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Correspondence

Sep. 20, 1973

Letter to Suzanne Landy about Reading Suggestions on Judaism (1973)

Australia & New Zealand
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Letter to R. Mandel about Kosher Accommodations in New Zealand (1973)

My dear Rabbi Mandel: About two years ago, I gave a series of lectures at the Harry Fischel Institute in Jerusalem. At that time, I believe you were connected with the Institute. I may be mistaken, but that is my impression. At any rate, whether you are or are not the person I have in mind, I do hope you will permit me to impose upon you with a number of queries for information. Mrs. Lamm and I plan to spend about four weeks in Australia on a series of lectures this coming summer (winter for you). On our return trip, we were thinking of spending a week or ten days in New Zealand. We would want to leave Australia for New Zealand some time immediately after תשעה באב.Now, my question is whether you know of any strictly kosher people who are willing to accommodate travelers in Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch. Of course, we are willing to pay for all accommodations.This will considerably facilitate what we hope will be a brief motor tour through your country. In the event that kosher facilities in any or all of these communities, would you be kind enough to let me know if there are any hotels or motels nearby should we decide to spend a Shabbat in such community.Do let me hear from you as soon as possible, and many many thanks in advance for responding to me.Cordially,Rabbi Norman LammNL:cw
Australia & New Zealand

Correspondence

Letter from R. Mandel about State of Jewry in Auckland, New Zealand (1973)

Dear Rabbi Lamm, שליט"א, I was delighted to learn of your plan to visit New Zealand and am looking forward to welcoming you in Auckland on the 9th of August. Please, let me have your flight No. so that I can await you. Please accent a very sincere invitation to spend your 1st Shabbat with us. Both my Congregation and I would be deeply honoured if you were to occupy my pulpit on שבת נחמו. I booked you in at the Grafton Oaks Motor Lodge, which is about ten minutes walking distance from the Synagogue, for 3-4 days initially, commencing on August 9th. Hopefully this arrangement will be satisfactory.For your information I should like to give a brief description of N.Z. Jewry and the circumstances prevailing at present. We have here, in this Dominion, approximately 4000 Jews. About two thousand live in Auckland, slightly less in Wellington cca. 125 souls in Christchurch; 50-60 in Hastings-Napier, about 40 in Dunedin and a few families in Palmerston-North and Hamilton etc. To my knowledge – and I have been here since 31.8.1971 – there is not a single שומר שבת that attends my Synagogue and at present I could not partake of a cooked meal in the home of my congregants with the possible exception of 2 or 3.There is a butchery, the premises of which are sublet by the Congregation to a non-Jew. This butchery is subsidized by the Board of the Congregation to the tune of several thousand dollars, annually. This butcher sells the meat without supervision. He sells the whole beast including the unporged hind-quarters, and some people are under an illusion that this is כשר.When in Sydney at last year’s Ministers’ Assoc. Conference I took the opportunity to discuss this and related matters with the Sydney Beth Din, whose ruling was, that until they continue to sell hind-quarters I should under no circumstance buy from that butchery. In consequence I am constrained to buy my meat from the Wellington Kosher-Coop., several hundred miles away; and the butchery operation in Auckland witho…
Australia & New Zealand

Correspondence

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

Dear Hans, I am writing to you again, after perusing some of your previous letters which I have not yet answered. Forgive me for the piece-meal nature of this response, but I hope that after this letter is concluded I will essentially be up-to-date in our correspondence. I doubt very much if Rabbi Riskin will be able to get away for a whole summer (your winter) to Australia. I have, however, spoken to a number of individuals, and I believe that it will not be too difficult to compose a good staff for the Rabbinic Department.With regard to the coordinator, I believe Dr. Stern has already written to you and indicated the need for some kind of subvention. I do not believe that the material delivered to you by Arnold Roth was meant to be duplicated for use in Australia in toto. Naturally, it will have to be revised for local consumption.The same is true with regard to the question of Hebrew. All these things can be worked out once you have formalized your arrangements with Dr. Stern.With regard to the question concerning Kashrut, we generally accept the §M\$ténsignia. There are a number of items which are accepted on their own merit. Interestingly, Manischewitz enjoys a good reputation for all its products with the sole exception of its wine.Once again, all my very best wishes and warmest regards.Cordially yours,RABBI NORMAN LAMM
Australia & New Zealand