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Correspondence

Feb. 13, 1974

Letter to Student with Advice about Pursuing a Doctorate in Jewish Studies (1974)

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Exchange with Rabbi about Academic Opportunities (1974)

Dear Norman and family, This letter and especially the return address on the envelope may come as a surprise to you, unless your parents, from whom I got your address when I met them at [redacted] about a month ago, have brought you up to date on the facts. Just in case they have not, I will try to do so as concisely as possible so the shock will not be great. On Friday, August 3, my mother a”h passed away. Not having a place to live at once, I was entertained in Queens for a time, and it inconvenienced the household. In my present condition, I came to reside at this nursing home in [redacted], and I accommodated myself tightly. It is also near a lot of people that I know from the Synagogue, so it is thoughtful and the best place to live at the present. The home and nursing schedule is nice, and I have many other familiar schoolmates and friends of mine, and the brothers and sisters do not lack company. In fact, the recreation is on a certain scale and I can come once weekly and listen to Sunday music, and I admit that it adds all with. Besides that, we taken out quite a few of my $730 with me, and eventually will bring out the rest when the year of rent is up. I hope to bring out my high fidelity set and records so that perhaps I will begin to feel at home. Several of the boys are able to visit and call every once in awhile, but I suppose that is over for the time being, or at least as long as our Orthodox cousins prefer to be haughty and fight the hand that tries to pull them into itself. Some of us announced their quiet evening Friday services when they recite their Krias in Bible, which they also conduct on Shabbos and Yom Tov and wanted to take me at times to picnics or gala affairs where everyone was arranged to taste of the Torah. Otherwise many of the youth home and camp projects for the children have items in common with our projects here and there. But I perioded for me a convenient place to sit and sleep and all necessaries provided including strictly K…
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Letter to Dr. Philip Birnbaum about His Doctoral Thesis and Jewish Center Lecture (1963)

Dear Dr. Birnbaum: Many thanks for sending to me a copy of your book, "The Arabic Commentary of Yefet," your doctoral thesis. I hope to read it carefully at the first opportunity. At the same time, permit me to express to you my thanks and those of my entire congregation for your splendid and inspiring talk this past Saturday afternoon, which I am sure encouraged all your listeners to dedicate themselves with renewed interest to both study and teaching of the "Hidden Treasures of Hebrew Literature." I do hope we shall have many opportunities to hear you at The Center in the future.Sincerely,RABBI NORMAN LAMMNL\:ff
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Letter to Dr. Grinstein about Addressing Challenges in Jewish Philosophy Courses (1965)

Dear Dr. Grinstein: I have discussed with you a number of times the problem of my two classes at T.I. and have done some soul-searching myself these past few weeks. Of the two courses I give, the first one (i.e., the one for seniors) is usually more difficult and more advanced. It is the one into which I put my greatest energies and efforts. Yet, I am always most disappointed by the results. First, it is a required course, and hence I have many students who are not really interested in the subject matter. Second, since this is essentially a senior class, quite a number of students are absent from four to six lectures during the second semester when they are student-teaching. This is normally disruptive of class work, but especially so in a course for which there are no textbooks available.My preference is that this senior class be declared an elective, and not be a required course. Furthermore, I would want to have my other course, i.e., Philo 51-52, declared a prerequisite or at least a co-requisite for the advanced course. Frankly, if it were possible I would also want to limit enrollment in the advanced course to those with whom I can confer beforehand.The reason for this, in addition to the above, is that I am profoundly disturbed to find the lackadaisical spirit that prevails amongst so many students, and that lead me to feelings of disappointment and frustration in my own efforts at teaching.I beg of you to consider the above and, when you can find the time, perhaps we can discuss it at some greater length.Warmest personal regards,
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