Home Home / Letter to Rabbinic Colleagues about Sch…

Correspondence

May 19, 1970

Letter to Rabbinic Colleagues about School Board Candidates Endorsements (1970)

The Rabbinate
View The Text

This content is currently available in its original PDF format. As we expand the library, we plan to add a text version as well.

RELATED CONTENT

Correspondence

Letter to Jewish Center Membership about Proposed Legislation to Regulate Shechita (1962)

Dear Congregant: Your vote is urgently needed to defeat proposed legislation in the New York State Senate. If all of us do not participate, we place ourselves in great jeopardy of not being able to slaughter kosher meat. The proposal of Senator Conklin and Assemblyman Calli places stringent restrictions on the hoisting, shackling, and slaughtering of animals in conformity with traditional Jewish law. It is shocking, indeed, to read proposals made in the legislature of this state which, if adopted, would violate the religious conscience of one-fifth of its total population.The Jewish religion clearly and unambiguously instructs the most humane treatment of animals. The Federal Department of Agriculture could find no inhumanity in the preparation of kosher meat.It is thus doubly shocking that the State of New York should try to enact the most flagrant anti-Jewish and anti-religious legislation under the guise of humaneness.In order to defend our rights as Jews, I urge you to write the following three legislators. You may use the suggested texts or any one of your own choosing.The Honorable Speaker Joseph Carlino Speaker of the Assembly; Albany, New YorkDear Sir:We urge that you use your good offices to oppose the Conklin Bill, because it will directly hamper and curtail the Jewish humane and ritual slaughtering of animals, and will not allow us to practice the freedom of religion guaranteed to us by the United States Constitution. We will not accept the passing of this bill gracefully.The Honorable Senator William T. Conklin Albany, New YorkI, as a Jew, vigorously oppose your bill, because it is directly opposed to the practice of freedom of religion. Your bill is in direct conflict with the teachings and practices of my faith. I appeal to you to withdraw this unfair act. We are entitled to perform, without interference, the ritual and humane slaughtering of animals according to the laws of our religion. We will not accept the passing of this bill gracefully.The Hono…
The Rabbinate

Correspondence

Letter to Israeli Dept. of Absorption about Presiding at Wedding Ceremony (1969)

To Whom it May Concern: This letter will serve as an official declaration of intent to preside at the wedding ceremony of Dr. Rafael Kutscher of 36 Palmach Street, Jerusalem, to Miss Carol Bosworth of New York on December 21st, 1969. As an Orthodox Rabbi, I naturally expect, and insist, that the wedding will be completely in accordance with Jewish law, and hence completely acceptable to the Israeli Rabbinate. Sincerely yours, Rabbi Norman Lamm.
The Rabbinate

Correspondence

Letter to Jewish Center Membership with School Board Candidates Endorsements (1970)

The Jewish Center: Senior Rabbi Dr. Leo Jung, Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, Chairman of Board of Trustees William Feinberg, President Max Stern 1st Vice-President, Samuel W. Hurowitz (Deceased), 2nd Vice-President Alexander L. Baris, 3rd Vice-President Seymour Jasper, Treasurer Herman Gottesman, Secretary Morris L. Green, Executive Director Stanley M. Harrison, Board of Trustees Alexander L. Baris, Gustave Etra, William FeinbergHarry W. GoldingSamuel H. GoldingHerman GottesmanMorris L. GreenGeorge GreenspanIsaac A. JaspanSeymour JasperSamuel KramerMeyer LibermanJoseph M. MazerJakob MichaelMaynard M. MillerMortimer J. ProppMax SternJack D. WeilerAlex WiesenSol L. ZavonADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEEPaul H. BarisLouis DanenbergDavid GottliebAaron GreenSamuel GreenblattMax GrillMaxwell HauserSamuel HerskowitzMonte HurowitzRabbi Joseph KarasickBenjamin KaufmanMorris L. KramerIrvin KrulwichMax NausHarry NeumarkEphraim ProppHarry RomerSamuel RudinMeyer ShatzCharles SlesingerLeonard N. SternStanley E. SternJack WiederBenjamin WolperDear Member:Your Rabbis, along with other spiritual leaders in our neighborhood, are deeply concerned about the coming School Board elections. This election will affect not only the general public but the Jewish community as well. Matters such as late Friday afternoon classes and Sabbath and holiday classes will be determined by the local School Boards of the city.Nine members will be elected to the School Board, whose decisions will direct educational programs of the public schools, in which we certainly have a strong interest. They will also affect Yeshivos as well.We have not examined the credentials of all the candidates who are running for election. Three candidates have presented theirs to us and we strongly endorse their candidacy. They are:MORRIS EPSTEIN, AHUVA GENACK, AARON WEITZWe have found these candidates to be eminently qualified to serve the educational needs of the general public and the Jewish community.We urge you to go out and vote for the…
The Rabbinate