My Dear Dr. Weiss: I am here now three days. I can’t begin to tell you the story of India, I could already fill volumes. I am somewhat depressed by the general scene in Bombay, but the Jewish community is a very painful experience to behold. They are really a darling community. Enthusiastic, warm and possessed with a tremendous thirst for knowledge. Since I have arrived I have been working 18 hours a day. I have had about six committee meetings, 4 private sessions and I delivered lectures at 4 public gatherings. Thank G-d in the public gatherings I have made quite an impression on them. In the private meetings and committee sessions, and they are long, I am attempting to lay the ground work for a formal organization of a U.O.J.C.I. I have brought together the Iraqi leadership and the B’nai Israel and thank G-d succeeded in having them agree to a Union which will take in the Iraqi congregations and the B’nai Israel. Also a council of 5 men will be established to whom all matters involving ? and מקוה will be referred for them to contact either the Rabbinate of Israel, or the Chief Rabbinate of England or us in America.So far 9 congregations have agreed to join representing about 10,000 of Bombay’s 15,000 Jews. One of Mr. Benjamin’s friends attended one of my lectures and when it was through he said "it looks as though you have begun to scrap the United Synagogues of India". If these congregations go through with what we have planned Mr. Benjamin will be left with a few small prayer halls.Now comes the real problem. These people are suffering of the worst poverty I have ever seen. Families of 7 and 8 live in one room. It’s simply heartbreaking. Religiously they are very enthusiastic but are completely ignorant. It’s a terrible situation. We must find someone at least a teacher to come over here, at all costs, this is a real need. 15,000 Jews without a rabbi and without a teacher.To combat the influence of the Conservatives and Reform, we must help them organize and th…

Dear Dr. Weiss: Things are going at a quick pace. I have addressed about 12 public meetings and have four more to go. The Conservatives have attempted to upset things numerous times but thank G-d to no avail. There is a great deal of inner conflict going on but much of it is slowly being solved. Really, this is a darling Jewish community and we must help them. The people simply are thirsty for the word of Torah. The poverty as I told you is shocking.I am still hoping that you were able to wire me the thousand dollars. It isn’t a great deal of money but it can go a long way. We want to rent quarters and it isn’t too expensive. Also I would like to buy at least 200 pair of Tefilin. Most of the B’nai Israel do not have Tefilin and they are now willing to put them on. We can buy them from Cochin for about $2.50 a pair.If you haven’t been able to wire the money until now then please wait till I return.Please have Moses Feuerstein read this letter.Best personal regards.Sincerely(signed) Charles WeinbergP.S. By the time you receive this letter I will probably be in Israel.

Dear Rabbi Lamm: I should like to express to you my deep appreciation for your past services to Tradition. I am pleased to inform you that our new editor-in-chief is Rabbi Walter S. Wurzburger, under whose leadership I am confident that Tradition will continue to present a high standard of scholarly articles. Rabbi Wurzburger has indicated that he would like to retain you on the editorial staff, and so I am hereby asking you to remain on the Editorial Board. It is conceivable that the editor-in-chief will rearrange the responsibilities, but in that event I presume he will discuss the matter with you directly.Cordially yours,Rabbi Charles WeinbergPresident

