Tov" and lets together make "Shehecheyonu" that we have lived to see that The R.C.A. has its own "Tradition." As for myself I congratulate you as the Editor and your board of editors for seeing to it that "Tradition" came out as good as it did. This letter comes to you from a man by the name Baruch Litvin living in Mount Clemens, Michigan, the fellow that is fighting windmills, the fellow who started the "Milchamas Hashem" against letting the laity in a Synnagogue by majority vote decide Hallacha, which means taking over the prerogatives of the Rabbis, and of course once we let this thing go by without a fight the next thing then follows: what was taken up on the concervative convention that the laity must have the final, in determinning the norms of the ritual and ethical behavior, yes the Rabbi can be consulted but the final say is left with the "Am Aratzim and the women" (please excuse my attitute toward the the women and their husbands who do not know the difference of an Alef to a Beis).I do not wish to burden you with the vast amount of information gathered by myself in regards the Tradition of Mechitzos, but I feel that Mechitzos are entitled to be spread on the pages of ״Tradition" as a part of what the alms of Tradition is, and should be.Should you give serious consideration to my way of thinking I can arrange a meeting between you and myself and give you much more material than I am stating now. Your Secretary Profesor fox knows me and is well aquainted with the case same is Rabbi Sharfman, Rabbi Rockman, and I am making this plea to you, and your board to consider Litvins thought on the matter of Mechitzos, that Judaism will stand or chas Vecholile fall by the attitude of the Rabbis towards mixed pews.I need not go into detail as I am aware that I am writing to Rabbis and I am only a laymen Vehamaskil Yovin.Please if after deliberation you find merit in my thinking that "Tradition" Must take up the fight …
Separate Pews