To: Mr. Max Stern, Chairman, Joint Overseas Commission; From: Dr. Samson R. Weiss; Subject: London Meetings. In keeping with our discussion of Tuesday, May 15th, I set up a series of meetings in London. Haham Dr. Solomon Gaon checked with Chief Rabbi Brodie as to the best available dates. It was determined that my presence in London at the occasion of the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Chief Rabbis' Conference would be advisable and should be combined with the purpose of my trip. Accordingly, I left for London on Saturday night, May 26th and arrived in time to participate in the afternoon session of the Standing Committee. This committee is in charge of carrying out the resolutions adopted at the Bionnial Chief Rabbis' Conferences which Dr. Brodie initiated six years ago. Three of these conferences have taken place. The fourth one is scheduled for May, 1963 in Basel, Switzerland.Participants in this conference were: Dr, Brodie, Dr, Gaon, Rabbi Grunwald (Hamburg), Dayan Dr. Lew (London), Grand Rabbin Schilli (Paris), Chief Rabbi Schuster (Amsterdam), Oberrabbiner Taubes (Zurich), Chief Rabbi Toaff (Rome), and Rabbi Rose, the Secretary of Chief Rabbi Brodie.Of interest to us are the following issues, given here in condensed form(A) Calendar ReformIn view of a recent statement in the Osservatore Romano that the Pope favors Calendar Reform among other reasons for the purpose of obtaining a fixed day for Easter, there is great danger that such a reform may be introduced through the United Nations. When Calendar Reform proposals earn up last in 1954, it was the resistance of the Catholic Church which played a great role in the defeat of these proposals.The Pope now agrees to a reform which would divide the year in four equal quarters of 91 days each, a total of 364 days. The last day of the year, and in Leap Years the two last days, would be uncounted, unnamed "blank days." Thus, each year would begin with a Sunday as would each quarter. Accordingly, the Shabbo…

Dear Rabbi Weinberg: Yesterday evening, Mr. Max Stern returned to New York, having spent some time in Israel. While there, he put in a great deal of work on India and arranged for Rabbi Gotthold to go to India for a period of six months. He also arranged that an Israeli Rav would go to India for a shorter period, to take care of Gittin, etc. Rabbi Laces told me that Mr. Stern would give him within the next few days a memorandum on all these arrangements. Upon receipt of this memorandum, we must of course advise the UOJCI of the impending visits and make sure that they cooperate. While the inclination of the Bane Israel is to be suspiciously hostile to Israeli representatives, I personally feel that their attitude will undergo a change for two reasons. Firstly, the very fact that visitors come instead of their being treated and judged in absentia will show them that there is a positive attitude. Secondly, since these arrangements were initiated by the Chairman of our Overseas Commission, of whose sympathy and cooperation they are so deeply aware, the rejection of these visitors would disturb the relations between the UOJCI and us. I do not think they would want that to happen.Under the present circumstances, though, it appears that a visit from here, and especially one of so short a duration, would not be advisable. This is the opinion of Rabbi Lamm and Mr. Stern, in which I concur. Let me add that I see great purpose for a visit of at least four weeks, to coincide with the first few weeks Rabbi Gotthold will be in India. When you will peruse the correspondence I gave you, the reasons will be surely quite obvious to you.Thanking you very much for your cooperation and willingness to give us again so much of your energy and time, I amWith kindest personal regards and warmest Shabbos wishes,Very sincerely yours,DR. SAMSON R. WEISSSRW/sdRabbi Charles Weinberg35 Lillian RoadMalden 48, Mass.

Dear Charles: I am somewhat appalled by the poor reaction of most of our colleagues to your original letter concerning the ZIM situation. Therefore, even though both I and Rabbi Jung and our President wrote letters of protest as soon as we received your notification, I have appointed a committee of several people in the congregation to contact others and to write as per your request. I will be sending you copies of these letters when they become available to me. Sincerely, Rabbi Norman Lamm.

Dear Normie, It was good talking to you on the phone last Thursday. I appreciate your readiness to cooperate with us in the development of the "Jerusalem School of Applied Science." Moshe Feuerstein and Zev Wolfson join me in welcoming you to our Board of Governors. There is no question in my mind that there is a great potential for the school in Israel. Under the dynamic leadership of Prof. William Low, I am confident of the rapid growth of the school and its quality of excellence. We hope to attract outstanding leadership to our Board of Governors so that the destiny of the school and its high standards may be assured.We look forward to your guidance, advice, and cooperation. I shall, please God, be in touch with you from time to time.Best personal regards. I am as ever yours,**Rabbi Charles Weinberg**P.S. Our office is at 200 Park Ave.